JetBoaters.net Bimini Fling June 19 to 25 2016

[Majorsmackdown]

Not to be out done by @swatski

LOL

 

[MrMoose]

Wow. Brand new trailer. Check the tire pressure. My tires were under inflated by 15 psi when my boat was delivered new.

 

[swatski]

Shoot! That sucks.
Mine were brand new tires and wheels, inflated to 50psi. There is a lot of debris on our highways. If you hit something you are done.

@Majorsmackdown at least you pull a double axle. Hope that is it for the excitement on the road back home!

 

[Rana]

Not to be out done by @swatski

LOLView attachment 40350View attachment 40351

Wow!

 

[swatski]

I think some of us would like to know more about this lanyard problem....

We'd also like to know why this issue wasn't told over the multiple attempts to contact Jim over the radio.
We'd like to know why H was having so much trouble keeping his vessel going straigh in the no wake zone while in route to the turning basin. Or how he almost bumped into another jetboaters while idling in the bay waiting to exit the port. My crew would like to know why the captain nearly fell off the stern of his boat while waiting to exit Port Everglades. We'd also like to know after the 3rd attempt for H to plane off he headed dead south along the coast for around a mile before finally answering his VHF radio.

Nobody wanted to leave this vessel behind. Clearly there was a danger to him, his crew, and the rest of Mr. Moose's group if H attempted to continue on. Without knowing your boat and having a useable radio we'd all be in danger. It may seem as I'm throwing stones but there has to be more to this story than what is being told.

Edit @Jim Hernandez

@MrMoose I would like to thank you guys for handling this situation like pros. I was not in that group but it affected everyone, albeit indirectly. Decisions had to be made, and there was a very real time pressure. That could have had a very different, and not so positive, ending.

Great leadership - that was tough. In fact, one of the most challenging things ever: making hard decisions under pressure without being unpleasant. Thinking of which, if I were in your shoes, it would be one of those $10,000 fines for using obscene language over VHF radio situations.

--

 

[MrMoose]

@MrMoose I would like to thank you guys for handling this situation like pros. I was not in that group but it affected everyone, albeit indirectly. Decisions had to be made, and there was a very real time pressure. That could have had a very different, and not so positive, ending.

Great leadership - that was tough. In fact, one of the most challenging things ever: making hard decisions under pressure without being unpleasant. Thinking of which, if I were in your shoes, it would be one of those $10,000 fines for using obscene language over VHF radio situations.

--

Thanks @swatski. On the morning of June 19, I was the least popular person at the entrance of the Port Everglades channel. It's hard to believe how quickly things went sideways for our group. On the bright side, the return crossing was a cake walk relative to the initial crossing.

 

[ThatJeepGuy]

Thanks @swatski. On the morning of June 19, I was the least popular person at the entrance of the Port Everglades channel. It's hard to believe how quickly things went sideways for our group. On the bright side, the return crossing was a cake walk relative to the initial crossing.

I'd say without a doubt you were NOT the least favorite. I believe you did an outstanding job leading this group across. Nobody wants to leave anyone behind. Decisions had to be made and you did just that. My hat is off to you sir

 

[MrMoose]

I'd say without a doubt you were NOT the least favorite. I believe you did an outstanding job leading this group across. Nobody wants to leave anyone behind. Decisions had to be made and you did just that. My hat is off to you sir

Thanks for the nice comments @ThatJeepGuy ... My crew was headed toward a mutiny ... until they realized that I was the only one on board who could drive the boat.

 

[SFThoen]

@MrMoose helped all of us newbies to ocean boating! We enjoyed being in your group I'm did a wonderful job leading. Can't wait for next year!

 

[latitudeadjuster]

@MrMoose taught me how to double anchor and come free easily.....lol

 

[Bruce]

@MrMoose, you made the correct decision. We had limited time to cross safely that morning. The delayed start put all the lives in your group in danger. You handled the situation very well. If we change anything I think we may want to set a time limit of perhaps 15 to 20 minutes to allow any boat to deal with issues before we move on.

Unfortunately H lost out on time in Bimini this year. Fortunately he, his boat and crew all made it safely back to Port Everglades. I have not heard from him but hope they were able to enjoy time in some plan b destination.

This is a trip that we, our crews and our boats need to be 100% prepared for, even more so with this years short window of safe water to cross in.

 

[MrMoose]

@MrMoose helped all of us newbies to ocean boating! We enjoyed being in your group I'm did a wonderful job leading. Can't wait for next year!

Thanks @SFThoen. You are officially nominated as group leader for next year!

 

[Bruce]

Thanks @SFThoen. You are officially nominated as group leader for next year!

I plan to write a long report on the trip after I catch up on work but I feel that the small groups of 4 to 5 boats for the crossing worked very well. I am hopeful that enough Captains from the 2016 Fling will return for 2017 that we can stick with similarly sized groups.

 

[Majorsmackdown]

Old topic.

I had checked the pressure about 150 miles prior. It was exactly where I put it when we started out. 50psi All the other tires were nutz on. The tires were all about 10 psi short when delivered as well. The fender braces mid fender were both broken where they attach to the trailer. Of course the blown tire wiped that one out. Here

After looking into more I think the broken fender brace vibrated its fasteners off and then Tipped into the tire and blew it up - just as i was moderately braking on the freeway offramp. Blew out quickly and the rim never touched pavement. Weak !

 

[Bruce]

After looking into more I think the fender brace Tipped into the tire and blew it up.

Ouch, that is terrible!

 

[SFThoen]

If there are enough people that want to go next year to the point where more leaders are needed, I would be honored to be a leader. I learned a lot from this trip and cannot wait to make it again..... After we fix ole shark bait up and find a new place for the anchor. We found out the hard way what happens if you cross the Atlantic and don't have the anchor properly secured.

 

[McMark]

I'm trying to work out next years trip. Are any of you guys over 50? And, my speed would have to be whatever is comfortable with the Mrs as long as safety/conditions weren't closing in. She's generally ok with 25mph out in the open ocean. I'm sure if conditions are great that 30+ wouldn't be a problem but generally we run a little more conservatively than what I see in the videos. What may be necessary is that I leave with the first group but arrive with the second if you guys are running balls out.

 

[SFThoen]

All groups aimed for 25. Our last group had to speed up to 30mph to keep in radio range and because the weather was closing in on us.

 

[Majorsmackdown]

"We found out the hard way what happens if you cross the Atlantic and don't have the anchor properly secured."

Bummer man ! Sorry to see that.

 

[Majorsmackdown]

Ouch, that is terrible!

Im in touch with shorlandr. I think theyll help me get the trailer back in shape before next year. I believe this fender brace swing forward and sliced the sidewall. Sucks when stuff self destructs.

In this pic you can see it swung up into slicing position. The fenders were always wiggly but I was not smart enough to realize the braces were cracked. Ooof.