Bimini Trip June 19th - 26th 2022

[pprocacci]

We have just committed to going to Bimini, leaving on the morning of June 19th from Ft. Lauderdale, and coming back, leaving Bimini on the 26th.
I know people are always looking for pals to cross the ocean with and my family and I are not alone; hence the reason for posting this.

We are more or less shadowing KWB5205 from this post in hopes that we are crossing in both directions together:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/bimini-trip-2022-dates.36218/page-2

A lot of what follows is taken from their post, but we're going to be doing the same ... mostly.

- We will be launching from Harbour Towne Marina

• 801 NE 3rd St, Dania Beach, FL 33004
• Ph# 954-926-0300
• Parking is first come first serve.
• Open 24hrs and have 24hr security
• Only accepts cash during non-normal business hours.

- We've booked the Hilton the night before. Hilton Information:

• 1881 SE 17th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
• Ph# 954-463-4000
• We'll be checking in on the 18th
• Has a marina with slips but only let you book 45-30 days out because they are remodeling the docks.

- Planning on crossing June 19th weather permitting.

- My wife and I used VRBO and are planning on staying until the 26th, leaving that morning.

• We booked on the south island in Port Royal.
• The rentals there have canals with boating slips that usually come with the rental.
• Super easy boat access
• Our rental is from the 19th to the 26th.

- Who we are?

• A family of 8 (mom - late 30's, dad young 40's, w/ 5 teenage kids and 1 youngin')
• Super easy going and likes to have fun
• Serious ocean crossings ... no bs, lots of safety gear and equipment

- If anyone wants to get together for the ocean crossing (safety in numbers), then hollar! I'll share my details via private messages and we can coordinate.

Edit: What is needed to physically enter the bahamas? Here's a short list:

- Quarintine Flag (required)

• Quarintine Flag like this one. Doesn't have to be this specific one. Any yellow flag will do but is indeed required.
• I don't think this is technically needed, but it's more of a courteous gesture. Either way, it's ~20 bucks and won't hurt.

- Cruising permits (required)

• I suggest using Go Outdoors Bahamas. If you have a printer on hand, you can get a ton of the paperwork done ahead of time.
• This can be done there as well. The above just makes it a bit quicker.

- Health Visa (required)

• Health Visas - Must be obtained within 3 days of the trip for all individuals. If your last test was 4 days prior, that's no bueno.
• An additional requirement is getting COVID tested after landing within 24 hours.

- Fishing Permits (optional)

• Again using Go Outdoors Bahamas and if you intend on fishing.
• Can be obtained there if needed.

- US Passports (required)


Then there's the trip back to the US. When vessels are entering U.S. waters from a foreign port, it is required that they "check in". CBP Rome is an app that allows you to do so. Just download it from your app store and have at it.


~Paul


Edit: What's follows are just notes for myself for boat/Captain's that have confirmed they are going:

Paul (me) - Hasn't yet shared information will share in April - confirmed going
Rocky - Hasn't yet shared information - confirmed going (leaving earlier than everyone else)
Kyle - Shared information - confirmed going
Tom - Shared information - confirmed going.
Matt - Shared information - confirmed going
Mark - (from facebook group) - Shared information - confirmed going.
Eva - (from Facebook group) - Shared information - confirmed going
Dustin - Shared information w/ Kyle - hasn't yet confirmed

 

[rocky4x479]

I am planning on crossing with y'all on the 19th. but will be coming back a few days earlier on the 24th. Figured all of us from that other chat for same dates will start moving all the communication over to this dedicated page.

We will have 6 adults in the group all mid 30's to early 40's . We booked a Vrbo on lower end of Alice Town also Canal with dockage. This will be our first Ocean trip, we also will be on the Serious side when it comes to safety.
We plan on checking in in Fort Lauderdale on the 18th as well we will be coming from Oklahoma so its 22-24hr drive Leaving out early Friday Morning or Thursday evening.

I'm sure as we get closer to the go date we will plan a captains meeting of sorts to get everyone on same page/plan.

Rocky

 

[pprocacci]

Hey Rocky,

Pleasure. Agreed with your sentiment. Too early for anything to be set in stone.
We're in NC, and have at minimum a 12 hour drive. Realistically it'll be more like 14 hauling our boat.
I expect we'll start to reach out in late April / early May to start making formal introductions.

