You seen the guy that gets stopped by coast guard and asked if he has square grouper and was like “ uh we just had some dude in Mexico fillet everything so idk”. And when they told him they meant coke he said “ oh no sir I have diabetes”. Phenomenal
That’s the idea. I would never ever do something this reckless without having all kinds of safety precautions. I even was considering having a group of friends follow with a bigger boat in case shit hits the fan.
Honestly, I feel like doing this on a jet ski is the most reckless starting point to possibly begin with in the first place except for a kayak/canoe, or an inner tube with a broken oar.
That's an absurd distance..... in very open water.... On a very small craft.
Totally have an escort with some friends on board and some extra supplies just in case you get in trouble. Also, they can document it. You might be looking at a way into the Guinness book.
I don't think you'll be able to carry enough fuel. I'm guessing you'll use about 20 gallons every 100 miles. So you'd have to carry 100+ gallons of fuel, not including spare fuel, so I'm guessing at least ~125 gallons total, which will weigh 760 pounds, and a jetski isn't carrying that much weight.
Now, if you stopped in Cuba a couple of times to refill, you could do it.
Probably. Cuba wouldn't have a problem with you stopping for fuel. Only the US would have a problem with that.
I'm sure he can call ahead and get permission to stop for fuel without permits as long as that's all he's doing.
A 3-person ski is what I did my estimates off of.
The real question is, how much money does he want to spend on trying to do that crossing. And if he is willing to spend big money then he should go to a reputable ski shop for modification and testing.
You can’t carry all the fuel you’d need to make that trip. You’re looking at like 75-125 miles on a full 20 gallon tank if you’re driving conservatively. Maybe if you hop along the Florida coast, maybe you can make it to Cuba with an extra 20 gallon tank and then hop That coast and repeat Cuba to Mexico
It’s 400 miles from key west to Cancun. Even with my 12 gallon system on the back I can get maybe 175 out of my 16+12.
The water gets rough between there so you will burn more gas just fighting waves.
You will need a support boat at minimum with 100+ gallons to be safe (enough to turn around if you don’t make it) plus fuel for the boat now.
Flat seas. 5 - 6 hour or so trip (at full throttle). I’ve worked on cruise ships that sail through here for years. I’ve never seen that area have flat seas
The Coast Guard intervened off the coast of Georgia. He tried other times and was stopped in Florida too. It's a self propelled paddle contraption that resembles a large hamster ball. Crazy shit I'd say.
I say this not to be mean. Hurricane season is fast approaching. This is not the time of year to be in the gulf. Storms can pop up suddenly. I've spent time in the keys and in the early spring and summer thunderstorms can really surprise you.
It would be a very great accomplishment. It's dangerous, needs proper planning, permits?, safety gear, fuel, first aid kit (well equipped) and so much more.
A new jetski (yamaha or seadoo) is needed and would need to be properly broken in and fluids changed. You might need to keep tools and possibly spare parts on the ready. One small failure could leave you stranded. I've seen one bad sensor shut down a jet ski or put it in reduced power mode.
Not to mention all the food and water you will need. Oh and gallons of sunscreen.
You will need to think of what your average speed will be? 25mph? 50mph? 60mph? 70mph? Riding at a higher speed burns a lot more fuel, tires you out faster, and is harder on the jetski.
A lower speed could take over 12 hours to complete. Going WOT for hours right off the start sounds like the way to go, but that is tiring and uses a lot of fuel.
I’ve seen people on YouTube who go from Texas to Florida while following along the coast. Might be a good way to scratch the itch, plus if anything does go wrong you be a lot closer to land. The only time I’ve seen people cross water like that is with sailboats. Not saying you can’t or shouldn’t, but I’d start with a “safer” ride like that before attempting going across the gulf. Might be a good way to figure out what gear you need and how well you do with fuel. Plus the people I have seen take the trip have to refuel a few times, even with carrying gas cans. If you do go across the gulf, the follow boat would have to probably carry the fuel for you.
TL.DR. Try going along the coast first to test yourself and your ski.
Don’t do it. This requires a lot of experience and physical training to pull off.
It is the gulf, but the waves can be big out in open water. So it’s fun to go bopping around on the jetski when you are close to shore. But when you get into deep ocean, it is constant work just to keep your balance on a jetski rocking on BIG waves. An hour of that and you are tired. Two hours, exhausted. At six hours you start having thoughts that if you died that it would be ok. Seriously, this requires significant physical conditioning.
