Bimini Crossing Fuel & Speed Data ( if comfortable please contribute data)

[Betik]

@Ronnie here is a detailed break down off my expenses for the 2017 trip ( 3 adults and 2 kids).
Please look at the comments and you will be able to remove whatever expenses you will not have. For example, Disney World ticket or Hotels while in Orlando.

Note 1: I am still repairing the boat, but so far I am close to $600. I anticipate this to creep at $1,000 as I still have random plastic part that broke and I have no idea where they come from.
Note 2: my boat come with a chartplotter, so I did not have to buy that.

 

[Betik]

no tabs... and probably 750-800lbs of human meat and maybe 140-150lbs of various other meats and beverages. lol

Theres no replacement for displacement!!....

that's what she said.....

Disclaimer: She=boat

 

[Betik]

@Ronnie
is all of this data collection and analysis really necessary?
No, but the boating seasons is over while the boating addition goes year round

The biggest problem I see is keeping the smart phone or tablet running the app charged which is easily overcome, just plug the device into a /the 12v outlet on the boat whenever it is moving.

1. I brought an Ipad mini which I paired to my inreach explorer. The ipad went dead during the storm and when I needed my crew to back up my direction we realized that she could not see well enough on the inreach screen. Too small for the bouncing boat.
2. I installed 2 USB outlets for that very reason. If you leave the screen during the whole time, the device gets hot. If it gets hot it drains the battery faster. if it gets too hot then it will no longer charge. I had this snowball effect even while keeping the ipad away from direct sunlight.

I don’t think I will ever make the trip in my boat, just to far to tow from NCal but I would consider flying out with my family, renting a boat and doing the trip that way, just need a ball park cost for budgeting purposes.
How big is your family ? I just looked for mid June and SF to Orlando is $500 or $280 to DFW. My wife and I were thinking to either become a crew or get some crew for the next trip. I personally will be more than thrilled to have a true captain onboard instead of human meat as @hobineros puts its it.

 

[MrMoose]

@Ronnie
is all of this data collection and analysis really necessary?
No, but the boating seasons is over while the boating addition goes year round.

@Betik

 

[McMark]

After the events of this year’s crossing, I would tote 3, 5 gallon cans of gas ala Julian. Just in case of excess consumption during the crossing and for the fact that on occasion there’s no fuel available at Bimini.

 

[Glen]

After the events of this year’s crossing, I would tote 3, 5 gallon cans of gas ala Julian. Just in case of excess consumption during the crossing and for the fact that on occasion there’s no fuel available at Bimini.

I say 2 5 gallons.

1 for me, worst case, 1 for buddy-

Stored on transom. (Lower level)

 

[Ronnie]

@RonnieI don’t think I will ever make the trip in my boat, just to far to tow from NCal but I would consider flying out with my family, renting a boat and doing the trip that way, just need a ball park cost for budgeting purposes.
How big is your family ? I just looked for mid June and SF to Orlando is $500 or $280 to DFW. My wife and I were thinking to either become a crew or get some crew for the next trip. I personally will be more than thrilled to have a true captain onboard instead of human meat as @hobineros puts its it.

Just three of us (wife, teenage son and myself).

$500 per person round trip to FL is fine, thanks for looking it up, I was expecting closer to $750 which is what we pay to go to Cabo from here every other year.

I haven’t sold the idea to my family yet (they’ve already rejected the idea of renting a house boat here or anywhere (e.g. lake Powell or at the lake of the Ozarks) but if this rises to the level of a bucket list item I’d go without them.

I also haven’t checked if rentals are available for such a trip, if I could go with the group I wouldn’t mind renting and piloting the boat myself even if alone and in a non jet boat (ideally in a boat with an enclosed cabin).

I like the idea of getting on someone else’s boat as crew to save money (even after contributing for gas and such) but doing it myself and avoiding the possible personality conflicts appeals to me.

Ironically or maybe not so much for others as I get older where things like this are concerned it’s not so much about what it will cost but doing it while I’m still healthy, confident and smart or stupid enough to do so.

Don’t mean to hijack this thread so I will/may continue this on a new thread in the near future.

 

[Bruce]

I also haven’t checked if rentals are available for such a trip, if I could go with the group I wouldn’t mind renting and piloting the boat myself even if alone and in a non jet boat (ideally in a boat with an enclosed cabin).

If you want your own boat rentals certainly are available in Florida although it is far less expensive and more meaningful to take my own boat. It would be expensive but you could ship your boat to Fort Lauderdale and back why flying yourself if time is more of an issue than cost.

Another option is to fly to Bimini and rent a boat there. Bimini Sands has metal, outboard, center consoles that are available for rent.

And there always are couples or families who want to go but would prefer to share costs.

 

[MrMoose]

If you want your own boat rentals certainly are available in Florida although it is far less expensive and more meaningful to take my own boat. It would be expensive but you could ship your boat to Fort Lauderdale and back why flying yourself if time is more of an issue than cost.

Another option is to fly to Bimini and rent a boat there. Bimini Sands has metal, outboard, center consoles that are available for rent.

And there always are couples or families who want to go but would prefer to share costs.

Just FYI, one of last year's prop boat captains looked into renting a boat to cross from FLA to Bimini. He had a rental all lined-up, and the deal got canceled when the owner learned that the boat was going to the Bahamas. Turns out that the owner had previously lost a rental boat when it got confiscated because a renter got caught using it to transport drugs from the Bahamas back to FLA.

