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Author Topic:   BW bimini trip

myakka posted 03-06-2014 08:17 PM ET (US)
Wife and I are considering the BW Bimini trip. Has anyone, here, done this and how was the crossing?

Buckda posted 03-08-2014 07:34 AM ET (US)
There are several members here who have done that crossing, self organized and with the official BW group.
Larry Goltz wrote about one year in his 25' Outrage when they had a difficult passage. There are others who have done it in 17' Whalers.
Buckda posted 03-08-2014 07:39 AM ET (US)
Which model Whaler do you have?
There are several threads about this trip if you use the search engine. Here is one that I like from way back.
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000105.html
myakka posted 03-08-2014 08:11 AM ET (US)
220 Dauntless
myakka posted 03-08-2014 08:18 AM ET (US)
Thanks
smirkless posted 03-10-2014 11:48 AM ET (US)
Yes, we have done it twice in our 17. Weather is the key. Get as much advance info as you can. First trip was like butter. Got there in just over 2 hours. Secon trip... not so much, over 5 hours of bone jarring because I had family travel from up north who wouldn't take no for an awnser. Basically we came home the next day due to approaching hurricane some distance away but effects were felt. Both trips we ran without the Whaler group. Usa a good satellite GPS (not phone GPS or cell GPS). A compass is fine but it won't tell you how far you have to go. Know your gas milage at various speeds. If you get in trouble with fuel, slow down, it makes a huge difference.
Good luck and enjoy!
Smirk
64nauset posted 03-15-2014 03:13 PM ET (US)
The "Stream" can get ugly real quick in a wind with any north component. I haven't done it in the 16.5, but 14 times in a small sailboat. Only one of those crossings approached the fun category. Once kicked up out there it takes a number of days to settle. Waves 2-3 with light wind out of a South quadrant would be okay. Such conditions are a rarity in winter months. A decent tactic is to start somewhat South before heading out, which provides a nice cheat against a strong Northerly current. Another idea is to cross at night when the sea lays down a bit, usually. A start from Angelfish Cut (just North of Key Largo) makes for a rapid crossing. Test the waters, and if I doesn't feel right go back and try later. Bimini Sands is a decent Marina w/fuel, and the price was right some years back. Note: The easiest re-fuel near Angelfish Cut is the Ocean Reef Club at the North end of Key Largo.
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/explore/exumas/index.php
Last few paragraphs are about Bimini.
TMI? Have fun.
myakka posted 03-16-2014 07:51 AM ET (US)
Thanks
macdougall70 posted 03-17-2014 12:50 PM ET (US)

Believe it or not I made this crossing last May in my 15 Whaler. Flat calm and with my 90 Yamaha I was there in 2 hrs. The weather turned and I had to leave my boat there for a couple of weeks until I could hitch a ride over with a buddy and ride it back. I will not do it again alone.
Here is some video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPWC7HzlfEwor
I just picked up a 21 Conquest last week so I am in for any trip over this summer. I will keep an eye on this thread..
meridian posted 03-18-2014 07:18 PM ET (US)
We used a inexpensive ($100) shortwave radio to pick up Chris Parkers daily SSB weather broadcast to pick a window to cross, waited almost 3 weeks to cross.
"The best source of weather advice in the Bahamas, as attested to by most cruisers, is from Chris Parker / Marine Weather Center. Daily SSB forecasts are provided. Listening is free. Asking questions about your specific needs requires a subscription to the service. Email forecast summaries are also available for a subscription fee. Phone: 863-248-2702 http://mwxc.com/"
myakka posted 03-19-2014 04:30 AM ET (US)
Thanks Great video.
Found Chris Parker, Thanks. Great info.
http://www.caribwx.com
jimh posted 03-19-2014 11:06 AM ET (US)

quote:
The "Stream" can get ugly real quick in a wind with any north component.
In 2002 we crossed the Gulf Stream outbound from Miami with winds from the North at 20-knots or more. The sea state produced the first any only instance of sea sickness in my wife (Chris) that I have observed in more than 25-years of boating with her. Needless to say, if Chris was affected, I was too, as I am more prone to sea sickness than she.
I should mention that we were aboard the 1,035-foot ocean liner NORWAY, designed to cross the North Atlantic in winter; she has a draft of 34-feet. The seas were large enough to impart a disturbing slow roll; dinner that evening was very lightly attended.