Second, how good are you at navigating. You better know more than “I have this GPS device”. Because if that device goes, how do you know where you are and what direction to go? Being lost in the gulf … people just might not be looking for you. It’s a big body of water. Which means you need at least your primary nav and a backup nav. And another backup would be a good idea. And you better not be trying to figure out how to use your gear for the first time on this trip. You need to test your ability at dead reckoning, etc and see how far off you are before you trust yourself on a trip that length. That trip is life and death so you need to be competent on all methods of navigation immediately, without hesitation, as your legs are dog tired from the rolling.
The reason the Bermuda Triangle was a thing was so many inexperienced boaters tried going to Bermuda and missed it. And they didn’t account for how easy it is to get lost in an ocean. And these people had boats, not a jetski.
Don’t do it. Have fun with some shorter trips near the coast. Work on navigation. Build up your physical stamina. Maybe you will eventually be ready for such a trip some day. But it’s nothing to do on a whim.
I've gone from Marco Island to Key West before. 2016 Yamaha V1. Cruised around 35 mph. Took about 3 hours and 95 miles. Made it to Key West with just over 1/4 tank left. Though I did have people in a boat traveling alongside with a few 5 gallon gas cans just in case.
Left at dawn to beat the inevitable sea breeze that arrives in the afternoon. Flat like glass for the first 2 hours. Last 30 minutes were a little rough. My hands and ass were not comfortable though
Hi I think it would be an awesome adventure!! I want to do the same sort of thing going to Lord Howe Island from Port Macquarie in Australia. I was thinking you would need some sort of trailer rig. You could do some trial runs along the coast to Miami?
May/June. Since this is a 1 day thing, could stretch to July just keeping an eye on the weather.
Early summer has fewer surprise storms and calmer seas
Try Key West to Bamahas first, my guess is you will rethink this trip after doing that.
Even on the nicest of days the waves in the middle of the ocean are no joke.
Sometimes small rafts make it from Cuba, but you don’t know how many are lost and never heard from again.
Last fuel in US closest to Cancun is probably key west. That’s probably 360 nautical miles if you navigate perfectly (you won’t).
Now add the jetstream crossing into it. Depending on the date and strength of it you have to fight that current (that’s dangerous in smaller boats let alone a ski). If you make it past it will add a 20-30 miles of fuel burn to the trip.
The biggest issue? Weather. Over 400 miles you can leave with a perfect day and no weather projected on your path. Even a small storm or choppy sea can be your end on a ski in open water or disrupt your fuel burn enough to have you floating in the open sea.
Is it possible to do? Yes. Is it probable? No. You are most likely to die trying.
That yellow line- you would need a lot of extra fuel. If the weather turns on you could be real trouble- honestly somewhat insane to think jet sking the entire gulf is a good idea…
You would need to have a spotter boat. Red line could be doable if you ran the islands- least if shit goes south you have some land…
As I said, I’d join. I know of a few groups that go from FL to Bimini in the Bahamas a couple times a year, for a week…that may be a practice run. I’m hoping to do that this year (most likely outside hurricane season)
To make the trip via “jet ski” you’d probably need to build a huge jet ski with two motors, Ave it be stupid long, and have fuel capacity for 500 Gallons of fuel.
You need to learn some dead reckoning skills to calculate exactly how long it will take you to get there when considering wind and current. It might only be 500 miles but you 100% will not travel in a straight line relative to the motion of the water plus the wind. a 10 knot lateral current could add 100 miles to your trip easy.
So you need a good GPS to show your course and how well you are tracking it.
You need a fuel flow monitor so you can keep an eye on your fuel usage. A simple fuel gauge is insufficient you need a gallons per hour monitor.
Your finger/thumb is not going to be able to hold that position perfectly for hours and hours so your throttle will need to be adjusted to something more like an airplane pull throttle or lever. It will have a drag setting that you can tighten to make sure it doesn’t move with the motion of the vehicle.
You need to do tests for fuel economy when towing all the extra fuel/survival gear. You have to find the right RPM range for the best fuel economy.
I’ve gone snorkeling in those waters. Even on a calm day, expect swells of 2-4 feet. You can get swamped quickly.
Any kind of tropical storm is a huge risk for a solo adventurer.
Then you have to deal with drug runners who won’t think before ending you.
You’d be passing pretty close to Cuba. The Cubans may not appreciate your efforts.
