New to Boating: Miami to Bimini

[rtbates]

The most important question is, "can you navigate, WITHOUT GPS".
If the answer is yes, watch for a weather window and have fun.

If the answer is no, learn first..it's not at all hard..

[jzk]

Here is the thing. Bayliner doesn't exactly have the best reputation. They have built some pretty unseaworthy boats in their history. Maybe yours is great, and Bayliner is a changed company, who knows.

When I used to sail across the stream, I never even took weather into account. We just picked a day and went, or we raced on the scheduled day. There was never a race canceled that I can remember due to weather. Sometimes it was flat (those were the worst days), and sometimes it was pretty "festive."

But that is in a sailboat, not a bayliner.

[CSY Man]

When I used to sail across the stream, I never even took weather into account. We just picked a day and went

Hmm, have ya ever sailed across in a gale with 15 feet seas?

[jzk]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Hmm, have ya ever sailed across in a gale with 15 feet seas?

Yes. And bigger seas than that even. Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating a Bayliner make such an attempt. I am just saying that I have gone across dozens of times during the time I lived in Fort Lauderdale, and never once did I schedule or reschedule a trip around the weather. Sometimes the stream was festive, and sometimes it was not. I would pray for festive way more than calm as I didn't have the fuel to make it all the way across if there was zero wind.

My boat was 38 ft, and on many occasions we would ride up a wave, go off the top like the top of a rollercoaster, then sail down for a while only to go back up again. I would say at least 20 feet, but I can't say I am that good at measuring.

Actually, never was the weather so bad that I rescheduled sailing because it was "too rough." The only time I can remember a race being cancelled was when a 35 knot gale came through out of nowhere and started knocking boats down. The race was abandoned in the middle of it, and most people complained about that decision.

[jzk]

There would be times we sailed to Miami, and some powerboater would say "did you go outside" as if "outside" was some kind of incredible feat. Or some powerboater might say "don't go outside, it is 6-10 out there." I would think that just means a nice ride home. Who in their right mind would want to motor up the ICW over a nice frieght train ride outside?

[mobetah]

JZK,

You stated:

I would pray for festive way more than calm as I didn't have the fuel to make it all the way across if there was zero wind.

My boat was 38 ft

I would think that a 38 ft. sailboat would have an engine in the 40 to 50 hp range which would use somewhere around 3/4 to 1 gph and motor in the 6 to 7 mph range. It's 56 miles from Ft. Lauderdale to West End. If my math is correct at 7 mph it would take you 8 hours to get to West End and using 3/4 gph you would use 6 gallons of fuel. What type 38ft boat did you have with such a small fuel tank? Did you ever consider taking a couple of jerry jugs of fuel along?

Inquiring minds want to know!

[jzk]

Originally Posted by mobetah

JZK,

You stated:



I would think that a 38 ft. sailboat would have an engine in the 40 to 50 hp range which would use somewhere around 3/4 to 1 gph and motor in the 6 to 7 mph range. It's 56 miles from Ft. Lauderdale to West End. If my math is correct at 7 mph it would take you 8 hours to get to West End and using 3/4 gph you would use 6 gallons of fuel. What type 38ft boat did you have with such a small fuel tank? Did you ever consider taking a couple of jerry jugs of fuel along?

Inquiring minds want to know!

I had a 10 gallon tank and an Atomic 4 engine on a 1971 Irwin 38 sailboat. (Not the tubby Irwin, but more of a heavy classic lined vessel). For some reason I couldn't really ever motor over 5 knots. Coming back from Lucaya in dead calm weather with an extra 5 gallon jug of gas, we still ran out 4 miles offshore. I had to tow us the rest of the way with the Dinghy. I could have repowered to a diesel at the time for 6 grand, but at the time it was not in the budget.

And don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we threw caution to the wind. But some big waves and strong winds on the gulfstream didn't deter us, it just made it really fun. The boat handled it just great. I found the ride up and down the waves simply glorious.

What would one do if they were planning an Atlantic crossing? Surely the boat must be ready to take the kind of weather that a good Northerly in the Gulfstream would provide?

[AnchorageGuy]

OK, So you think it is a good idea to go out into the Gulf Stream in extremely rough conditions and without enough fuel to get where you want to go?

