2018 Bimini June trip (June 24th - June 30th)

[robert843]

Opinion me on these forecasts please. the combo of pitch vs wave height, especially at speeds has me scratching my head. right now port everglades is showing .7ft waves at 2 seconds. I'm thinking this is choppy but manageable. Same with a Waverunner ? when do whitecaps roll into play ? what kind of a pitch is needed to make ..say..2ft seas bearable ?

EBB tide at the channel is welcome !

View attachment 76872

Worst conditions I have been in on a ski was prob 2 ft at 2-3 seconds going to Abaco last year. It was no issue for the boats they could have cruised along at 35 mph in it but man the constant water barrage to the face and beating was brutal on a ski.

 

[Bruce]

Eric, the smaller the waves the closer they will be.

The forecast for Thursday to Sunday is basically all wind drive waves. They are small because the wind is small.

Think about the 2014 crossing to Bimini which was something like 1 footers at perhaps 3 second spacing. It was an easy crossing frequently hitting small waves. If you increase the wind speed to 10 mph those waves become tightly spaced 2 footers which is much less fun but still doable. Change the direction of the wind to cross the existing waves or add a storm and the seas become confused and dangerous.

I think that we should focus more on the direction of the wind and waves combined with the Beaufort Scale than the computer generated wave forecasts. When they agree it is even better.
http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/waves.htm

 

[justason]

Worst conditions I have been in on a ski was prob 2 ft at 2-3 seconds going to Abaco last year. It was no issue for the boats they could have cruised along at 35 mph in it but man the constant water barrage to the face and beating was brutal on a ski.

thanks. I would think would be hard on a boat...specially at 35

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

Worst conditions I have been in on a ski was prob 2 ft at 2-3 seconds going to Abaco last year. It was no issue for the boats they could have cruised along at 35 mph in it but man the constant water barrage to the face and beating was brutal on a ski.

Don't remind me of that. Running directly into that constant chop was indeed brutal. That was pretty shallow water but do you think we could get those type of conditions crossing the stream? I've never experienced that in deep water so curious if you have over in your area.

 

[robert843]

Don't remind me of that. Running directly into that constant chop was indeed brutal. That was pretty shallow water but do you think we could get those type of conditions crossing the stream? I've never experienced that in deep water so curious if you have over in your area.

I have seen something like that locally before but it rare in deep water that's for sure but I would take 5ft seas all day long over that crap again on a ski.

 

[Bruce]

Don't remind me of that. Running directly into that constant chop was indeed brutal. That was pretty shallow water but do you think we could get those type of conditions crossing the stream? I've never experienced that in deep water so curious if you have over in your area.

Waves break in shallow water or when changes in the wind blow them over.

I suspect the shallow water was why you were experiencing small breakers on the way to the Abacos.

In 2015 and 2017 the roughest impacts that I suffered were when the wind caused waves to break under my bow.

 

[Betik]

I suffered were when the wind caused waves to break under my bow.

I suffered when the my bow broke under the waves

 

[Bruce]

I suffered when the my bow broke under the waves

The 20 pounds of steel in your anchor locker did not help!!!!

 

[Julian]

In 2015 and 2017 the roughest impacts that I suffered were when the wind caused waves to break under my bow.

The worst hits we took where when climbing the bigger waves, topping them and having a 2nd big one right behind it. I would watch for that and turn at the top of the wave to avoid a hard impact. You had to pay close attention! If these forcasts hold, under 2' waves will be a cake walk compared to last year....got my fingers crossed. But no matter what...exing port everglades will be rough and bouncy....so prep your crews for that....it will start bad and hopefully get much better a mile offshore.

 

[Sbrown]

Every cruising guide I've been reading says to avoid a Northeast to Northwest wind. Some even say its a no-go under those conditions, while a Southeast to Southwest wind is much more favorable.

 

[Bruce]

The worst hits we took where when climbing the bigger waves, topping them and having a 2nd big one right behind it. I would watch for that and turn at the top of the wave to avoid a hard impact. You had to pay close attention! If these forcasts hold, under 2' waves will be a cake walk compared to last year....got my fingers crossed. But no matter what...exing port everglades will be rough and bouncy....so prep your crews for that....it will start bad and hopefully get much better a mile offshore.

It is important to note that both 2015 and 2017 had under 2' forecasts!

 

[Betik]

that is so very true. This the last message I saw as I was walking down stairs at the Bahia Mar.

Beautiful thing!

Wave height down
Sunny

View attachment 59223

 

[robert843]

I wouldn't watch the wave heights so much as the wind under 10 mph we should be good over 10 mph and it's probably a fools gold forecast.

 

[Sbrown]

I would watch for that and turn at the top of the wave to avoid a hard impact

That is what you are supposed to do. Straight up the wave face and then turn slightly to come down the backside and then get it straightened out again going up the next face. As best you can anyway; that's what makes confused seas so damn difficult. I can do 8-10'ers if they are coming from the same direction and there is a boat length between them. Even if they are peaked, as long as they're not breaking. The worst thing you can do on the big ones is try to take them straight on. It's a good way to break stuff and seriously risk stuffing your bow.

 

[Berrie]

Opinion me on these forecasts please. the combo of pitch vs wave height, especially at speeds has me scratching my head. right now port everglades is showing .7ft waves at 2 seconds. I'm thinking this is choppy but manageable. Same with a Waverunner ? when do whitecaps roll into play ? what kind of a pitch is needed to make ..say..2ft seas bearable ?

EBB tide at the channel is welcome !

View attachment 76872

Use the [Interval / Wave height] rule. If that equation gives a number smaller than 2 it will be a rough crossing

 

[Julian]

I wouldn't watch the wave heights so much as the wind under 10 mph we should be good over 10 mph and it's probably a fools gold forecast.

Yeah, so true! We crossed on Sunday and winds were 10-15 and it kept blowing like that all night. There was no way Monday's waves were going to be under 2'! Which is why I'm watching the winds on these apps more than the wave forcast! And watch also for sustained winds....the longer they blow, the more they will build up the seas. So far Fri, Sat and Sun look like all <10mph winds....which is promising. Days to go yet though!

 

[swatski]

For those of you with the X boats, I wonder if it may be a good idea to disconnect the ballast pumps. If those have simple Deutsch connectors they are super easy to just pop open, and then reconnect upon return. I always do that with my WM ballast pumps (4), it so easy for the peace of mind, whenever taking any longer cruise just in case something decides to switch itself on.

This reminded me of it:
https://jetboaters.net/threads/connext-ballast-hiccup.18266/

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[Julian]

For those of you with the X boats, I wonder if it may be a good idea to disconnect the ballast pumps. If those have simple Deutsch connectors they are super easy to just pop open, and then reconnect upon return. I always do that with my WM ballast pumps (4), it so easy for the peace of mind, whenever taking any longer cruise just in case something decides to switch itself on.

This reminded me of it:
https://jetboaters.net/threads/connext-ballast-hiccup.18266/

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There is a seacock valve at the inlet that I close for the crossing. It is on the starboard side of the starboard engine on the floor of the engine compartment....one big handle on it.

Looks like this (pretty sure up is open, down is closed -this one is closed, but not certain of this, @Larkintx took this so perhaps he can confirm?)

 

[Valerie]

all this formula talk is making my head hurt.......

 

[Valerie]

aaaaaannnnnnd
Im pretty sure these next 4 days at work are going to be the death of me........I need time off from work to prepare for my vacation........both mentally and physically.....