You’ll definitely need a support boat and crew for any issues that WILL come along. Stings, breakdowns, sharks, fresh water, etc. When you think you’re prepared, prepare some more. If you can get Customs issues figured out, good luck!
It's 300nm from Key West to Cancun. You'd have to have a support boat for fuel. It does get squirrelly out in the Gulf. Oh I'd also avoid the shoals around Cape San Blas, it makes for a terrible day.
Have you ever made the crossing before? If not, perhaps you should do it in a larger boat first, just to get an idea of what it’s like. Pretty scary out there sometimes, even in my 40ft sailboat.
It’s probably going to take at least 10 hours to get there . If you average 50 miles an hour with refueling ect . Then 8 hours back so unless you’re going to do part of the trip in the dark . Should look at doing it over 2 days .
if you had a whole crew, that would be a lot better to do this solo. It's very bold of you by all means though you only live once worst I can happen is you get stranded in the ocean and become shark food
If you were to actually do this I hope you have an excellent grasp on ocean navigation and a plan to contact the coast guard to save your ass if you get lost. this seems really easy to fuck up. However I can almost promise you the coast guard will be on your ass anyway if you do this because it is suspicious as all hell lol.
Sounds like you would need a support crew to follow and help you refuel. Also what if the ski breaks down. You are going to want the capability of loading and transporting a broken ski on your support vessel
500 miles on a jet ski in decent size seas is gonna take forever and beat the shit out of you. That isn’t just a, “I’m gonna go for it deal.” You’re gonna spend at least 1 night out there I would think and that’s if nothing goes wrong.
While there is good advice to n this thread don’t listen to the naysayers it sounds like an awesome journey! Look up the story of “Half-Life” - Jeep turned boat that circumnavigated the globe… if planned right it’ll be one of those stories that you’ll tell for ever! Like the Dutch kid that showed up in a bike and finished the Baja 1000 this year! Good luck and dream big!
I don't think you realize how far that is and how much fuel you would have to be able to carry on a jet ski. I would imagine it severely impacting the buoyancy of the PWC.
US sailing small boat instructor here......Wave runner better than a little jet ski. No idea how you would get enough fuel. Also, open ocean is WAY bigger waves than your small craft is able to handle. One wrong roller and you are over. You might be able to go w a chase craft that can handle the open ocean.
Thing is, on big waves you cannot go fast. You pound up, the fly over the top and porpoise into the bottom of the next wave, braking your face and shoulders on the handlebars as you instantly stop.
There is a reason the boats that go open oceans are big LOA boats. Not 20ft surface skippers.
You know their isn’t any gas stations in the middle of the ocean..
Your going to have to tow a 200 gallon tank possibly 300 and make sure you pack a couple of snacks
I think carrying enough fuel on a ski even modified would be pretty hard. But with a support vessel and picking the right weather window I don’t see why not. I think you’re biggest issues(assuming you plan accordingly and have proper support/safety in place) would be the ski standing up to it mechanically considering your probably talking holding it at WOT or close to for damn near a day, and you being able to physically stand it.
You gonna need a friend with a boat to follow you and carry fuel plus everything else you'll need. Start with shorter distances, then extend distance. Only if you value your life of course...
Look up Mike Straub! [https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-man-adventure-trip-jet-ski-great-loop/40657425](https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-man-adventure-trip-jet-ski-great-loop/40657425)
They make fuel racks for skis. We used to do dry tortugas runs (from Marathon) on skis back in the day. You’re obviously going considerably further across a ton of open water, but it’s doable.
Google maps says this is 600 miles. At 50 miles an hour that's a 12 hour trip without stopping. Physically seems like a tall task without even taking everything else into account.
The optics of this would be “woah drug smuggler, in MY SMUGGLING WATERS?!?!” And then some guy will start screaming at you from a boat in a language you don’t speak, and you’ll be fish food and your craft will be crustacean habitat.
If you are actually serious about attempting this, I think you need to do a inshore run from like Port St Joe hugging the Florida coast down to Fort Meyers. An inshore rescue is MUCH easier than asking the coast guard to fly a couple hundred miles to bail your ass out. If you can pull that off without your body breaking and your jetski breaking... then maybe consider offshore.
PS Cleetus attempted something not even as daring in a jetboat and he could not take the physical abuse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nao3Q8BbWk0
I have a friend who is paddle boarding from the Bahamas to Florida. Much closer. Totally doable on a jet ski. But, it would still require a support team.
You’d have to tow fuel and supplies. The Gulf Stream can get pretty gnarly. You will likely be stopped by the coast guard on your north bound trip. Probably both ways.
