Hey folks the waiting is over.
@Bruce and I are pleased to announce that there will be two Bimini Flings in 2018. The July Fling (July 9th - July 14th) will be led by
@Bruce and the June Fling (June 25th to June 30th) will be led by myself with the help of others. I have 6 trips of experience going to the Bahamas with last 2 going deeper into the Bahamas; one to Staniel Cay, Exuma and one to Treasure Cay, Abaco.
Before you consider going on either trip, I highly recommend you read the thread on Preparing for Bimini. This thread has a tremendous amount of important information about getting your boat ready, your crew ready, what to expect in Bimini, food to bring, etc.
Also, please read the first post in the 2018 Bimini July dates, https://jetboaters.net/threads/jetboaters-net-bimini-fling-july-9th-to-14th-2018.16250/ more great information.
Here are a few key points to think about.
- As the Captain you are responsible for your boat and crew to safely make it to Bimini and back to Ft Lauderdale, this is your priority #1 assisting other boaters comes second.
- All on board your boat must be able to sit comfortably behind the windshield. Do not plan on having anyone sit in the bow area, in my 12 legs to and from the Bahamas (6 trips), only once has the conditions been nice enough to sit in the bow.
- All heavy cargo should be secured behind the windshield, either secured on the deck or in under seat storage areas.
- Unless your anchor locker is heavily padded or you are extremely confident your anchor is secured in the anchor locker, for the crossings pull the anchor from anchor locker and secure in an under seat storage area, it will not be needed on the crossing. Anchors in the anchor locker have punctured through hulls during past trips.
Once you and your crew have decided you want to join our June trip, here is a list of things you need to get done.
Outline of key items for the trip that you need to do.
- Fill out the Jetboaters June Bimini Fling registration form
- Each person will need a passport
- Room reservation at the Bahia Mar Hotel, still working out the details
- Slip reservation at the Bahia Mar Marina with launch location
- Condo reservation at Bimini Sands or somewhere else of your choosing
- Filling out the Bahamas customs form
- Filling out a Bahamas Immigration form
- Clearing US Customs and Border Protection
Item 1 - Registration
Item 3 - Bahia Mar Hotel
@Bruce has not yet made arrangements for the discounted hotel. When he does, he will announce the details in both the June and July threads and I will update this post to include those details.
Item 4 - Bahia Mar Marina and Launch Info
Fill out the
Bahia Mar Marina June Registration Form and email or FAX to Stephanie Fot, her contact information is on the top of the form.
I will be launching from the
Harbour Towne Marina and probably leaving my truck/trailer there, the rate is $15 per day and you need to pay in cash. The parking has 24 hour security and has always seemed safe. If we get a significant number of boats in our June group, we will get secure parking off sight from the ramp and have a shuttle bus available to carry you to and from. We use the remote parking location because the parking gets filled up quickly and if we have a large group it would be unfair for us to occupy parking spaces for a week which prevents the locals from having a place to park.
You are welcome to choose wherever you want to stay but the only discount that has been worked out for the group is at the Bimini Sands.
Bimini Sands is offering us the same discount and rates as last year. The only changes are a $2.50 increase in cleaning fees and the deposit has increased from one night to 25%. Reservations should be made by calling Marci at (954) 463-4829 or 888-588-2464. After you have reserved your condo please post your unit number which will be used to confirm that you plan to attend. Rates and a cost estimation spreadsheet created by
@Kevin are available at
bimini-sands-jetboaters-net-discounted-rates-2016vs2018-xlsx.50558.xlsx
All of the vendors at Bimini Sands have been replaced. The ship store at Bimini Sands is now operating and well stocked as a community store. The shelves are full of reasonably priced groceries and alcohol. The bar at the infinity pool and the cafe above the ship store are open 7 days a week with new menus and prices sufficiently low to attract locals. Despite these improvements in food availability I would still plan to bring everything that you might need.
Bimini Sands is collecting information on our boats in order to have slips available. Slip rental is expected to be $50 per day. You will get your slip location once you check-in.
The custom's form (all 5 pages) needs to be completed by the master of the vessel. The form can be completed online at
http://pdf.ac/6pQ8gY or printed from the same location and then handwrite the requested information, either way works. Here are a couple of other links where you can print the form,
Big Game Club and
Bahamas .
No matter how you fill the form out, it needs to be printed and filled out prior to departure. When printing make sure you have all the information on each page. If you don't scale the page to fit on 8.5x11 paper or print on 8.5x14 (legal size) you will miss the bottom couple of inches of requested information. If you trying to clear customs with missing information you will be forced to fill out new forms with all the requested information before clearing customs.
Besides the filled out customs forms you will need to pay a departure tax, make sure you have cash and the exact amount. The fee is $150 for the boat which covers up to 3 people, each additional person is $25; so a boat with 5 people onboard the departure tax total is $200.
For more info on Bahamas customs and departure tax go to
http://www.bahamas.com/boating-enter-exit
@Bill D tested out the "fillable" version of the form located at
http://pdf.ac/6pQ8gY and has the following advice for us.
"When you create a text box, all you have to do is click about where you want it and start typing. After you fill the box, you can click and hold on the little arrow right above to drag it into position. Also, after the first text box is placed, there are alignment lines that show up.
A few more hints
Port of departure is Port Everglades, USA.
Port of arrival is Bimini.
Next port / country is Port Everglades & USA.
GPS is the make/model of your unit.
The Immigration form is a long and narrow carbonless form that will be give out prior to leaving Fort Lauderdale. I will be responsible for get enough Immigration forms for everyone. Each person onboard your boat will need to have and Immigration form filled out.