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Author	Topic: BW bimini trip
myakka	posted 03-06-2014 08:17 PM ET (US) Wife and I are considering the BW Bimini trip. Has anyone, here, done this and how was the crossing?
Buckda	posted 03-08-2014 07:34 AM ET (US) There are several members here who have done that crossing, self organized and with the official BW group. Larry Goltz wrote about one year in his 25' Outrage when they had a difficult passage. There are others who have done it in 17' Whalers.
Buckda	posted 03-08-2014 07:39 AM ET (US) Which model Whaler do you have? There are several threads about this trip if you use the search engine. Here is one that I like from way back. http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000105.html
myakka	posted 03-08-2014 08:11 AM ET (US) 220 Dauntless
myakka	posted 03-08-2014 08:18 AM ET (US) Thanks
smirkless	posted 03-10-2014 11:48 AM ET (US) Yes, we have done it twice in our 17. Weather is the key. Get as much advance info as you can. First trip was like butter. Got there in just over 2 hours. Secon trip... not so much, over 5 hours of bone jarring because I had family travel from up north who wouldn't take no for an awnser. Basically we came home the next day due to approaching hurricane some distance away but effects were felt. Both trips we ran without the Whaler group. Usa a good satellite GPS (not phone GPS or cell GPS). A compass is fine but it won't tell you how far you have to go. Know your gas milage at various speeds. If you get in trouble with fuel, slow down, it makes a huge difference. Good luck and enjoy! Smirk
64nauset	posted 03-15-2014 03:13 PM ET (US) The "Stream" can get ugly real quick in a wind with any north component. I haven't done it in the 16.5, but 14 times in a small sailboat. Only one of those crossings approached the fun category. Once kicked up out there it takes a number of days to settle. Waves 2-3 with light wind out of a South quadrant would be okay. Such conditions are a rarity in winter months. A decent tactic is to start somewhat South before heading out, which provides a nice cheat against a strong Northerly current. Another idea is to cross at night when the sea lays down a bit, usually. A start from Angelfish Cut (just North of Key Largo) makes for a rapid crossing. Test the waters, and if I doesn't feel right go back and try later. Bimini Sands is a decent Marina w/fuel, and the price was right some years back. Note: The easiest re-fuel near Angelfish Cut is the Ocean Reef Club at the North end of Key Largo. http://www.macgregorsailors.com/explore/exumas/index.php Last few paragraphs are about Bimini. TMI? Have fun.
myakka	posted 03-16-2014 07:51 AM ET (US) Thanks
macdougall70	posted 03-17-2014 12:50 PM ET (US) Believe it or not I made this crossing last May in my 15 Whaler. Flat calm and with my 90 Yamaha I was there in 2 hrs. The weather turned and I had to leave my boat there for a couple of weeks until I could hitch a ride over with a buddy and ride it back. I will not do it again alone. Here is some video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPWC7HzlfEwor I just picked up a 21 Conquest last week so I am in for any trip over this summer. I will keep an eye on this thread..
meridian	posted 03-18-2014 07:18 PM ET (US) We used a inexpensive ($100) shortwave radio to pick up Chris Parkers daily SSB weather broadcast to pick a window to cross, waited almost 3 weeks to cross. "The best source of weather advice in the Bahamas, as attested to by most cruisers, is from Chris Parker / Marine Weather Center. Daily SSB forecasts are provided. Listening is free. Asking questions about your specific needs requires a subscription to the service. Email forecast summaries are also available for a subscription fee. Phone: 863-248-2702 http://mwxc.com/"
myakka	posted 03-19-2014 04:30 AM ET (US) Thanks Great video. Found Chris Parker, Thanks. Great info. http://www.caribwx.com
jimh	posted 03-19-2014 11:06 AM ET (US) quote: The "Stream" can get ugly real quick in a wind with any north component. In 2002 we crossed the Gulf Stream outbound from Miami with winds from the North at 20-knots or more. The sea state produced the first any only instance of sea sickness in my wife (Chris) that I have observed in more than 25-years of boating with her. Needless to say, if Chris was affected, I was too, as I am more prone to sea sickness than she. I should mention that we were aboard the 1,035-foot ocean liner NORWAY, designed to cross the North Atlantic in winter; she has a draft of 34-feet. The seas were large enough to impart a disturbing slow roll; dinner that evening was very lightly attended.