JetBoaters.net Bimini Fling June 19 to 25 2016

[justason]

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.

O NO thats horrible !! sorry to see that man. I've been considering lining my anchor locker with seadeck or similar.......I'm convinced now.

 

[Bruce]

O NO thats horrible !! sorry to see that man. I've been considering lining my anchor locker with seadeck or similar.......I'm convinced now.

@JetBoatPilot, many have added adhesive rubber padding to their anchor lockers to avoid loose anchors causing damage. Could you make inside the anchor lockers out of scraps or second quality seadek?

 

[justason]

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.

I'm north of 50, my wife wasn't a fan of the rough waters but understood "this is the deal" . there are too many variables in play, best bet is to put her on a plane or ferry. (I think I read the ferry service stopped)...

 

[justason]

@JetBoatPilot, many have added adhesive rubber padding to their anchor lockers to avoid loose anchors causing damage. Could you make inside the anchor lockers out of scraps or second quality seadek?

Another fine product adder is a 3 sided wall to allow the chain and rope to stay out of the anchor lockers deepest part, allowing the shank to settle in without having to re-position anything..

 

[SFThoen]

We are going to line the anchor locker with some form of marine foam material. It sucks it happened but atleast everyone else can take precautions now to avoid it in their boats. A few weeks of glass work and gel coat in the driveway. Next time y'all see her, shark bait will have a shark wrap on the front.

 

[Bruce]

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.

My group ran at 25 to 28 on the way to Bimini and a little slower with @shane hric in the lead coming back in much rougher water. I was very happy with our pace in both directions. @MrMoose's group felt the need to move quickly after getting a late start waiting on a boat that has issues on the crossing to Bimini I believe they peaked around 31. Half of @chris24's group enjoyed a very fast crossing to Bimini I hear rumors of 38 MPH and issues with windshields. Both of their groups enjoyed a slower paced return crossing. @Kevin Sargent did a great job of leading @chris24's group back. We had a pressing need to cross to Bimini quickly this year. Three hours was my goal. We came in under that. Had we taken too long the 6 to 8 footers that arrived later in the day would have crushed us. By crossing quickly we had a comparatively pleasant crossing.

@MrMooose had his late seventies father in law on boats. Many of our group is over 50.

You will want to stay with your group. We go in groups for safety. If you disappear your group leader will be looking for you. The groups are running miles apart and in rough water the path variations north and south of the straight line. So if you leave your group you are likely to end up on your own while your group stops to try to figure out what happened.

My inReach Tracking shows departure from the mouth of Port Everglades at 6:33 and arrival in Bimini at 9:25 for the crossing to Bimini and leaving the docks at Bimini Sands at 6:34 and arriving in Port Everglades at 8:59 for the return. That is a crossing time of 2:52 including a stop to swim on the way there and 2:25 back.

 

[McMark]

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.

I'm north of 50, my wife wasn't a fan of the rough waters but understood "this is the deal" . there are too many variables in play, best bet is to put her on a plane or ferry. (I think I read the ferry service stopped)...

Roger that. 25 should be no problem. She'll be fine.

Oh good. Looking at the videos it looks like everyone is 20. Hehe.

 

[McMark]

@Bruce

Sounds good. 25-30 no problem. That's a reasonable pace.

I won't be in the 38mph group. This is where I was worried I'd be lagging behind.

Many thanks. Dates for next year?

 

[Andy S]

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.

Me and the wife, plus our friends that normally come with us, are all north of 50 and most except me are north of 55. So it is all what you and your crew can handle, luckily mine will put up with me going fast in rough water.

 

[Bruce]

@BruceDates for next year?

We need to find out what is a good date range for availability in Bimini. I will start that discussion in January unless @Andy S or @upperdeck steps back into the lead. It will be in the range of mid June to mid July. The Boston Whaler group goes over and consumes everything on the island so we want to plan around their dates.

 

[bronze_10]

@JetBoatPilot, many have added adhesive rubber padding to their anchor lockers to avoid loose anchors causing damage. Could you make inside the anchor lockers out of scraps or second quality seadek?

We would be interested in some type of permitted solution... we have a box anchor sitting in therw.. seeing that picture made my tummy hurt!

 

[eticket]

Warning - thread hijack...however I will do it anyways as I am sitting here in Fort Lauderdale at the W and thinking of all you guys that made the trip last week!

We would be interested in some type of permitted solution... we have a box anchor sitting in therw.. seeing that picture made my tummy hurt!

Check out my solution which I bet works as well in 19 or 24 footers: https://jetboaters.net/threads/212x-anchor-locker-mod-for-mounting-slide-box-anchor.9045/

 

[waterboy]

I use a 1 inch + thick foam pad used for gardening in my anchor locker. Due to the uneven surfaces, I just lay it in there on the bottom. Plenty of foam and no issues up there. I do not see a need to have anything adhesive as mine has never moved. Also, I can remove it when it starts getting funky up there too.

https://www.amazon.com/Set-Kneeling-Garden-Gardening-Cushion/dp/B00CD6LVKC

I can;t tell how thick these are but you get the idea. Sorry but Sea Dek or other would be too high priced for my anchor to sit on and who cares what it looks like either. Just sayin'

 

[SFThoen]

@JetBoatPilot if you come up with a anchor solution I want to be a test subject

 

[Valerie]

I would definitely like to be included for next years trip. We are hoping for good weather and calm seas for our rescheduled dates of July27-31st Keep your fingers crossed for us please!

 

[latitudeadjuster]

Not to be out done by @swatski

LOLView attachment 40350View attachment 40351

Last one home....buys....just sayin...lol

You all home yet?

 

[latitudeadjuster]

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.

Wow....was this on the way to bimini or back? I am lake so I still use mushroom.....but I noticed today where just the mushroom indented the storage. ...might want to make this a trailer/travel recommendation to upgrade compartment

 

[swatski]

Wow....was this on the way to bimini or back? I am lake so I still use mushroom.....but I noticed today where just the mushroom indented the storage. ...might want to make this a trailer/travel recommendation to upgrade compartment

Jack that is strange since we determined in Bimini your mushroom was rather undersized.
That was revealed, if I remember correctly, when you were trying to anchor it onto one of the Three Sisters.

 

[SFThoen]

Wow....was this on the way to bimini or back? I am lake so I still use mushroom.....but I noticed today where just the mushroom indented the storage. ...might want to make this a trailer/travel recommendation to upgrade compartment

This was on the way to Bimini. We found it at honey moon Harbour when we pulled the anchor out. I recommend everyone come up with a countermeasure to prevent this from happening on their boats. I'd hate to see it happen to anyone else.

 

[Bruce]

This was on the way to Bimini. We found it at honey moon Harbour when we pulled the anchor out. I recommend everyone come up with a countermeasure to prevent this from happening on their boats. I'd hate to see it happen to anyone else.

Unfortunately you are not the first or the last to have a loose anchor grind a hole through the fiberglass.