2019 Bimini Trip ( Unofficial Thread Until Admin Puts Official One Up)

[Bruce]

I sent a txt to one of the InReach units (not sure whose it was). Got a report later ( may have been posted on the board, not sure) that he received my message, tried to answer but 3 hrs later the InReach still had that msg in the outbox and had not sent it, even after arrival in Bimini.

My experience is that inReach does not work inside of buildings. It is transmitting to satellites with very little power. It does work sitting in my truck but not while inside the upper floor of my home. We clip it to @Emma's life jacket for the crossing. It has always transmitted during our crossing with the exception of when she was laying on top of it. At that time I received a message from @Murf'n'surf or it may have been @justason checking on our status via the inReach. After four summers of usage the internal battery has reduced from 4 days of usage to 2. I will likely replace before next year. In my experience it is quite reliable as a tracking device. I only know of one JetBoater using it in a distress situation and that received an immediate response.

 

[Amar Nanduri]

I sent a txt to one of the InReach units (not sure whose it was). Got a report later ( may have been posted on the board, not sure) that he received my message, tried to answer but 3 hrs later the InReach still had that msg in the outbox and had not sent it, even after arrival in Bimini.

That was me @Berrie
I responded to you in the forum from Bimini that my response was stuck in outbox of inreach.

 

[Berrie]

My experience is that inReach does not work inside of buildings. It is transmitting to satellites with very little power. It does work sitting in my truck but not while inside the upper floor of my home. We clip it to @Emma's life jacket for the crossing. It has always transmitted during our crossing with the exception of when she was laying on top of it. At that time I received a message from @Murf'n'surf or it may have been @justason checking on our status via the inReach. After four summers of usage the internal battery has reduced from 4 days of usage to 2. I will likely replace before next year. In my experience it is quite reliable as a tracking device. I only know of one JetBoater using it in a distress situation and that received an immediate response.

Here’s a more likely scenario;
I’m 40 miles out with engine problems. Bad fuel so i lost both engines. Is it a dire energency that justifies the emergency function of an InReach/Spot/PLB/EPIRB?
No it is not. All i need is TowBoatUS. But at 40 miles my radio doesn’t reach.

Do I want an InReach so i can txt with the TowBoatUS operator or through a 3rd party, or do I want a sat phone so I can actually have a voice conversation with TowBoatUS?
There is no question in my mind which I (and TowBoatUS) prefer.

I know the emergency function of InReach works as well as any other. However i think the scenario above happens 100 times more often.

 

[bronze_10]

FYI... Before my return crossing with an unknown engine durability issue I called tow boat us in ft Lauderdale... They said they have a 1000 foot tower they use for their vhf radio... They said many times they can talk to bimini or stleast near the island... Could be bs but that's what they said! That's a hell of a tower!

 

[Bruce]

@Berrie, my guess is that the text failed due to lack of clear access to the ski. Surprisingly even when Emma was laying on the inReach so it was not transmitting coordinates it did receive a message asking why.

I know that @Tyler contacted SeaTow through his inReach in 2014. I believe he used the SOS feature which simply notifies their call center. Through text messaging he was put in contact with SeaTow who surprisingly were able to communicate with his handheld VHF half way across. A few hours later they towed him in. They used the inReach to track his drift in the stream just like many JetBoaters were doing at home.

 

[bronze_10]

@Berrie, my guess is that the text failed due to lack of clear access to the ski. Surprisingly even when Emma was laying on the inReach so it was not transmitting coordinates it did receive a message asking why.

I know that @Tyler contacted SeaTow through his inReach in 2014. I believe he used the SOS feature which simply notifies their call center. Through text messaging he was put in contact with SeaTow who surprisingly were able to communicate with his handheld VHF half way across. A few hours later they towed him in. They used the inReach to track his drift in the stream just like many JetBoaters were doing at home.

Thats why I went with the inreach... I need help.... Here is a constant feed of where I am! COME GET ME!

 

[Betik]

FYI... Before my return crossing with an unknown engine durability issue I called tow boat us in ft Lauderdale... They said they have a 1000 foot tower they use for their vhf radio... They said many times they can talk to bimini or stleast near the island... Could be bs but that's what they said! That's a hell of a tower!

http://www.qsl.net/kd4sai/distance.html
If they have 1,000 feet tower, they should be able to get at the cost of Bimini at sea level. So if you have 10 feet on your antenna you should be able to hear them.