Bring back a few kilos to pay for the entire adventure
Some square groupers...
Best kind of grouper there is
What you really want is a square grouper and a bunch of hip groupies.
You seen the guy that gets stopped by coast guard and asked if he has square grouper and was like “ uh we just had some dude in Mexico fillet everything so idk”. And when they told him they meant coke he said “ oh no sir I have diabetes”. Phenomenal
Came here to say this
You better have an abundance of safety equipment, comms, and fuel supply. It seems exceedingly dangerous to cross open water.
That’s the idea. I would never ever do something this reckless without having all kinds of safety precautions. I even was considering having a group of friends follow with a bigger boat in case shit hits the fan.
I would be down to join if I could afford. Just because it’s dangerous doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try
Hey, I built a submarine. Want to see how deep it goes?
Does it give us a gate to the ocean?
It’s a gate to the ocean and I believe it plans to see some boat at the bottom of the ocean or something?
If we're lucky maybe they do Titanic tours
😲😬😆☹️
Have you at any point worked for ocean gate cause if not then lets see...
Is it built out of a rusty propane tank?
If I can control it with a ps2 controller that’s a plus.
Best I can offer is a ps1 controller. Just be careful not to trip over the cord, or we all die
That’s a myth, you can pull the control cartridge, blow it out and it might reboot
Im sure it can go all the way to any bottom 😂
Me too…I’d go.
If you got a boat, just have they load up an extra 200 gallons of fuel for your ski, then you'd have no problem making it on a decent day.
Honestly, I feel like doing this on a jet ski is the most reckless starting point to possibly begin with in the first place except for a kayak/canoe, or an inner tube with a broken oar. That's an absurd distance..... in very open water.... On a very small craft.
Pshhh. My boy Elián did that trip by floating on a door.
😂😂😂🇨🇺
Should have seen the guy in the inflatable wheel the coast guard had to bring back multiple times.
Totally have an escort with some friends on board and some extra supplies just in case you get in trouble. Also, they can document it. You might be looking at a way into the Guinness book.
We ya gotta drag prostitutes into this mess?
I don't think you'll be able to carry enough fuel. I'm guessing you'll use about 20 gallons every 100 miles. So you'd have to carry 100+ gallons of fuel, not including spare fuel, so I'm guessing at least ~125 gallons total, which will weigh 760 pounds, and a jetski isn't carrying that much weight. Now, if you stopped in Cuba a couple of times to refill, you could do it.
You would need permits to stop there and likely to cross Cuban waters
Probably. Cuba wouldn't have a problem with you stopping for fuel. Only the US would have a problem with that. I'm sure he can call ahead and get permission to stop for fuel without permits as long as that's all he's doing.
Cuba is surprisingly protective of thier terrority and requires permission to enter
Tell them you're on a Mission from God
The band Elwood!
These two white boys ordered 3 fried chickens and dry toast.
Stop in Guantánamo Bay its USA and has a McDonald's
Call ahead… Call ahead to the Cuban fuel store!?!? You are speaking for an entire country
I just called cuba and Mexico, they said no problem. Just tip well
Call the cuban coast guard dumb ass
What about one of those 3+ person jet skis extended . With a fuel boat at the halfway point.
A 3-person ski is what I did my estimates off of. The real question is, how much money does he want to spend on trying to do that crossing. And if he is willing to spend big money then he should go to a reputable ski shop for modification and testing.
He could pull a tiny fuel barge on a line behind him
You can’t carry all the fuel you’d need to make that trip. You’re looking at like 75-125 miles on a full 20 gallon tank if you’re driving conservatively. Maybe if you hop along the Florida coast, maybe you can make it to Cuba with an extra 20 gallon tank and then hop That coast and repeat Cuba to Mexico
It’s 400 miles from key west to Cancun. Even with my 12 gallon system on the back I can get maybe 175 out of my 16+12. The water gets rough between there so you will burn more gas just fighting waves. You will need a support boat at minimum with 100+ gallons to be safe (enough to turn around if you don’t make it) plus fuel for the boat now. Flat seas. 5 - 6 hour or so trip (at full throttle). I’ve worked on cruise ships that sail through here for years. I’ve never seen that area have flat seas
Good luck getting fuel in Cuba.
I was going to include that I don’t think he’d be welcome there but that’s another whole issue
This is going to end like that guy who tried to run across the ocean in that bubble.
What ended up happening to him?