 

[KWB5205]

Hello fellow boaters,

I strongly agree with you all in safety and boating in numbers! I have 2 groups of people that are interested crossing on the dates I have selected, (I will tag them in this thread), another Michigander (242LS) and a couple from North Carolina (AshleyPro83) I apologize for not creating a separate thread for the dates I had chosen I'm not the most tech savvy person lol. Thank you to whoever did that!
Rocky, I agree with having a captains meeting when we get closer to the dates to make sure everybody is on the same page! we can arrange that later or I will either way.

 

[pprocacci]

a couple from North Carolina (AshleyPro83)

That's my wife. We're going. I kinda hijacked your general thread and made a more specific one now that dates are nailed down.

 

[KWB5205]

That's my wife. We're going. I kinda hijacked your general thread and made a more specific one now that dates are nailed down.

Ohh gotcha thanks I appreciate it! your thread with all the info is more organized

 

[bubbasuwannee]

I'll be following y'all's adventure. Not quite ready for a trip like this since we just got into boating last year (even though wife was coast Guard and I was U.S. Navy). Our boat is also a 195, so realistically would need to be a super calm day for a crossing.

 

[KWB5205]

I'll be following y'all's adventure. Not quite ready for a trip like this since we just got into boating last year (even though wife was coast Guard and I was U.S. Navy). Our boat is also a 195, so realistically would need to be a super calm day for a crossing.

Hello Boater,
You should join this year! we wouldn't cross if a 195 couldn't complete the crossing safely because it still might not be safe for the slightly larger boats in the group. you might need to bring extra fuel because of your fuel range on a 195.

 

[242LS]

Hello Boaters! Chatted with KWB5205 and saw he was a Michigander as well (about an hour away actually) and this has been on my bucket list for awhile. I've have navigated many trips of this length on the Great Lakes, but would definitely be a first time like this. I think I'm more nervous of the trailering trip from MI then I am the crossing.

I'm going to try and lock something down within the next week or two. Right now it's just myself (a young 50 and wife 43). We're laid back, easy going and not sure if our adult kids (21 and 19) would join us or not.

 

[bubbasuwannee]

Hello Boater,
You should join this year! we wouldn't cross if a 195 couldn't complete the crossing safely because it still might not be safe for the slightly larger boats in the group. you might need to bring extra fuel because of your fuel range on a 195.

Not sure if it's in the cards this year since my work schedule is already booked up to September. Will have to see.

 

[pprocacci]

I'll be following y'all's adventure. Not quite ready for a trip like this since we just got into boating last year (even though wife was coast Guard and I was U.S. Navy). Our boat is also a 195, so realistically would need to be a super calm day for a crossing.

Well, if you can great....and if you can't ... next time!
You sailors should be able to maneuver a bass boat across the ocean!!!

 

[pprocacci]

+1 boat from a group my wife is part of on facebook. Will make sure captains' information is shared with ya'll once we start exchanging information.

 

[Dmiller2002]

Would love to join you all, but very few places available for those dates on Airbnb. Any suggestions?

 

[KWB5205]

Bimini Sands on the South Island

 

[KWB5205]

Would love to join you all, but very few places available for those dates on Airbnb. Any suggestions?

Bimini Sands on the South Island

 

[TomC2021]

We have just committed to going to Bimini, leaving on the morning of June 19th from Ft. Lauderdale, and coming back, leaving Bimini on the 26th.
I know people are always looking for pals to cross the ocean with and my family and I are not alone; hence the reason for posting this.

We are more or less shadowing KWB5205 from this post in hopes that we are crossing in both directions together:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/bimini-trip-2022-dates.36218/page-2

A lot of what follows is taken from their post, but we're going to be doing the same ... mostly.

- We will be launching from Harbour Towne Marina

• 801 NE 3rd St, Dania Beach, FL 33004
• Ph# 954-926-0300
• Parking is first come first serve.
• Open 24hrs and have 24hr security
• Only accepts cash during non-normal business hours.

- We haven't decided where we're staying the night before. KWB8205 mentioned he's staying at the Hilton the night before and that makes total sense so we may do the same. There are many to choose from. Hilton Information:

• 1881 SE 17th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
• Ph# 954-463-4000
• We'll be checking in on the 18th
• Has a marina with slips but only let you book 45-30 days out because they are remodeling the docks.

- Planning on crossing June 19th weather permitting.

- My wife and I used VRBO and are planning on staying until the 26th, leaving that morning.

• We booked on the south island in Port Royal.
• The rentals there have canals with boating slips that usually come with the rental.
• Super easy boat access
• Our rental is from the 19th to the 26th.

- Who we are?

