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Bimini Trip June 27th - July 2nd 2021

svana

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Burned just over 1/2 tank getting to Bimini today in about 4hrs. (Love the MR1). It was rough but doable obviously. Both kids and the wife did good. Only had to stop once to reposition fuel cans just outside the inlet. Cleaned the intake grates when I got to Big Game and surprisingly not much grass. Now time to recover from the beating we took getting here.
View attachment 154908
Now that we’ve made the trip across, do you think you’d take fuel again next time?
 

Julian

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Now that we’ve made the trip across, do you think you’d take fuel again next time?
I've done it 3 times and will always take extra. Storm dodging and diverting can get hairy. Not to mention the year that there was NO GAS on North or South Bimini for 2-3 days!
 

Babin Farms

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Now that we’ve made the trip across, do you think you’d take fuel again next time?
Maybe 5 gallons for reasons Julian stated. Conditions couldn't get much worse that what we crossed in and with only using maybe 35 gallons getting there I would be comfortable not taking any extra. I know that when I do this again I'll probably only take one can.
 

svana

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Maybe 5 gallons for reasons Julian stated. Conditions couldn't get much worse that what we crossed in and with only using maybe 35 gallons getting there I would be comfortable not taking any extra. I know that when I do this again I'll probably only take one can.
I thought about that, but don't really see the benefit to only taking 5gal as opposed to 10. Would still be as equally in the way lol
 

Julian

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Maybe 5 gallons for reasons Julian stated. Conditions couldn't get much worse that what we crossed in and with only using maybe 35 gallons getting there I would be comfortable not taking any extra. I know that when I do this again I'll probably only take one can.
Doesn't sound like you had much issue with seaweed. Our most gas guzzling trip had tons of sargassum and heavy waves.

The boats that ran out of gas that year commented that they were getting lots of weeds. The one we rescued didn't stop to pull weeds and ran out as a result.
 

Babin Farms

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I thought about that, but don't really see the benefit to only taking 5gal as opposed to 10. Would still be as equally in the way lol
True, very true. I'm just pleased with the fuel consumption of our boats, I was ready(dreading) to fuel up while out on the open water. One thing I might do is see if one of my cans can fit in the ski locker. I had plenty of room in there for more stuff.
Doesn't sound like you had much issue with seaweed. Our most gas guzzling trip had tons of sargassum and heavy waves.

The boats that ran out of gas that year commented that they were getting lots of weeds. The one we rescued didn't stop to pull weeds and ran out as a result.
I didn't stop on the way there & only had to clean out once on the way back and even when I did there wasn't much. Did a lot of dodging patches of grass though.
 

Julian

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True, very true. I'm just pleased with the fuel consumption of our boats, I was ready(dreading) to fuel up while out on the open water. One thing I might do is see if one of my cans can fit in the ski locker. I had plenty of room in there for more stuff.

I didn't stop on the way there & only had to clean out once on the way back and even when I did there wasn't much. Did a lot of dodging patches of grass though.
That's amazing....on our last crossing we must have stopped 5-6 times. There were long lines of unavoidable sargassum. So much that my brother wanted to stop and fish them!!! Lol. If I was running gps speed control (which I did when calm), I'd watch the rpms slowly climb as weeds were injested. If I set rpms....speed would just drop slowly. I'd literally say....when speed drops below 25 (if we were doing 27-28) we'll stop and clean. Constant battle....glad there was less this year!
 

James R Whitten

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Man I couldn't imagine having to refuel in that. It would definitely take some doing.
 

marceyama

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Hi, considering doing the crossing but the first weekend of august. I have a 242 LS, planning on bringing my wife and 4 kids. Would you advice against bringing them with me? also, how long does the crossing take in hours? Thank you in advance!
 

Berrie

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Hi, considering doing the crossing but the first weekend of august. I have a 242 LS, planning on bringing my wife and 4 kids. Would you advice against bringing them with me? also, how long does the crossing take in hours? Thank you in advance!
If the weather is great, it's not a problem. But usually the weather is not perfect. I would get information to get some (if not all) of them on the ferry, so if the weather forecast is not great, you can send them on the ferry last minute.
In great weather you can do it in 90 minutes. If it's less than perfect, count on 2-3 hours. If it is rough, count on 5-6 hours. But if it were that rough, I wouldn't go.
 

marceyama

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Thank you very very much! I will follow your advice
 

Berrie

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I can start a new thread, but the chances of me going to Bimini are slim to none. 🤣
I love the thread, I love to hear the stories, I love to see the videos, but Bimini is too much Miami-like for me.
If/when we go again, it will be Abacos or Exumas.
I'm trying to get a transfer to TN. Until that happens, I don't think I can make it happen, just the oversize load towing from KC to FL is too much for just a 1 week trip.
 

Dmiller2002

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Definitely interested. Have done the trip twice alone, and both times said I wouldn’t do this without a buddy boat again. Safety in numbers.
 
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