Item 8 - Clearing US CBP
This applies to all people onboard your vessel. You must do one or the other
If you have time and plan on possible more Bahamas trips, I recommend becoming part of the Small Vessel Reporting System (SVRS),
https://svrs.cbp.dhs.gov/Default.aspx
If are not a SVRS member, then upon your arrival you will have to go to the Customs reporting location Port Everglades facility which is open 7 days a week 5AM - Midnight and located at 1800 Eller Drive, Suite 110 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (954) 761-2000. Everyone on your must be go there and present their passports to the Customs Agent.
Sunday, June 24th
- If necessary, purchase any remaining grocery items at Publix near Harbour Towne Marina, 402 E Dania Beach Blvd, Dania Beach, FL 33004
- Launch the boat at Harbour Towne Marina
- Boat over to Bahia Mar and check into the Marina and then the Hotel. The ride is all little to no wake, so it will take almost an hour to get there.
- My plan is to boat over to the Pirate Republic Seafood & Grill to a late lunch early dinner.
- At 7:30 pm, in the lobby at the east end of the marina building of the hotel, there will be a meeting to discuss the morning departure plans, how we will be grouped, and answer any questions. The meeting is mandatory for the captains and optional for the crew.
- Before you dock your boat for the night, make sure it is full of fuel. The Bahia Mar marina pumps close at 5 pm.
Monday, June 25th
- Current intentions are to have groups of about 4 boats leaving at 5:40, 5:45, 5:50, 5:55 and 6:00. Please have your boat loaded with all cargo secured before your departure time. Your group will conduct a combination radio check and roll call ten minutes before departure.
- The goal is run 25 mph to 30 mph, this will keep your boat on plan and minimize fuel burn. If conditions dictate we can either go faster or slower, whatever we do will be based on safety. As long as you stay on plane and don't constant adjust the throttles you should make it on the fuel in your tank.
Tues, June 26th through Friday, June 29th
- Fun in beautiful Bimini. Each morning gave your handheld VHF radio with you and tuned to channel 69 to hear what others are planning. Unless someone specific mentions it, all planned activities are open to whoever is listing from our group.
- Here is a map of interesting places to visit in Bimini
Sat, June 30th - Departure Day
- The plan is to leave in our same group starting around 6 am. If wanted or conditions warrant, we can have a captains meeting at the infinity pool on Friday night.
I will be updating this first post of this thread as we go along. Other than adding additional boaters or editing boaters information, when changes are made I will make a post let everyone know of has been updated.
#Bimini,
#Bimini2018
1.
@Andy S , Triton 2690, 4 adults & 2 kids (8,10), from SC, condo 14D, Departing Mon 6/25 6am - Returning Sat 6/30
2.
@robert843 , ar240, 4 adults & 2 kids (2,?), from SC, condo 14E
3.
@Ramblin Wreck, waverunner, 1 adult, from GA, condo ?
4.
@justason, 212x, 6 adults, from NC, condo 3D
5.
@DieselCamel , World Cat, 4 adults, from FL, condo 2A, Departing Mon 6/25 6am - Returning Sat 6/30
6.
@veedubtek, ?, 2 adults, From NC, condo ?
7.
@vanmurray, 242e, 6 adults & 2 kids, from NC, condo 7L & 7R
8.
@bronze_10, sx230, 2 adults & 3 kids, from NC, condo 5H, Departing Mon 6/25 6am - Returning Sat 6/30 10am
9.
@AndyD, 240le, 2 adults, from NC, condo 3F, Departing Mon 6/25 6am - Returning Sat 6/30
10.
@tim h, 30' Trophy, 1 adult, from FL, condo 4M
11.
@jayasaki138 , Polar 2300 wa, 2 adults & 2 kids, from VA, condo 21J, Departing Sun 6/24 11am - Returning Sat 6/30 10am
12.
@Bryan Martini , ar240, 3 adults & kids, from CT, condo 17L
13.
@Valerie , waverunner, 2 adults, from FL, condo 14J
14.
@Gadiel , chaparral 21, 2 adults & 2 kids, from FL, condo 7E
15.
@Sbrown , ar240, 2 adults & 3 kids, from PA, condo 1A
16.
@1948Isaac , ar240, 4 adults, from FL, condo ?
17.
@ThatJeepGuy , ar240, 2 adults & 2 kids, from FL, condo 13D, Departing Mon 6/25 6am - Returning Sat 6/30
18.
@Dan_NC , 242x, 4 adults, from NC, condo 21M
19.
@Cjtita , sx210, 2 adults, from FL, condo ?
20.
@Girlfriend , waverunner, 1 adult, from FL condo ?
21.
@STEVE garman , sx190 , 2 adults, from NC, condo ?
22.
@Julian , 242xe, 2 adults, from NC, condo 8E, Departing Sun 6/24 11am - Returning Sat 6/30 10am
23.
@Amar Nanduri , chaparral 270, 2 adults & 3 kids, from VA, condo 14I, Departing Sun 6/24 11am - Returning Sat 6/30
24.
@Gofish206 , chaparral 21', 4 adults, from GA, condo ?
25.
@Christie Moore , sportsman cc 24', 2 adults & 1 child, from FL, condo ?
26. Sara Hill, 23' CC, ? adults, from FL, condo 7D
27.
@Douglas Lackey , 23 ?, 2 adults & 1 child, from KY, condo ?
28.
@AL-LL , 28' regal, 2 adults & 2 kids, from NC, condo 21?
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