• A family of 8 (mom - late 30's, dad young 40's, w/ 5 teenage kids and 1 youngin')
• Super easy going and likes to have fun
• Serious ocean crossings ... no bs, lots of safety gear and equipment

- If anyone wants to get together for the ocean crossing (safety in numbers), then hollar! I'll share my details via private messages and we can coordinate.

~Paul

Paul,
Definitely interested. Please send detail contact info to jonesg28@msn.com . I’m sure we have questions.! Thanks Tom Cheverie

 

[pprocacci]

Paul,
Definitely interested. Please send detail contact info to jonesg28@msn.com . I’m sure we have questions.! Thanks Tom Cheverie

I sent you an email Tom. Look forward to talking with you.

 

[pprocacci]

We've just booked the Hilton the night before. So that's all set. I was talking with Tom on the phone and I gathered there may be some questions regarding what is needed to physically enter the bahamas. So here's a short list:

- Quarintine Flag (required)

• Quarintine Flag like this one. Doesn't have to be this specific one. Any yellow flag will do but is indeed required.
• I don't think this is technically needed, but it's more of a courteous gesture. Either way, it's ~20 bucks and won't hurt.

- Cruising permits (required)

• I suggest using Go Outdoors Bahamas. If you have a printer on hand, you can get a ton of the paperwork done ahead of time.
• This can be done there as well. The above just makes it a bit quicker.

- Health Visa (required)

• Health Visas - Must be obtained within 3 days of the trip for all individuals. If your last test was 4 days prior, that's no bueno.​
• An additional requirement is getting COVID tested after landing within 24 hours.​

- Fishing Permits (optional)

• Again using Go Outdoors Bahamas and if you intend on fishing.
• Can be obtained there if needed.

- US Passports (required)


Then there's the trip back to the US. When vessels are entering U.S. waters from a foreign port, it is required that they "check in". CBP Rome is an app that allows you to do so. Just download it from your app store and have at it.

I'll edit this as necessary.

 

[KWB5205]

We've just booked the Hilton the night before. So that's all set. I was talking with Tom on the phone and I gathered there may be some questions regarding what is needed to physically enter the bahamas. So here's a short list:

- Quarintine Flag (required)

• Quarintine Flag like this one. Doesn't have to be this specific one. Any yellow flag will do but is indeed required.
• I don't think this is technically needed, but it's more of a courteous gesture. Either way, it's ~20 bucks and won't hurt.

- Cruising permits (required)

• I suggest using Go Outdoors Bahamas. If you have a printer on hand, you can get a ton of the paperwork done ahead of time.
• This can be done there as well. The above just makes it a bit quicker.

- Health Visa (required)

• Health Visas - Must be obtained within 3 days of the trip for all individuals. If you're last test was 4 days prior, that's no bueno.​
• An additional requirement is getting COVID tested after landing within 24 hours.​

- Fishing Permits (optional)

• Again using Go Outdoors Bahamas and if you intend on fishing.
• Can be obtained there if needed.

- US Passports (required)


Then there's the trip back to the US. When vessels are entering U.S. waters from a foreign port, it is required that they "check in". CBP Rome is an app that allows you to do so. Just download it from your app store and have at it.

I'll edit this as necessary.

pprocacci good thinking on the CBP ROAM App I totally forgot to mention that ?‍ makes coming back to the US very easy!
Glad you booked at the Hilton the day before. Meeting up for the crossing will be more convenient. I believe I booked a couple nights (24hr cancellation rule without being charged) just in case the weather doesn't cooperate and can cancel if need be once we get closer to the dates and see what the weather looks like. I also would like to hold a meet and greet before the crossing to answer any questions captains and crew may have so we can all be sure everyone has their ducks in a row!

Here's a YouTube video with some good info on it regarding the crossing:

Also I plan on replacing the scupper valve on my 2019 242X before the crossing because the factory ones are plastic and are known to break from the drain hose filling up with water adding weight with the combination of rough boating causes the boat to sink! I would rather replace with a stainless one and not worry about it. There is a fellow jetboater on here that replaced his and explains in depth a how-to video I cant remember his username (Feel free to tag yourself) but kudos to that guy! ?
The part is available on amazon for around $82 bucks.
I believe the 192 series, 212 series and 242 series all use the same size (1 1/2) not sure on the 27 series but still do your research!

Here's the link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000TX760?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

Again anyone that has questions feel free to reach out! ?

 

[TX_Mercenary]

how much fuel is required for a bimini trip?