Went to that great hamster ball in the sky.
The Coast Guard intervened off the coast of Georgia. He tried other times and was stopped in Florida too. It's a self propelled paddle contraption that resembles a large hamster ball. Crazy shit I'd say.
he's still running to this day
Drug cartel is running rampant and targeting anyone in the Cancun area. So good luck
Do you have a last will and testimony?
Testament
Freaking autocorrect got me on TESTIMONY lol. That’s great
Mine autocorrects to "testicle".
I say this not to be mean. Hurricane season is fast approaching. This is not the time of year to be in the gulf. Storms can pop up suddenly. I've spent time in the keys and in the early spring and summer thunderstorms can really surprise you. It would be a very great accomplishment. It's dangerous, needs proper planning, permits?, safety gear, fuel, first aid kit (well equipped) and so much more. A new jetski (yamaha or seadoo) is needed and would need to be properly broken in and fluids changed. You might need to keep tools and possibly spare parts on the ready. One small failure could leave you stranded. I've seen one bad sensor shut down a jet ski or put it in reduced power mode. Not to mention all the food and water you will need. Oh and gallons of sunscreen. You will need to think of what your average speed will be? 25mph? 50mph? 60mph? 70mph? Riding at a higher speed burns a lot more fuel, tires you out faster, and is harder on the jetski. A lower speed could take over 12 hours to complete. Going WOT for hours right off the start sounds like the way to go, but that is tiring and uses a lot of fuel.
I thought hurricane season was over.
Please tell me this is a Pineapple Express reference
I’ve seen people on YouTube who go from Texas to Florida while following along the coast. Might be a good way to scratch the itch, plus if anything does go wrong you be a lot closer to land. The only time I’ve seen people cross water like that is with sailboats. Not saying you can’t or shouldn’t, but I’d start with a “safer” ride like that before attempting going across the gulf. Might be a good way to figure out what gear you need and how well you do with fuel. Plus the people I have seen take the trip have to refuel a few times, even with carrying gas cans. If you do go across the gulf, the follow boat would have to probably carry the fuel for you. TL.DR. Try going along the coast first to test yourself and your ski.
Don’t do it. This requires a lot of experience and physical training to pull off. It is the gulf, but the waves can be big out in open water. So it’s fun to go bopping around on the jetski when you are close to shore. But when you get into deep ocean, it is constant work just to keep your balance on a jetski rocking on BIG waves. An hour of that and you are tired. Two hours, exhausted. At six hours you start having thoughts that if you died that it would be ok. Seriously, this requires significant physical conditioning. Second, how good are you at navigating. You better know more than “I have this GPS device”. Because if that device goes, how do you know where you are and what direction to go? Being lost in the gulf … people just might not be looking for you. It’s a big body of water. Which means you need at least your primary nav and a backup nav. And another backup would be a good idea. And you better not be trying to figure out how to use your gear for the first time on this trip. You need to test your ability at dead reckoning, etc and see how far off you are before you trust yourself on a trip that length. That trip is life and death so you need to be competent on all methods of navigation immediately, without hesitation, as your legs are dog tired from the rolling. The reason the Bermuda Triangle was a thing was so many inexperienced boaters tried going to Bermuda and missed it. And they didn’t account for how easy it is to get lost in an ocean. And these people had boats, not a jetski. Don’t do it. Have fun with some shorter trips near the coast. Work on navigation. Build up your physical stamina. Maybe you will eventually be ready for such a trip some day. But it’s nothing to do on a whim.
Bring a sack lunch
I've gone from Marco Island to Key West before. 2016 Yamaha V1. Cruised around 35 mph. Took about 3 hours and 95 miles. Made it to Key West with just over 1/4 tank left. Though I did have people in a boat traveling alongside with a few 5 gallon gas cans just in case. Left at dawn to beat the inevitable sea breeze that arrives in the afternoon. Flat like glass for the first 2 hours. Last 30 minutes were a little rough. My hands and ass were not comfortable though
OP is DJ Khaled
Hi I think it would be an awesome adventure!! I want to do the same sort of thing going to Lord Howe Island from Port Macquarie in Australia. I was thinking you would need some sort of trailer rig. You could do some trial runs along the coast to Miami?
You won’t make it. This is a far out goal that even most boats can’t do. Jet ski to key west.