For Florida to Bimini, if I had to chose one communication method, I will definitly go with a good VHF with a high mounted antenna. You probably get 20-30 miles easily from the US cost and 10-15 from Bimini. That leave less than 10 miles without coverage and if you end up drifting north eventually you will come close enough to the coast where the USCG will pick up your VHF transmission. Next time around I am getting a $300 8 foot antenna and mounting on my tower ( @Julian style). That will get me easily 5 miles at sea level and probably 10+ miles on any other jetboat.

 

[Betik]

Thats why I went with the inreach... I need help.... Here is a constant feed of where I am! COME GET ME!

please recall the USCG was able to locate Bearfoot Island and relay the coordinates to @Julian.

It must be noted Julian was communicating with them at least 9.7 miles away from each other. First radio contact at about 10.5 to 11 miles. The first call @Julian made out at ~15 miles went Un-answered. Maybe out of range or maybe because Barefoot Island had turned his system off to conserve battery. He told me that he turned it on about 1 while drifting. I wish he would post here again, but I think that boat has been sold. LOL
Anyway, I think it is safe to say 10 miles between our boats with 8 feet antennas.

 

[Julian]

http://www.qsl.net/kd4sai/distance.html
If they have 1,000 feet tower, they should be able to get at the cost of Bimini at sea level. So if you have 10 feet on your antenna you should be able to hear them.

For Florida to Bimini, if I had to chose one communication method, I will definitly go with a good VHF with a high mounted antenna. You probably get 20-30 miles easily from the US cost and 10-15 from Bimini. That leave less than 10 miles without coverage and if you end up drifting north eventually you will come close enough to the coast where the USCG will pick up your VHF transmission. Next time around I am getting a $300 8 foot antenna and mounting on my tower ( @Julian style). That will get me easily 5 miles at sea level and probably 10+ miles on any other jetboat.

You don't need to spend $300 to get a good 8' antenna

I spent $50 on a Shakespeare rail mount quick connect from Hodges Marine, then bought my antenna at West Marine as shipping was crazy at other places....it was $65 dollars (with free shipping or free in store pick up). I added the extended warranty on it for $12 to extend the warranty to 3 or 4 years and it covers ANYTHING...like going under a bridge and forgetting to put the damn thing down!!!!

 

[Julian]

please recall the USCG was able to locate Bearfoot Island and relay the coordinates to @Julian.

It must be noted Julian was communicating with them at least 9.7 miles away from each other. First radio contact at about 10.5 to 11 miles. The first call @Julian made out at ~15 miles went Un-answered. Maybe out of range or maybe because Barefoot Island had turned his system off to conserve battery. He told me that he turned it on about 1 while drifting. I wish he would post here again, but I think that boat has been sold. LOL
Anyway, I think it is safe to say 10 miles between our boats with 8 feet antennas.

Yup...and it would be unlikely that you'd ever be more than 10 miles from another vessel in that area. I think the range is likely well over 10 miles...perhaps next year we'll have to test that!

I don't know where the CG was when I first contacted them, but Barefoot Island was over 11-12 miles from us while we listened to the CG and the boat talking to each other....praying another boat was closer. Then the CG flew to us, checked us out and flew back to Barefoot island, so they would have drifted further away by then, and we were still able to communicate that far. Suffice to say....a fixed marine radio is key. @Drift Away can attest to this. If only I'd noticed they only had a handheld! If they'd had a fixed radio with full antenna they would have been able to reach people sooner and drifted less.

@Drift Away were you able to hear any of our communication with Barefoot Island while you drifted? Did you ever switch to Channel 16 and try to get the Coast Guard?

 

[Speedling]

Soon as I would turn motors off, my fixed Cobra VHF was loud and clear and was really almost annoying.
As soon as I would get on plane, the sound of motors, waves, etc. is too much and my wife had to use the handheld in order to try and relay messages to me.
I will be re-examining my insulation in the engine hatch and all that because it was really that bad.
Now, if you were in 2017 weather (thank God I wasn't) I can only imagine the chaos over the radio and the confusion and frustration and the adrenaline going on there, but I doubt everything was heard over the radio that was said.
AND, I sometimes wonder if Coast guard is putting the radio on scan a lot and hears people like us and laugh.
Although, @Betik was pretty military precise with his C1, C2 etc.
People from this year's july group, perhaps you guys could comment on clarity of the radios?
I used handheld when inside Bimini Sands and when we were on the North Island.
I was able to hear guys going out to all sorts of places when I was listening to the built in and I think some of the further excersions were picked up only by the built in.
It seemed there was a lot of mumbled sounding stuff coming over the radio. Not like squelch type just clarity of equipment.
I wonder if other's heard that as well.
Perhaps too many people with it too close to their face during transmition?
I wonder if you could get an ear piece or something instead of an extra speaker. Something to block some of the noise and still be able to turn it up.
Anyways...
Back to the regularly scheduled program.
Wish I could come in 2019, but we got a couple years to save up for it yet.
I hope the weather is as good as we had it for sure!
Perhaps @Bruce with his complaining can get us all free rooms to return to, then I can come, lol!

