JetBoaters.net Bimini Fling June 19 to 25 2016

[waterboy]

@Bruce , thanks for posting that video. Yes that was from me. What happened is we were heading out and calls for help came over the radio. I slowed and that is when the water came over the bow as shown. I quickly realized this isn;t going to work and powered back up to clear the decks of water. The boat did what it was supposed to and everything was fine.

What is hard to see in the video is that those were probably easily 5 footers we were going into at a brutal pace. We were getting the SH#T knocked out of us heading out of Port Everglades. While the waves subsided a bit once we cleared the inlet, the beating continued for 4 hours while we crossed.

Just so everyone knows, when I looked back to see the problem, I was near the front and fairly far away from the boats in trouble and there were already several other boats on the scene helping out. I found a comfortable position to heave to in the waves while we sorted out our next steps, before coming back in.

 

[MrMoose]

Lots was learned during the first attempt in 2015. As stated by a few already, it is important to keep moving with the bow up; so what truly worries me is that coming to rest in order to help a boat in distress is really really risky. Although my 2015 had more freeboard than anybody else in the group, the second that I slowed down because the boats behind me were falling back, I ate a big wave; so big that enough of it found its way into the bilge causing my bilge pump run. The second time that I took a wave into my bow was when I slowed down too abruptly at the midpoint. I consider the second event to be a rookie mistake.
I am really surprised that a bad situation didn't become worse; we are lucky that the boats lending assistance, like @Tony Sweasy didn't get swamped.
I burned almost a quarter tank of gas during the first attempt.
I think that the best thing that everybody can do to prepare is to do everything possible to keep water out of their boat, like: install a secondary bilge pump, invest in a bow cover, and load your boat properly. I won't do this crossing again unless I first install a bow cover. This will significantly reduce the risk of eating a wave, especially while lending assistance.

 

[kthrash]

The initial advice I was given to load the bow heavy to lesson the wave impact was 100% wrong.. perhaps in calm water that would have been fine, but I would strongly advise to load the ass end heavy to be able to keep the nose up while under way even under light throttle.

 

[rollosan]

@Bruce @kthrash @robert843
Thanks for the links and the video, the information really helps. The video really helps to get an idea of what it was like. I'm sure to actually experience it was way more intense than it appears in the video . Looks like a rough ride, but manageable as long as you keep up the momentum...you may end up with a few loose teeth when its all over with though. I Like the idea of sending the wives and kids over by plane or ferry.

Appreciate all the information!

 

[rollosan]

Is a captains license required to make the trip? It may sound like a silly question, but I haven't been back in the states that long. In Japan we had to have a captains license to operate jetskis.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

No license needed unless you are charging people to ride on your boat. In that instance you are a charter boat and would require USCG training and license. But we all know you are not charging your good friends to ride on your boat....

 

[Bruce]

I am really surprised that a bad situation didn't become worse; we are lucky that the boats lending assistance, like @Tony Sweasy didn't get swamped

You are entirely right. The water at the time was too rough for our boats to safely stop. Once you stopped you reduced your freeboard and lost control of how the waves hit your boat. The skis had an advantage that even though they were being thrown around they were not taking on water.

Unfortunately there is nothing that you can do for another boat by getting close. There is no way to control two boats in such close proximity. The best that other boats can do is circle and retrieve any crew or cargo that is thrown from the swamped boat.

This year I would like to break our crossing into a number of small groups of 3 to 5 boats spaced out at 10 minute intervals with each group having an experienced leader. Each group would communicate on their own VHF channel. If a boat in the group needs to stop then only that group would circle until the situation was resolved. The other groups would continue on. Doing so decreases the risk of other boats having issues. KThrash and crew did not benefit from the whole group stopping.

To put this in perspective, we were not expecting the rough water that we found leaving Port Everglades in 2015. I believe that there was an issue with the weather monitoring station in Bimini as the 25 mph winds blowing to the US were not shown on any weather report that we checked that morning. There was no plan in place for such a severe situation. In past years we had numerous stoppages for securing cargo or to clean out jets but had not experienced a disabled boat. The boats around the disabled boats did a great job of helping. The captains and crews of those boats did a great job of getting themselves to safety.

 

[BigN8]

I'm not planning on going, but if I were contemplating on making the trip.....I would bet on this year being a good year to go. I have included a link for some historical backup. With this year becoming a record El Nino year, it should make for quiet Atlantic conditions and a very low chance of a storm brewing and screwing up the trip.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Atlantic_hurricane_season

 

[BgTravis]

Thanks for the update @Bruce! Looking forward to making the trip this year!