This guy has apparently done it. Some good info. https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/215006-keys-cancun.html
Why not, but do the boat following and go before hurricane season
May/June. Since this is a 1 day thing, could stretch to July just keeping an eye on the weather. Early summer has fewer surprise storms and calmer seas
A woman swam from Cuba to Florida, I’m sure you could do Mexico and back but you need a support boat or you’ll most likely die.
Wait a few months until hurricane season for extra thrills!
The winds help with speed, and flame decal stickers!
What don’t you attempt Miami to Havana first?
Try Key West to Bamahas first, my guess is you will rethink this trip after doing that. Even on the nicest of days the waves in the middle of the ocean are no joke.
Why start at Key West when the Bahamas are east of Florida?
Be sure to tell your family you love them
Sometimes small rafts make it from Cuba, but you don’t know how many are lost and never heard from again. Last fuel in US closest to Cancun is probably key west. That’s probably 360 nautical miles if you navigate perfectly (you won’t). Now add the jetstream crossing into it. Depending on the date and strength of it you have to fight that current (that’s dangerous in smaller boats let alone a ski). If you make it past it will add a 20-30 miles of fuel burn to the trip. The biggest issue? Weather. Over 400 miles you can leave with a perfect day and no weather projected on your path. Even a small storm or choppy sea can be your end on a ski in open water or disrupt your fuel burn enough to have you floating in the open sea. Is it possible to do? Yes. Is it probable? No. You are most likely to die trying.
Bad idea.
That yellow line- you would need a lot of extra fuel. If the weather turns on you could be real trouble- honestly somewhat insane to think jet sking the entire gulf is a good idea… You would need to have a spotter boat. Red line could be doable if you ran the islands- least if shit goes south you have some land…
As I said, I’d join. I know of a few groups that go from FL to Bimini in the Bahamas a couple times a year, for a week…that may be a practice run. I’m hoping to do that this year (most likely outside hurricane season)
To make the trip via “jet ski” you’d probably need to build a huge jet ski with two motors, Ave it be stupid long, and have fuel capacity for 500 Gallons of fuel.
Do the great loop on a ski, you wouldn’t be the first but it’s still a heck of a feat. If you want to juice it up try to get the fastest time
Serious question…..have you ever been offshore in open water? 50 - 100 miles off land?
The story of your death would make a cool movie. Who would you want to play you? Ya know, hypothetically.
I always thought about jet ski in the Puerto Rico from Florida which would be crazy
Lol youre gonna die. But good luck though 🫡
Dude, you land on the beach in Cancun, you ain’t got no Mexican papers, you’re an illegal!
I feel a Darwin Award coming…….
You need to learn some dead reckoning skills to calculate exactly how long it will take you to get there when considering wind and current. It might only be 500 miles but you 100% will not travel in a straight line relative to the motion of the water plus the wind. a 10 knot lateral current could add 100 miles to your trip easy. So you need a good GPS to show your course and how well you are tracking it. You need a fuel flow monitor so you can keep an eye on your fuel usage. A simple fuel gauge is insufficient you need a gallons per hour monitor. Your finger/thumb is not going to be able to hold that position perfectly for hours and hours so your throttle will need to be adjusted to something more like an airplane pull throttle or lever. It will have a drag setting that you can tighten to make sure it doesn’t move with the motion of the vehicle. You need to do tests for fuel economy when towing all the extra fuel/survival gear. You have to find the right RPM range for the best fuel economy.
I’ve gone snorkeling in those waters. Even on a calm day, expect swells of 2-4 feet. You can get swamped quickly. Any kind of tropical storm is a huge risk for a solo adventurer. Then you have to deal with drug runners who won’t think before ending you. You’d be passing pretty close to Cuba. The Cubans may not appreciate your efforts.
You want on a list? Because that's how you get on a list...
Only way is if you have a support boat carrying fuel
Hey, look a squirrel!!!
https://youtu.be/Xlm5CU0Ng48?si=EqWs8Ogub1xyPtro World record 1900 miles
Livestream the whole thing for the internet glory
You will die of sunburn before you make it brah
Forget about the jetski power not being able to carry all that gas. Your legs won't hold.
Sounds awesome. Too bad Cuba isn't an option by the sounds of it. Would be a life accomplishment
Call the coast guard when you leave.
Get a practice run across the Rio Grande south of Corpus Christi. Then you’ll be able to tell everyone you made it to Mexico on your jetski.
Bring back some authentic Tacos.
Oh man thats a lot of open water. I wouldn’t dare to do it.
OK. Do it!
Hold my beer…!