 

[Betik]

Perhaps too many people with it too close to their face during transmition?

Perhaps @Bruce with his complaining can get us all free rooms to return to, then I can come, lol!

only one guy. I try to avoid him whenever I can, but he shows up every-time I pass by a mirror.

FYI: apparently on youtube I am getting labeled as Radio Nazi. LOL I should have never uploaded that video

 

[vanmurray]

Soon as I would turn motors off, my fixed Cobra VHF was loud and clear and was really almost annoying.
As soon as I would get on plane, the sound of motors, waves, etc. is too much and my wife had to use the handheld in order to try and relay messages to me.
I will be re-examining my insulation in the engine hatch and all that because it was really that bad.
Now, if you were in 2017 weather (thank God I wasn't) I can only imagine the chaos over the radio and the confusion and frustration and the adrenaline going on there, but I doubt everything was heard over the radio that was said.
AND, I sometimes wonder if Coast guard is putting the radio on scan a lot and hears people like us and laugh.
Although, @Betik was pretty military precise with his C1, C2 etc.
People from this year's july group, perhaps you guys could comment on clarity of the radios?
I used handheld when inside Bimini Sands and when we were on the North Island.
I was able to hear guys going out to all sorts of places when I was listening to the built in and I think some of the further excersions were picked up only by the built in.
It seemed there was a lot of mumbled sounding stuff coming over the radio. Not like squelch type just clarity of equipment.
I wonder if other's heard that as well.
Perhaps too many people with it too close to their face during transmition?
I wonder if you could get an ear piece or something instead of an extra speaker. Something to block some of the noise and still be able to turn it up.
Anyways...
Back to the regularly scheduled program.
Wish I could come in 2019, but we got a couple years to save up for it yet.
I hope the weather is as good as we had it for sure!
Perhaps @Bruce with his complaining can get us all free rooms to return to, then I can come, lol!

I was in the June group and have a Standard Horizon fixed VHF and I was concerned about the noise issue testing before the trip. I kept the fixed radio on and mostly used while anchored/docked, but decided to use a Standard Horizon handheld with earpiece for crossing with the group and it worked great. I could hear clearly, I had a spare radio and didn’t have to install an extra speaker. I ended up using the handheld to communicate back to the boat for docking, customs, etc... Worked well.

 

[Drift Away]

Yup...and it would be unlikely that you'd ever be more than 10 miles from another vessel in that area. I think the range is likely well over 10 miles...perhaps next year we'll have to test that!

I don't know where the CG was when I first contacted them, but Barefoot Island was over 11-12 miles from us while we listened to the CG and the boat talking to each other....praying another boat was closer. Then the CG flew to us, checked us out and flew back to Barefoot island, so they would have drifted further away by then, and we were still able to communicate that far. Suffice to say....a fixed marine radio is key. @Drift Away can attest to this. If only I'd noticed they only had a handheld! If they'd had a fixed radio with full antenna they would have been able to reach people sooner and drifted less.

@Drift Away were you able to hear any of our communication with Barefoot Island while you drifted? Did you ever switch to Channel 16 and try to get the Coast Guard?

We got bits and pieces with a $150 hand held. I was on every channel i could think of. That thing just did not have the balls to push out to anyone. I could hear the CG where they fly over head and when they walked you in to the other guy. The only way we got found was we had to turn our phones on and luckily @wallacerb had the same Idea. No one should make this trip with out fixed radio that can reach out a few miles. If we would have had it that day you would not have been out there for 4 hours.

