On Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:35:14 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

Bimini is only 48 nm from Miami and from there most runs are short.
It is the 48 nm run across the Gulf Stream that concerns me in the
Tolman. What do y'all think?

I think that you would make it OK on some days and not at all on
others. The big risk crossing the Gulf Stream is northerly winds
opposing the current. When that happens, large breaking seas are
created and people with 50 footers do not cross.

The incidence of northerly winds is much higher in the winter and
spring than in the summer. Last year in May, friends of ours with a
37 footer had to wait for 2 weeks in Miami before they could cross.
Once you get there, you may also have to wait a while to come back.

Here's a link to a picture that I took in the Abacos 2 years ago. The
wind had been out of the north east at 15 to 20 kts for two days when
the picture was taken - not at all unusual in the spring.

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/859...lbowcayua3.jpg

The big risk in the summer is getting hit with an afternoon thunder
squall in the Gulf Stream. Every year a number of 20 footers are lost
that way. Pick your weather very carefully, leave at sunrise and plan
to be off the water by noon time.

For what it's worth, I think the Tolman is too small to be a
comfortable cruiser for any length of time.