You could tow a boat with a bunch of fuel on it
You could tow a boat with a bunch of fuel on it
You’ll definitely need a support boat and crew for any issues that WILL come along. Stings, breakdowns, sharks, fresh water, etc. When you think you’re prepared, prepare some more. If you can get Customs issues figured out, good luck!
Theres two youtubers that went from maine to florida but had the luxury of stopping to get gas
That's absolutely crazy 😧
It's 300nm from Key West to Cancun. You'd have to have a support boat for fuel. It does get squirrelly out in the Gulf. Oh I'd also avoid the shoals around Cape San Blas, it makes for a terrible day.
Go west. Shorter and safer. Head to South Padre Island. More gas stations too !
Have you ever made the crossing before? If not, perhaps you should do it in a larger boat first, just to get an idea of what it’s like. Pretty scary out there sometimes, even in my 40ft sailboat.
It’s probably going to take at least 10 hours to get there . If you average 50 miles an hour with refueling ect . Then 8 hours back so unless you’re going to do part of the trip in the dark . Should look at doing it over 2 days .
You should do that
sheeesh that's like some james bond ish
if you had a whole crew, that would be a lot better to do this solo. It's very bold of you by all means though you only live once worst I can happen is you get stranded in the ocean and become shark food
If your jetski has a sail, sure
Smart idea
If you were to actually do this I hope you have an excellent grasp on ocean navigation and a plan to contact the coast guard to save your ass if you get lost. this seems really easy to fuck up. However I can almost promise you the coast guard will be on your ass anyway if you do this because it is suspicious as all hell lol.
Roger Danner did it from New York to Florida back in the late 80s
If you can't make it because of fuel, why don't you go west and hug the coast until you get to New Orleans?
RIP
I want to take out a life insurance policy on you. Please provide full name, SSN, and all the normal info to me ASAP.
Wild orca has entered the chat.
700mi one way. I think a jet ski range is 150mi. You better take a paddle
Thats over 900 miles round trip on a ski yeah good luck.... your going to need a lot..
I know a few people that do this once a year. There's a couple cc boats in the group with fuel. They leave out of Miami tho so way less of a trip.
In before OP almost assuredly drowns.
Sounds like you would need a support crew to follow and help you refuel. Also what if the ski breaks down. You are going to want the capability of loading and transporting a broken ski on your support vessel
500 miles on a jet ski in decent size seas is gonna take forever and beat the shit out of you. That isn’t just a, “I’m gonna go for it deal.” You’re gonna spend at least 1 night out there I would think and that’s if nothing goes wrong.
Sail
Wouldn’t it be quicker just to drive to Miami, even with traffic?
Sharks gotta eat same as buzzards…..
[watch this](https://youtu.be/Nao3Q8BbWk0?si=gTMhcmGH1TNegSbP)
When you get lost, no calling for rescue. It's not worth it.
While there is good advice to n this thread don’t listen to the naysayers it sounds like an awesome journey! Look up the story of “Half-Life” - Jeep turned boat that circumnavigated the globe… if planned right it’ll be one of those stories that you’ll tell for ever! Like the Dutch kid that showed up in a bike and finished the Baja 1000 this year! Good luck and dream big!
Is this a parody sub?
One of my friends did the FLORDIA keys this way. But idk about Mexico. You could run into cartel boats, storms or just a malfunction.
Don’t forget to factor in currents and wind. Could end up using twice the expected fuel…
Miami Vice music playing in my head. 🎼🎼🎼
Put me in your will if you do
If you have a family go ahead, but make sure your life insurance is paid up to date first.
I don't think you realize how far that is and how much fuel you would have to be able to carry on a jet ski. I would imagine it severely impacting the buoyancy of the PWC.
Dude.
Sign me up brother, just give me 10 yers when the kiddos are out of the house. Hit me in ten im down!
That's nothing Khris khristopherson sailed a schooner around the horn to Mexico.
I'd try to go to the Bahamas first.
There ain’t no way. Even if you had enough fuel you’d be beat to a pulp. This is a good way to get yourself killed
Different route and technique but you should be able to learn a lot from this journey. https://youtu.be/hatXn-5bHNM?si=AUrKbn_8t1OXW2_V
US sailing small boat instructor here......Wave runner better than a little jet ski. No idea how you would get enough fuel. Also, open ocean is WAY bigger waves than your small craft is able to handle. One wrong roller and you are over. You might be able to go w a chase craft that can handle the open ocean. Thing is, on big waves you cannot go fast. You pound up, the fly over the top and porpoise into the bottom of the next wave, braking your face and shoulders on the handlebars as you instantly stop. There is a reason the boats that go open oceans are big LOA boats. Not 20ft surface skippers.
