Bimini 2018

@Betik , text me a pic of the brown plastic parts...I might be missing some attachment to the toilet Seriously, I might recognize them.

Yeah, that "winterization" term really doesn't apply and it is only ancestor worship to do all the heroics that some guys continue on these boats. So you are not only "winterized", but you did pretty much the exact same procedure you will always do when you pull out of the water...with the exception of fogging, which if you remember, I said needed to be twice a season on fresh water, and MUCH more often on salt water. Contrary to some belief too, your not going to dissipate the fogging oil by again using the boat. So really, your ready to go right now, and you won't hurt it to use it during the winter, and no need to refog the engines again until sometime in the spring! Just keep the tank topped off without overfilling (filling in winter and then having it expand in the spring on a hot day can ruin your graphics on the side of the boat), always blow out the engines/exhaust, lube linkages 3 or 4 times a year, annual or hourly maintenance...your good to go!

Still no dates set yet?

Rhino said:

Still no dates set yet?

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Rhino said:

Still no dates set yet?

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Takes time to negotiate for our group rates and if they give discounts they may not want to always give prime dates away! So that is part of the negotiations i am sure. Also, there was talk of two seperate outings so once it is determined how to tackle that it means more work yet!
I am sure there will be a trip right around second week of july and i think a second trip was rumored to possibly go earlier like mid june. Don't quote me on any of this as it is all rumor and hearsay until it isn't!
How do we follow #bimini2018 again? Wouldn't that help organize the 2018 trip vs people searching previous years? Also i believe anytime someone tags that to a post people following that tag get notified.

Well my 2018 ( and beyond) plans just got torpedo'd by my employer. They want me to relocate from south GA (a 9hr tow) to Kansas City (a 3 day tow). WTF?!?!?!?

Berrie said:

Well my 2018 ( and beyond) plans just got torpedo'd by my employer. They want me to relocate from south GA (a 9hr tow) to Kansas City (a 3 day tow). WTF?!?!?!?

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Many have towed farther. You can handle it.

Employer - We need you to relocate. More north. Away from the beautiful Atlantic, Gulf, all the waters you've learned to love. It's a nice city and the snow is awesome.

Me - Eat a bag of dicks. Bye.

Bruce said:

Many have towed farther. You can handle it.

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@Bruce It's not as simple as "hook it up and go".
It's an oversized load, which requires a permit for every state I drive through.
I am only allowed to tow from sun-up until sun-down. And only Mon-Fri. Sat in some states, but not in FL.

Edit: And I need to stop at every weigh station, and refuel 30 gallons every 220 miles...

veedubtek said:

Employer - We need you to relocate. More north. Away from the beautiful Atlantic, Gulf, all the waters you've learned to love. It's a nice city and the snow is awesome.

Me - Eat a bag of dicks. Bye.

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@veedubtek Oh believe me, that's what I'd like to say.
Due to restructuring, my job was reduced to a lower level. The company has allowed me to stay on without a pay cut, but with the understanding that I have one year to find a different role.
And I have been looking externally as well for the last 4 months.
I'm just in a company that pays pretty good with fantastic benefits, and most other companies just can't match that. I'd take another job in GA/SC/NC/FL in a heartbeat for the same pay/benefits.
So let me know if you hear of someone looking for an engineering director/vp in manufacturing...

Berrie said:

@Bruce It's not as simple as "hook it up and go".
It's an oversized load, which requires a permit for every state I drive through.
I am only allowed to tow from sun-up until sun-down. And only Mon-Fri. Sat in some states, but not in FL.

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@Berrie ... time to buy a Yammie.

MrMoose said:

@Berrie ... time to buy a Yammie.

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@Bruce LOL, nah, we love our cruiser.
We're also fair weather boaters, even with our boat I couldn't get wife and kids to go out in anything more than 3' LOL

Edit: She knows that Actual Wave = Forecast + 2 so I couldn't get her out in the Stream with a forecast more than 3'

@Berrie just ship it down my man fly in cruise to the Bahamas and ship it back. Damn the cost no way I would go through the headache of towing that thing that far. Sometime it comes down to quality of life I would take a job in Florida for less than I make now especially if it gave me a full two days off a week.

@Berrie , tow the boat to Ft. Lauderdale and store it there now. It'll be there waiting for you in July. Or, leave your boat where it is now, and just tow it from there in July.

Shoot. Just leave it here in nc with me... ill look after it.!!

bronze_10 said:

Shoot. Just leave it here in nc with me... ill look after it.!!

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We can both look after it! I'm sure we could find a nice group of locals to take good care of her for you!

bronze_10 said:

Shoot. Just leave it here in nc with me... ill look after it.!!

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Julian said:

We can both look after it! I'm sure we could find a nice group of locals to take good care of her for you!

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Your generosity is overwhelming...
How could i ever repay you for that???

Why can’t the Atlantic side ever look like this

robert843 said:

@Berrie just ship it down my man fly in cruise to the Bahamas and ship it back. Damn the cost no way I would go through the headache of towing that thing that far. Sometime it comes down to quality of life I would take a job in Florida for less than I make now especially if it gave me a full two days off a week.

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I did look at that.
Towing companies charge by the mile. Every mile they drive, not just the towed miles. So a towing operator from let's say Ft Lauderdale would have to drive up to KC (1,500 miles), pick up the boat, and tow it to Ft. Lauderdale (1,500 miles).
A week later he would tow it back and charge me for another 3,000 miles.
So that's a total of 6,000 miles, at $2,50/mile, or $15k.
I'm sorry, I can't afford that! LOL

I may have an opportunity to switch to another company in GA. I will know more before year end.

Berrie said:

I did look at that.
Towing companies charge by the mile. Every mile they drive, not just the towed miles. So a towing operator from let's say Ft Lauderdale would have to drive up to KC (1,500 miles), pick up the boat, and tow it to Ft. Lauderdale (1,500 miles).
A week later he would tow it back and charge me for another 3,000 miles.
So that's a total of 6,000 miles, at $2,50/mile, or $15k.
I'm sorry, I can't afford that! LOL

I may have an opportunity to switch to another company in GA. I will know more before year end.

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I bet on Uship.com you could get it done for 2k each way. There someone will pick it up locally bring it to Ft Laud and take something else back out of there on return shipment. You would prob wind up with two different drivers but it would be way less then 15k

@Berrie I understand that we currently live in modern day slavery and giving the middle finger to the employer is not as easy we will like to be.

1st and foremost, I think you need to asses the if you could actually take 2 weeks off within 6 months of relocating. If your company is doing you a favor ( so to speak ) there is more at stake than towing to Bimini. You probably thought about this already, but you might need to consider keeping your family ( and boat in GA) while you are looking for a position. It will be a hell more expensive to relocate to Kansas City and then back, than actually renting a tiny place in Kansas City only for yourself while you are sorting things out. I am not even going to bother with kids disruption etc. I want to go to Bimini in 2018 too, but dispate all the global warming, I am sure then island will not sink in 18 months.

Under the assumption that you are moving for sure then @MrMoose recommendation of leaving the boat where it is ( or Ft. Lauderdale) it is by far a better solution. Something else I am thinking is that I have a friend in Orlando who has a big enough backyard to accommodate a 35 foot trailer. If this is an option, I will could check for you.


Worse case scenario you can come to mini Bimini in lake Ouachita. I went to both events last year and besides the blue water and white sand Ouachita wins in all other aspects. It the company that makes the a trip great, not necessarily the place.

Good Luck

Berrie said:

Your generosity is overwhelming...
How could i ever repay you for that???

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Just leave the keys with it.. oh and full of fuel.. you know... for condensation.