[jzk]

Originally Posted by Chuck Baier

OK, So you think it is a good idea to go out into the Gulf Stream in extremely rough conditions and without enough fuel to get where you want to go?

I would have much preferred the diesel that could push me 6-7 knots over the Atomic 4. However, I would have done the trip with NO ENGINE if that was the only way I could have experienced Bahamas sailing.

Nor when I do my first Atlantic crossing will it be much concern to me that I wont have enough fuel to motor all the way across.

[TonyT]

Well I just want to tell you that your thread brought some great memories back from 30 years ago when my wife and I crossed heading for Bimini as paying guests aboard a trimaran 47'- heavy seas, and the only 2 who stayed on top of it all were the skipper and his dog- a night crossing, my wife and I were very interested to hear the heavy throb of a very loud diesel as a freighter passed close by- seemed all we saw was a large black shape- but when we got to the Bahamas- well, that's something never forgotten- sadly the boat was later lost (run up onto rocks apparently when another passenger was allowed to do some steering!!)-
Have a safe trip over and back, and thanks again for bringing back some great memories for me!
Cheers from Australia TonyT

[adams]

Hi All... new here as well...

I've been wanting to do the bimini crossing for while myself, and it jsut so happens I also have a bayliner 265...

Right now it is in Marina Del Rey, los angeles, but going to ship it to miami for summer.

Just yesterday I was looking at upgrading to a twin engine 29ft maxum to make it... hm... more comfortable/safe?

My first concern was the single engine issue with the 265.
What if it breaks, what if it doesn't restart after a couple of days in bimini, what if it stalls after a wave?

My second concern was the size of the boat... just 2 weeks ago I went out in 12 ft seas, a small craft advisory, and gale force winds... I jsut wanted to test the boat... and oh man was that scary... i could not go more than 100 yards out before I had breakers over the bow... I NEVER wanna do this again...

Lou, maybe we could plan a crossing together... I have GPS with live weather, and maybe have a bigger boat in a month or so.

[rtbates]

Originally Posted by adams

Hi All... new here as well...

I've been wanting to do the bimini crossing for while myself, and it jsut so happens I also have a bayliner 265...

Right now it is in Marina Del Rey, los angeles, but going to ship it to miami for summer.

Just yesterday I was looking at upgrading to a twin engine 29ft maxum to make it... hm... more comfortable/safe?

My first concern was the single engine issue with the 265.
What if it breaks, what if it doesn't restart after a couple of days in bimini, what if it stalls after a wave?

My second concern was the size of the boat... just 2 weeks ago I went out in 12 ft seas, a small craft advisory, and gale force winds... I jsut wanted to test the boat... and oh man was that scary... i could not go more than 100 yards out before I had breakers over the bow... I NEVER wanna do this again...

Lou, maybe we could plan a crossing together... I have GPS with live weather, and maybe have a bigger boat in a month or so.

IF you can't take breakers over the bow, you'd better either get one very large boat or stay put...The ocean is like that at times.... by the way you were in probably one of the worse boat for those conditions,...

[adams]

why is it the worse boat for those conditions?

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by adams

Hi All... new here as well...

I've been wanting to do the bimini crossing for while myself, and it jsut so happens I also have a bayliner 265...

Right now it is in Marina Del Rey, los angeles, but going to ship it to miami for summer.

Just yesterday I was looking at upgrading to a twin engine 29ft maxum to make it... hm... more comfortable/safe?

My first concern was the single engine issue with the 265.
What if it breaks, what if it doesn't restart after a couple of days in bimini, what if it stalls after a wave?

My second concern was the size of the boat... just 2 weeks ago I went out in 12 ft seas, a small craft advisory, and gale force winds... I jsut wanted to test the boat... and oh man was that scary... i could not go more than 100 yards out before I had breakers over the bow... I NEVER wanna do this again...

Lou, maybe we could plan a crossing together... I have GPS with live weather, and maybe have a bigger boat in a month or so.

I believe you have answered that questions yourself.

[High Cotton]

Anybody heard from LouMAR ???????

As I sit here looking out over the ocean in Miami (I've been confined to a beautiful ocean view due to a double bypass) it's been somewhat breezey in South Florida,
but I hope he's safe!