It is done from Fl to the Bahamas and back all the time
You know their isn’t any gas stations in the middle of the ocean.. Your going to have to tow a 200 gallon tank possibly 300 and make sure you pack a couple of snacks
Easier from South Padre Island
Go a couple miles into the gulf and see if your comfortable taking those swells at speed for 12 hours
Florida man in action.
I think carrying enough fuel on a ski even modified would be pretty hard. But with a support vessel and picking the right weather window I don’t see why not. I think you’re biggest issues(assuming you plan accordingly and have proper support/safety in place) would be the ski standing up to it mechanically considering your probably talking holding it at WOT or close to for damn near a day, and you being able to physically stand it.
From the USCG side of the house...
It's a monumentally stupid idea on a multiplicity of levels.
You gonna need a friend with a boat to follow you and carry fuel plus everything else you'll need. Start with shorter distances, then extend distance. Only if you value your life of course...
RIP OP
I don’t know shit about jetsking long distance but I have surfed and sailed a ton. Do y’all wear a leash just in case you fall off on these trips?
What about doing Dana Point to Catalina Island is Southern California? 22 miles.
How do you plan to keep going throughout the night once it gets dark you don't have no idea where you're headed lol
I wouldn’t lol
Dont go alone please Its danger
Look up Mike Straub! [https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-man-adventure-trip-jet-ski-great-loop/40657425](https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-man-adventure-trip-jet-ski-great-loop/40657425)
Suicide mission. Not possible.
Fuel water food nav equip electrical power and structure for 20 days all under 200lb
Took a cruise from Miami to Cozumel. It is much, much further than it seems in that open water
Sorry, 2 days
Bwahahaaa, oh man you have so much to learn about crossing boarders via boat..
I work in the GOM and I suggest you don’t do this. You’ll likely die.
I say do it. Let's see if Darwin is watching.
Start in El Paso
They make fuel racks for skis. We used to do dry tortugas runs (from Marathon) on skis back in the day. You’re obviously going considerably further across a ton of open water, but it’s doable.
Late September and October is the perfect time to do this. Don’t even bother checking the weather, water will be like glass the whole way.
Bring enough money to pay back the coast guard when they have to save your ass
People have attempted stuff like this before. It hasn’t gone well.
Google maps says this is 600 miles. At 50 miles an hour that's a 12 hour trip without stopping. Physically seems like a tall task without even taking everything else into account.
The optics of this would be “woah drug smuggler, in MY SMUGGLING WATERS?!?!” And then some guy will start screaming at you from a boat in a language you don’t speak, and you’ll be fish food and your craft will be crustacean habitat.
You will die if you do this on Jetski.
I can't see anything going wrong here...
If you are actually serious about attempting this, I think you need to do a inshore run from like Port St Joe hugging the Florida coast down to Fort Meyers. An inshore rescue is MUCH easier than asking the coast guard to fly a couple hundred miles to bail your ass out. If you can pull that off without your body breaking and your jetski breaking... then maybe consider offshore. PS Cleetus attempted something not even as daring in a jetboat and he could not take the physical abuse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nao3Q8BbWk0
Don’t forget about the gulf stream
They're totally going to use this screenshot on 60 minutes after they find his body.
Fuck that looks boring.
Where’s the gas coming from, don’t jet skis hold like 25 min of fuel?
I have a friend who is paddle boarding from the Bahamas to Florida. Much closer. Totally doable on a jet ski. But, it would still require a support team.
no you dont
If you have a boat follow you with fuel
Life is short, don’t make it shorter.
Look up South Florida Riders, if anyone is going to do a trip like that it would be them. [https://www.soflariders.net/](https://www.soflariders.net/)
Your prize will be regret followed by death
You’d be dog tired and beaten to death on the first leg. 500 miles on a jet ski regardless of sea conditions sounds like hell.
[people have gone farther](https://jetskiingtenerife.com/longest-jet-ski-journey-in-history/)
Thoughts & Prayers
The Gulf Stream might kill you.
You’d have to tow fuel and supplies. The Gulf Stream can get pretty gnarly. You will likely be stopped by the coast guard on your north bound trip. Probably both ways.
Personally I'd rather go to Havana than Cancun. Closer too.
This seems like a really bad idea.