Want To Buy: Towing Service Wanted, Abacos to Florida

[NYSail]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Temporary stern bracket and an outboard motor? Just musing.

I was thinking the same. You can buy a used reliable outboard engine relatively cheap. I would fabricate and attach to the stern and motor her home. The holes in your stern from the bracket can easily be fixed.

Good luck
Greg

[flee27]

I get there might be a timing issue. But you are going to need sails at some point. So why not go ahead and get them. Installing the running rigging should be a relatively easy thing to accomplish. All the money spent here is money that will be spent anyway. Then sail the boat.

Besides the arguably wasteful expensive of towing there are 100s of things that can go wrong with towing this distance. Not impossible but definitely opening the door for lots of issues. Towing makes no sense to me if the boat is otherwise "sea worthy". Sail it close to the coast of Florida then exercise your TowBoat/SeaTow membership you sign up for before the trip.

Good luck with your boat. I hope it all works out well for you.

Foster

[Lowcountry]

I believe it will be easier and less expensive to have the boat made ready to sail where she currently is than to try and tow her back to the US. Towing is going to be ridiculously expensive. Have you reached out to Abaco Yacht Services on GTC to see if they can help? There used to be a boat yard just east of Marsh Harbour as well. I know it got whacked by hurricane Dorian, but they may be back up and running by now.

[rslifkin]

I agree that making the boat able to sail is likely cheaper. Plus, if you're intending to get sails on it at some point anyway, that's money you'll have to spend regardless, so might as well spend it now and use it to get the boat home.

[s/v Jedi]

Here is a tip that not many people know:

Great Sale Cay is within Towboat US range. Get to Great Sale Cay and they will come to tow you in from there.

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by NYSail

I was thinking the same. You can buy a used reliable outboard engine relatively cheap. I would fabricate and attach to the stern and motor her home. The holes in your stern from the bracket can easily be fixed.

Good luck
Greg

Well I'm a newbie so maybe my opinion is flawed, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to be crossing the GS relying on a single outboard motor with no backup ie no inboard or sails in case things go south.

That just has Darwin Award written all over it imho.

[MicHughV]

I tried the outboard bracket/15 hp outboard on a 38' sailboat.
It works....kinda.... sort off....in all but smooth water, you are unlikely to do much more than about 4-5 knots.
The outboard will require an "extension leg" as an any chop will lift the prop out of the water and it will be working hard all the time.

But I get back to the fuel consumption issue...first off....the outboard will have it's own tank and hose....so that tank will require constant filling, and trust me on this, that 15 hp engine will suck it down and trying to fill that tank in a boat that is jumping up and down will prove to be tricky...and you're dealing with gasoline and you'll end up doing it at night as well.

Hands down, my advice is to get some sail on the boat, even if only one sail....eg...just the main. Going will be slow, but sure. You can find used sails all over the place. Stuff it in a bag and fly over.

I brought a boat back from Marsh Harbor once...engine out....sailed it all the way back....when I got to Florida, I anchored, strapped the dink alongside with a 2 hp on it, and puttered into a marina.

You could "borrow " a sail or sails from someone you might know that has a sailboat....but hands down...this is the only way to go.

Typically, you will have the wind behind you, so it's a fairly straight forward trip.

Once you are north of Green Turtle, your options, for getting fuel or assistance diminish.

Sail it back !!!!!!! It's that simple....sail it back !!! That way, you can stop if you need to....bad weather, etc....

Finally, I've done the trip from MH to Florida at least 50 times. You will have to contend with the Gulf Stream. In all those trips, I can count on one finger the number of times, the stream was smooth. In all other cases, expect to see some wave actions, which makes towing or outboard propelled a big issue.

There is also the possibility that the towing vessel can malfunction....in the stream....then what ???

Get some sail on the boat and abandon this dumb idea.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Temporary stern bracket and an outboard motor? Just musing.

'

That's an idea. One trip up the ICW I saw a 40' sailboat that had only an outboard for power. Would certainly do the job in settled weather.

[s/v Jedi]

But the outboard will bring you to Great Sale Cay for further towing by TowboatUS. They will do that for free if you have thee membership.

[MicHughV]

The only issue I see with the Great Sale idea...is communications.....it's a tad out of vhf range to Florida...sat phone will work....not sure if there is wifi available there....so co-ordinating this effort will be key....
But if you can make it to Great Sale...you could also make it Mangrove...maybe even West End...this will give you better options with communication.

But at the end of the day, I'd like to hedge my bets with some sail.

[mjscottinnc]

Have you considered hauling in the Abacos? I’ve used Abaco Yacht Services in Green Turtle Cay and can highly recommend them. Not sure if they have fully recovered yet though. Worth exploring.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

The only issue I see with the Great Sale idea...is communications.....it's a tad out of vhf range to Florida...sat phone will work....not sure if there is wifi available there....so co-ordinating this effort will be key....
But if you can make it to Great Sale...you could also make it Mangrove...maybe even West End...this will give you better options with communication.

But at the end of the day, I'd like to hedge my bets with some sail.

From the north anchorage you have cell service from Grande Cay. We have friends who did this exact thing this year and they just set up the rendezvous at the time & date. TowboatUS left from West Palm Beach, crossed during the night and met up with them very early in the morning.

Mangrove Cay etc. is also okay but without an engine it means more trouble getting there. Great Sale Cay is the farthest they will go out for towing back and you end up at Cracker Boy yard in WPB of course.

[PuttingDoctor]

Yes I also agree getting sails on the boat is first. Then a tow past Great Sale north end and a departure from the bank to head WNW in proper crossing weather with a southerly or SW wind will allow a comfortable sail and Gulf Stream ride to Ft. Pierce.
In Ft. Pierce you have a Cracker Boys yard and TowBoat US will come out to help you through the inlet.
Join BoatUS now and take the Gold package. It is best to have this in place early enough to have your membership on file and even your cards arrive in the mail.
I had a rudder issue on top of a coupler disconnect and they came out 24 miles to bring me in.
Good luck with this adventure.

[Jack Lahr]

Have you talked with the people at. Aubrey boatyards at Man o War key? Good source for towing information and by hey do quality mechanical work— a candidate for your engine?

[gulfcoastsailor]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Temporary stern bracket and an outboard motor? Just musing.

Bingo! My first thought but didn’t want to kicked out of the forum😜! No expert here but a couple of holes 🕳 way above the waterline, 2 stroke (weight) extra long shaft(?) 125-150 hp fixed with no turn radius (wheel steering) slow as you go on the flattest Predicted seas of the millennium 🥴 gets you there. At the pass turn north on the ICW then west just before the bridge to a fine full service marina which saved me (exaggeration) on an island return with blend of DAW fuel (DAW = diesel and water). They can lift you but then good luck finding a DIY yard before Indian town. No matter what you decide to do, good luck. 🍀

Me? I’d rig with used rags and minimal required cordage and limp home😉