JetBoaters.net Bimini Fling July 10th to 15th 2017

[Speedling]

Kinda glad i missed this crossing. Not the vacation part, just the crossing. I would have had a 7,5, and 3 year old.

 

[veedubtek]

Can anyone confirm @swatski is OK?

 

[DiverB]

he

Can anyone confirm @swatski is OK?

He's fine. I spoke with him twice last night. Yes his tower fell on him, im not sure about the knocked unconscious portion thats being reported

 

[haknslash]

I wonder if anyone who is crossing today could maybe bring some spare parts to help those who need repairs or do they have shops in Bimini?

 

[Paulie]

Holy crap! That sounds like quite a crossing. I'm glad to hear that you all got through it safely. I wish everyone a beautiful vacation in paradise worthy of that arduous crossing!

 

[Betik]

@swatski was doing great last night. I have not seen him today

 

[flyingnugget]

Wow..just WOW...

I'm so glad everyone is doing OK. I'm sure you all will feel like a truck hit you this morning or are probably hungover after many many and much deserved drinks, last night

To all the families and kids out there my heart goes out to you. My small ones would have been mortified too. Whoever got medivac'd out, prayers are with you.

I would love to be in attendance for y'alls pot luck/get together and to hear the stories. Someone has got to write a small book or story about the crossings this year.

Enjoy your time over in Bimini you earned it! I wish I could do something to help you guys out.

 

[Joe Hellaby]

Glad everyone is ok. What an adventure to read about. Some day I hope to make the trip (my next boat; I don't think I could even carry enough extra gas on my 192 for the seas you guys saw yesterday)

 

[haknslash]

I think this for sure beats the 2015 crossing hands down. Should be an award or something

 

[robert843]

Just got caught up on the 15+ pages....

I'm glad all are safe and sound. It was pretty rough...

The storm sent a welcoming fresh water rinse, however the
nearby lightning strikes were a bit scary for the girls. I strayed off course about a mile attempting to stay away from it but we got the edge of it any way. Seas in the stream were probably in the 4 to 6 range from the SE with the occasional blind sided ones from the north. My radio was intermittently losing power. The main screws that hold my hard top down sheared off. I had to have swatski's wife drive while I layed on the cabin tying a rope to try keep from losing the whole hard top. The rear screws loosend as well. It was even slower going after that.. Repairs definitely needed before heading home.

@Ramblin Wreck and @1948Isaac are crossing on Wednesday if you need any parts to help with the repair I would try and get a hold of them @tim h

 

[robert843]

I think this for sure beats the 2015 crossing hands down. Should be an award or something

If they were in 4-6 foot seas that is extremely worse then 2015 we didn't see anything anywhere close to that in 2015. 2015 was only 2-3ft with maybe an occasional 4 footer thrown in.

 

[flyingnugget]

I wonder if anyone who is crossing today could maybe bring some spare parts to help those who need repairs or do they have shops in Bimini?

I believe, hard to keep up with everyone, that there are a few others either going today or tomorrow. That's a great idea! I know there has got be some provisions/groceries that they will need at the least..
Good thinking @haknslash

 

[Bill D]

I don't think anyone is crossing today. Just my wife and @DiverB's family on the plane.

 

[flyingnugget]

@DiverB , my heart goes out to your family. So sorry they had such a bad first experience...My kids would have been just as scared. But when this is all over and you guys are all back home, just think of the stories and memories your making that you can talk about at the dinner table. And then they get to fly over on an airplane!!.. What a cool adventure that they will never forget and hopefully will want to do it again with better results.

 

[Drift Away]

Whats the plan for today? Is the potluck still a go

 

[Andy S]

Whats the plan for today? Is the potluck still a go

Call out on your VHF channel 69 to find out the latest Jetboaters Bimini activities.

 

[jameskeller76]

My wife has been dreaming about the Bimini trip for over a year but we couldn't make it this year. Last night she couldn't sleep because she was having nightmares about Bimini.

 

[txav8r]

Thunderstorms. Having spent over 20,000 hours flying general aviation and commercial aircraft domestically and internationally, and many many flights in the Miami and Bahamas, I have seen my share of thunderstorms. From the air, they can be very defining and you can see what they do easily to those on the ground and water. Circumnavigating them in a jet (aircraft) is just a seconds out of the way for small ones and maybe minutes for larger areas, but maybe many minutes for regions or lines of weather that are severe in nature. In a boat, even a small cell can have wind gusts near it that will build multiple walls of water and push them out in all directions from the downburst center. Many times, in the tropics, there is so much abundant moisture, that they don't have to grow too big before they literally dump all of their energy at once and even maintain that state for hours in the same spot. The hard part in boats the size of ours, is that you just can't navigate far enough out of the way of these to be effective. Your average speed should be north of 20kts, yet the sea prevents you from maintaining that, going 10 miles south of a storm to avoid the downburst surface conditions will add over an hour to your fuel burn and maybe 20 extra miles to your trip. To have to avoid several on a 50 mile trip could easily double the distance. Without radar to look out far enough to anticipate, you are just disadvantaged beyond being able to deviate effectively. A single cell is one thing, multiple or general area thunderstorms are just impossible to navigate around in our craft...without much extra fuel. It then makes it necessary to just ride it out. I think @Julian has hit the nail on the head. Without a departure window of multiple days, that could not ever be open, it is just a risk to property and life, to force a bad position.

I am so glad that everyone is ok. It is easy to say "things can be repaired", and they can. I for one, would not put my boat in harms way intentionally. It would be such a hard decision, to say no, when I traveled so many miles and have set days to vacation. I know the feeling, as we have had the motorhome break down and ruin a vacation for us. It is hard for someone that has no ocean experience to make this decision, as they have no experience to gauge their decision making on. Plan B, must be a higher value option in the equation. We need to learn from our mistakes and experiences, and make our future plans safer...for everyone. I could go on and on, and what do I know? I'm just glad everyone is ok, and pray for a safe return for all of you.

 

[Alex&Elena]

@2nazt @ClemsonTiger I'll be traveling down I95 tomorrow to leave Wednesday morning for Bimini. By chance do you know of a good scuba shop, marina/boating supply store, etc. where I could pick up a inexpensive pole spear or Hawaiian slip. @Andy S had a few on his boat in Abacos and they where a ton of fun to play with. Something like this what I'm looking for. Thx

View attachment 59320

I have one new in my boat at Bahia mar I'm fling in but can't take with me, boat will stay at Bahia if someone can pick it up I can arrange

 

[Zeus2013]

WOW!!! Just happy everyone is ok. I told my wife and she thought I was bs'ing on what happened.