 

[upperdeck]

I would emphasize loading the bow light. Or at least being able to move anything heavy in the bow rearward in a big hurry! Do not overload your boat.

Also, the fuel issues, including boats running out of fuel long before arrival in bimini, we're only indirectly related to the wave hight. They were DIRECTLY related to some captain's refusal to keep their boats ON PLANE. His decision to run S L O W endangered his safety AND the safety of the other boats in our group that refused to leave him behind.

In conditions like that, comfort be damned, you won't make it across by plowing through the ocean for 55 miles.

 

[Bruce]

Bruce has registered to captain Propless with a crew of 2 adults and 2 children. They hail from the home port of The Sandbar, Arkansas.

The crew is described as: Rana (wife), Emma (8), Gavin(6) and I love spending time in Bimini! We first made the trip in 2014 then enjoyed an extended 12 night visit in 2015. We look forward to brining ham for the party at Honeymoon Harbor.

You can register for the event using the form at https://jetboaters.net/forms/bimini-2016-registration.6/respond

 

[shane hric]

I was starting to get really interested in this trip, now I'm not so sure. Not sure how an AR210 would hold up on the trip if we encountered even the smallest bit of weather.

@kthrash - What happened in your incident? Weather? Overloaded? Combination of both? To see that a 24' had issues makes me doubt the open sea capabilities of a 21 footer.

How many boats had major issues on the last trip and what were those issues?

How many boats went on the trip last year and what was the support that you received from the other boaters?

I saw a few pics in the exotic destinations folder, are there any more pics posted elsewhere?

Sorry for the numerous questions, but I’m sure I’ll have even more as I think about this trip. LOL

I agree with everyone on the safety aspects. You can view plenty of Youtube videos of the crossing from our group, other groups, and jetski's. Don't let the safety aspects be your deciding factor of not going. Just be prepared!

 

[Bruce]

The registration form is live at https://jetboaters.net/forms/bimini-2016-registration.6/respond . Please use the form to register your boat and vote on the length of trip.

Completing the form will create a new post with a little info about your boat and crew. This linked post is an example #31

@Chris-MS, @MrMoose, @Mike Coultas, @sstegh, @swatski, @swatski, @shane hric, @Greg M, @Glen, @Augusto David Rodriguez, @Jr15g, @blacksapphirez, @robert843, @2nazt, @Bimini

 

[kthrash]

Shit happens, I have had worse experiences in life, I learn from them and move on.. gimme a few years to calm my insurance agent down from the $35K payout and I will be back to do it again...

 

[ACrews]

ACrews has registered to captain Crews Control with a crew of 2 adults and 0 children. They hail from the home port of Nahunta, GA.

The crew is described as: Jason (brother) & Lavelle (Jason's better half).

I blame all this hoopla on RobA!

You can register for the event using the form at https://jetboaters.net/forms/bimini-2016-registration.6/respond

 

[veedubtek]

veedubtek has registered to captain Yes with a crew of 2 adults and children. They hail from the home port of Winston Salem, NC.

The crew is described as: Wife - Karie

You can register for the event using the form at https://jetboaters.net/forms/bimini-2016-registration.6/respond

 

[veedubtek]

We're definitely going, but the specifics aren't hammered down yet. I'm taking the ski. The wife likely is, but not for sure yet. 4 others want to go with us, and we're investigating options (like renting a boat for the week). In which case, we'd likely be bringing a boat and 2 skis. There again, I could buy another boat this weekend and that would change everything. Only definite for me is, the wife and I will be there no matter what.

 

[Augusto David Rodriguez]

Augusto David Rodriguez has registered to captain Per-Diem with a crew of 2 adults and 2 children. They hail from the home port of williamsburg, Va.

The crew is described as: My wife and I, daughter 15 and son of 7

You can register for the event using the form at https://jetboaters.net/forms/bimini-2016-registration.6/respond

 

[justason]

The registration form is live at https://jetboaters.net/forms/bimini-2016-registration.6/respond . Please use the form to register your boat and vote on the length of trip.
Completing the form will create a new post with a little info about your boat and crew. This linked post is an example #31

@Bruce nice job on the form. where are the dates captured? and under the users tag list what is (at)bimini ?

 

[Andy S]

andy07sx230ho has registered to captain What Now What Next with a crew of 1 adults and 0 children. They hail from the home port of Chapin, SC.

The crew is described as: My brother-in-law

You can register for the event using the form at https://jetboaters.net/forms/bimini-2016-registration.6/respond