 

[bronze_10]

On our return crossing I left approximately 30 min before the group did due to not knowing if my engine was going to hold out. I wanted a group behind me that would catch up. I was running approximately 28 mph... So I guess that put me approxinately 15 ish miles in front of the @Andy S group behind me. From time to time I would radio back and tell them my status. Mainly for my wife to hear since she was torn up about me leaving alone with a less than 100% boat. At that distance @Andy S and @AndyD who had my family could hear me and atleast know I was ok. Not sure how clear it was. I could hear they were responding but I didn't want to slow the boat be able to hear them more clearly. By the halfway point they had closed the distance significantly and it was easy to hear @Andy S respond to my up dates.

On that note I would like to publicly thank my group for the support they gave me in making decisions to make the best of what was not an ideal situation. @justason for offering help... @AndyD for not hesitating for taking my family and @Andy S for the constant communication with me. It made me feel better knowing they were responding to me and it made my wife feel better being able to hear everything was ok and someone was keeping track of me. I didn't know if the motor was going to send a connecting rod through the engine cowling or it would run fine the entire trip. Truly thank you to all of you.

I didn't see anyone until I was in the turning basin in port everglades. But I knew and my wife knew I wasn't alone. So if anyone makes the argument of not needing a fixed vhf to cross I would strongly.... Strongly disagree.

 

[Julian]

On our return crossing I left approximately 30 min before the group did due to not knowing if my engine was going to hold out. I wanted a group behind me that would catch up. I was running approximately 28 mph... So I guess that put me approxinately 15 ish miles in front of the @Andy S group behind me. From time to time I would radio back and tell them my status. Mainly for my wife to hear since she was torn up about me leaving alone with a less than 100% boat. At that distance @Andy S and @AndyD who had my family could hear me and atleast know I was ok. Not sure how clear it was. I could hear they were responding but I didn't want to slow the boat be able to hear them more clearly. By the halfway point they had closed the distance significantly and it was easy to hear @Andy S respond to my up dates.

On that note I would like to publicly thank my group for the support they gave me in making decisions to make the best of what was not an ideal situation. @justason for offering help... @AndyD for not hesitating for taking my family and @Andy S for the constant communication with me. It made me feel better knowing they were responding to me and it made my wife feel better being able to hear everything was ok and someone was keeping track of me. I didn't know if the motor was going to send a connecting rod through the engine cowling or it would run fine the entire trip. Truly thank you to all of you.

I didn't see anyone until I was in the turning basin in port everglades. But I knew and my wife knew I wasn't alone. So if anyone makes the argument of not needing a fixed vhf to cross I would strongly.... Strongly disagree.

What equipment were you using?

 

[Bruce]

In 2015 my family was the first to Bimini and @ArmyChief (Doug) was among the last. I did not have any leadership position and decided to cross faster as I was concerned about fuel and had plans to secure fuel to take back.

Doug had a high mounted VHF large antenna and I have a 4’ premium antenna mounted at hull level. I believe both of us have external speakers. Doug and I were communicating after the I left the <10 mph group at initially >25 mph which later became >30 mph. I remember talking to Doug when we were 15+ miles apart. We could talk to each other but many of the boats between us could not hear us. As the conditions would improve or land would come into site I would radio back to the group with encouraging comments.

Another example of this is that in 2014 @upperdeck had gone to Great Isaacs to fish. His son was at the infinity pool, trying to reach him via handheld and worried about the lack of response. I had beached my boat at the pool and took his son to my boat to use the fixed VHF. We were able to talk to Upperdeck or it may have been Tim H whose boat was with him via the fixed VHF.

As for handhelds they might reach 2 miles when you are standing in the boat. They will receive from farther away if the transmitter is at a higher altitude with more power but what good is receiving when you can not talk back. For the crossings it is best to spend the $300 and install a fixed VHF.

 

[bronze_10]

What equipment were you using?

I have a garmin 200 radio and a 4 foot fiberglass antenna mounted to the rear grab handle... Not sure of the brand.. I got it from @Bruce recommendation . Shakespeare sounds right...

 

[Bruce]

Not sure of the brand.. I got it from @Bruce recommendation .

Mine is a Digital 528. It is an expensive antenna but is claimed to have 1.5db gain over a typical 4 foot antenna and is easier to handle than a 6db 8 foot antenna. Typically a 4' antenna is 3db while an 8' is 6'. Unfortunately the method of increased output is not publicly documented but there are many anecdotal reports of increased range among boaters.

 

[Berrie]

No new posts in any of the Bimini threads in 2 days.....
What’s wrong with y’all?!?!?!?