The indicator light came on aboard the 2017 Pursuit OS 325, Wait ’n Line, while crossing waters between Southeast Florida and the Bahamas.
Although Kelly White had handled offshore passages before, this was her first time captaining a Gulf Stream crossing—and the warning light signaled an overheating engine. Surrounded by open water, she eased back on the throttles, confronting a situation that intimidates many boaters and discourages them from attempting offshore crossings at all.
Fortunately, she was not alone. Kelly and her husband, Dale, were part of a Pursuit Boats summer rendezvous cruise. More than three dozen owners of Sport Center Console, Dual Console and Offshore models—ranging from 28 to 45 feet—joined three company-run Pursuit vessels for the trip to the Abaco Beach Resort in Marsh Harbour. Owners departed from Fort Pierce, Florida, knowing they had experienced support available if anything went wrong.
“I got on the radio and said we had an engine down, we were stopping,” White remembers. “Someone behind us who worked for Pursuit came right up.”
The problem turned out to be ocean debris: a plastic bag that had once held about 20 pounds of ice was blocking the engine’s intake. They were able to raise the engine, clear the obstruction, and get back underway to rejoin the group. “The Pursuit people are phenomenal. At these rendezvous they come prepared with extra parts and supplies, a leader at the front and someone watching the rear,” Kelly says. “When you’re in the middle of the ocean, a filter can be everything.”
Rendezvous events are nothing new, but they have grown more popular as builders organize increasingly ambitious cruises that help owners expand their skills and confidently explore beyond local waters. Those events mix practical instruction, local knowledge and the reassurance of group support—strengthening both the cruising experience and brand loyalty.
For Kelly, the Gulf Stream was not her only concern. In Jacksonville, where she normally cruises, grounding usually means a soft sandy bottom. The Bahamas, however, present another risk: coral that can seriously damage a hull. “I was more worried about that than the Atlantic crossing,” she says.
Again, the group structure eased her worries. Pursuit provided local routing and guidance once they arrived, supplying courses that showed safe approaches in and out of the islands to avoid reefs. “I now have those routes permanently on the boat,” Kelly says. “That local knowledge was huge.”
Charlie and Pixie Hoffner had a similar experience. Lifelong boaters who spent their early years cruising in the Northeast and New England, they returned to boating after a three-decade break to raise a family. They took delivery of a 2021 Pursuit DC 326, PixSeas, and decided to join the rendezvous this past summer.
Their first hurdle was getting PixSeas from the Panhandle to Fort Pierce. A six-day cruise down the Gulf and across Lake Okeechobee was daunting, so Pursuit recommended the company that transports new boats from the factory to dealers. For a modest fee, the Hoffners had their boat transported, stored safely for a week before departure, and launched at Safe Harbor Harbortown when the rendezvous began. The cost was far less than fuel for a long repositioning cruise and gave them peace of mind.
Crossing the Gulf Stream was a first for both the Hoffners and their boat, and they admit to a “doomsday” mindset worrying about what could go wrong. Yet they arrived in the Bahamas without incident, and found the on-site support equally reassuring. While relaxing at the resort pool, Pursuit engineers inspected the boat when Pixie pointed out a standing-water issue in the trash area. Within 20 minutes, technicians with tools were at the dock; they drained, disassembled and rebuilt components that same night—replacing the air conditioning and refrigerator parts and leaving everything working perfectly. The couple was surprised when they were told the work was complimentary.
When the anchor jammed a few days later at Fiddle Cay, the same technician offered assistance. While the couple went to dinner, he rebuilt the anchor assembly so it operated correctly on their return.
Docking challenges were another worry for the Hoffners. Accustomed to the Gulf of Mexico’s floating docks and minimal tide swing, they faced unfamiliar fixed docks and three- to four-foot tidal swings in the Bahamas. The Pursuit team anticipated that and provided hands-on help during docking, and features like joystick control and bow thruster made the transitions smooth. “That whole docking experience was probably the most traumatic hurdle we got over,” Charlie says. “But with Pursuit there when we pulled in, it went fine.”
Brian Flanagan, who grew up cruising to the Bahamas, joined aboard his 2022 Pursuit 326 Dual Console, Going Coastal. He regularly fishes 100 to 120 miles offshore, so the Gulf Stream crossing was routine for him. He traveled with two friends and their families, forming a small flotilla that included almost a dozen children. Because the rendezvous offered so much organized support, everyone could relax and let the kids enjoy the trip.
“There were restaurants with piers where all the kids could jump in and fish,” Flanagan says. “They snorkeled reefs, watched turtles, and spent a week away from screens—out on the water having fun.”
Flanagan also appreciated the value provided by Pursuit. While many manufacturers charge registration fees for organized trips, this rendezvous included complimentary events and support: an opening night with drinks, group dinners, and on-site technical assistance. Guests covered their own lodging and dockage, but Pursuit arranged complimentary onboard support from vendors and technicians who could address issues at no cost.
White also benefited from that assistance. Earlier in the trip her shore power cord had shorted in Fort Pierce. One night in the Bahamas she returned from dinner to find a newly installed cord and plug neatly replaced on the dock. “I asked if I could pay for parts, and they said, ‘Absolutely not,’” she recalls.
Kelly is already planning to return to the Bahamas next year—something she says she would not have attempted without the confidence she gained from the Pursuit rendezvous. “Just having that backup, knowing someone is there to help if something happens, gives you the warm and fuzzy and the freedom to try things you otherwise might not do,” she says.
This article was originally published in the December 2023 issue.