 

[Ronnie]

Ive got to be able to say i boated from florida to bimini and back to take this trip so flying all the way in is out. Id rather not deal with shipping my boat there and back. So my best options seem to be fly to florida and rent a boat (with full disclosure of where im going with it) if my family wants to go or fly to florida and join a crew if its just me.

This isnt really a bucket list thing for me, yet. I just floated the idea to my wife but need to show her the relevent pics and posts to sell her on it. I can speak for my son, he's a definite maybe.

Please resume responding to the original topic of this thread. Im interested in the data as well. That is how far? How much time? Estimated all in cost from launch to recovery? I know the scope is bigger than the topic of this thread but im hoping this thread will answer or supoort at least one of my questions.

 

[Water Girl]

WTF. Really !!!!!!that is very strange. I think I need to ping @Water Girl to see what she burned. It kind of sounds that both you and me were on fumes and @Bruce had put rum or something on his fuel tank.


@hobineros you have no trim tabs and you had 3 adults on your boat right


@hobineros as soon as we let off at the entrance of Bimini Sands, my boat started screaming. I was on fumes. Filled up to almost 50 gallons at the gas dock (however I don’t know how accurate that pump was lol)
I did not, however top it off after going from harbor towne to Bahia mar. Plus I followed the lovely rana a bit in the opposite direction when she picked up Bruce at the airport parking for some sightseeing lol. So I did burn a few gallons just doing that. I also carried an extra 5 with me. Tried all I could to just keep a constant RPM the whole time but I can’t say I was perfect with it due to smashing down into the waves, breaking my seat and yelling at waterman that we were going to either run out of gas or die hahaha

 

[Water Girl]

@hobineros @Betik as soon as we let off at the entrance of Bimini Sands, my boat started screaming. I was on fumes. Filled up to almost 50 gallons at the gas dock (however I don’t know how accurate that pump was lol)
I did not, however top it off after going from harbor towne to Bahia mar. Plus I followed the lovely rana a bit in the opposite direction when she picked up Bruce at the airport parking for some sightseeing lol. So I did burn a few gallons just doing that. I also carried an extra 5 with me. Tried all I could to just keep a constant RPM the whole time but I can’t say I was perfect with it due to smashing down into the waves, breaking my seat and yelling at waterman that we were going to either run out of gas or die hahaha[/QUOTE]

 

[Betik]

Just FYI, one of last year's prop boat captains looked into renting a boat to cross from FLA to Bimini. He had a rental all lined-up, and the deal got canceled when the owner learned that the boat was going to the Bahamas. Turns out that the owner had previously lost a rental boat when it got confiscated because a renter got caught using it to transport drugs from the Bahamas back to FLA.

now that is useful info..... enjoy Bimini, get high and make a profit of top of it

 

[Betik]

@hobineros @Betik as soon as we let off at the entrance of Bimini Sands, my boat started screaming. I was on fumes. Filled up to almost 50 gallons at the gas dock (however I don’t know how accurate that pump was lol)
I did not, however top it off after going from harbor towne to Bahia mar. Plus I followed the lovely rana a bit in the opposite direction when she picked up Bruce at the airport parking for some sightseeing lol. So I did burn a few gallons just doing that. I also carried an extra 5 with me. Tried all I could to just keep a constant RPM the whole time but I can’t say I was perfect with it due to smashing down into the waves, breaking my seat and yelling at waterman that we were going to either run out of gas or die hahaha

[/QUOTE]

the more I am reading about our group, the more I starting to think that @Bruce has hidden fuel tank.... Maybe he froze fuel in the fridge !!!

I will update the excel in the during the weekend and share.

 

[robert843]

@Ronnie I probably couldn't this year as I have commited to letting another family join me in Bimini already but I could be willing to work out a trade in a future year. I want to do Powel but have no desire to ship or tow my boat that far not a money thing just don't want to do it. I could be interested in a year where your crew flies into Florida and joins mine on the Bimini trip and in return a week is planned in Powell and your crew returns the favor. Everybody rents there own spot to stay just shared boat access.

 

[blacksapphirez]

from Bahia Mar --> Bimini Sands 33gallons and about 2.5hrs (after no wake zone) not sure how some ran 50+ gallons...

 

[robert843]

from Bahia Mar --> Bimini Sands 33gallons and about 2.5hrs (after no wa oike zone) not sure how some ran 50+ gallons...

A lot of it would depend on weight loaded in the boat. Not in all cases but in a lot of cases that I have seen where people have fuel issues they likely didn't leave Bahia Mar with a full tank of gas they either didn't fill up at Bahia Mar when arriving or took a short cruise the night before to restaurant or likely filled the tank to the point where the gas gauge said full but probably still had room for 5-10 gallons in tank. Most people don't fill up to the point were gas comes back at you through the fuel breather line they just fill till they think the tank is full.

 

[Ronnie]

@Ronnie I probably couldn't this year as I have commited to letting another family join me in Bimini already but I could be willing to work out a trade in a future year. I want to do Powel but have no desire to ship or tow my boat that far not a money thing just don't want to do it. I could be interested in a year where your crew flies into Florida and joins mine on the Bimini trip and in return a week is planned in Powell and your crew returns the favor. Everybody rents there own spot to stay just shared boat access.

Thanks for the offer. I will pm you to avoid distracting from this thread’s topic.

 

[tim h]

I would like to entertain a similar trade...

 

[Ronnie]

@tim h , i think we should start a separate string on this as we cant be alone in wanting to boat on far away bodies of water and are willing to trade for the same locally/semi locally.