Preparing for Bimini

[Mohamed Z Sherif]

Glad to hear. I lost my bolt on the sound for my 242x

Absolutely! We even found a couple small bolts on the floor under the front seats.

 

[Betik]

@Berrie mine was on the u section right infornt of the seats and tied with a rope from the rails. I am in moved during the 2017 crossing but it stay where we left it.

Now in terms of things moving in general and screws and random parts appearing..... don’t even get me started lol

 

[Berrie]

@Berrie mine was on the u section right infornt of the seats and tied with a rope from the rails. I am in moved during the 2017 crossing but it stay where we left it.

Now in terms of things moving in general and screws and random parts appearing..... don’t even get me started lol

@Betik random parts like.... a tower, or a windshield maybe?

 

[Betik]

Lol yes from that perspective I got away cheap. My boat did not try to kill me or my of my kids.

mine were more like plastic parts that the dealer could not identify. Grease from the shaft. Plastic shavings from the coupler. Blood out of my upper lip from hitting the steering. Cracks on the an anchor locker that needs fiberglass work , ski locker lock needs replacement. Spider cracks in random places, rust in water line metallic parts. The forklift scratched my hull, but hey after $10,000 in I got a story to tell.

 

[afsigma21]

OK, New question. While getting my paperwork in order for customs, I noticed (forgot) that when we bought the boat, we only put it in my wifes name.... Does this mean officially she has to be 'captain' to check us in to customs?

If she takes the Ferry, and meets me at my resort, can she then check us in?

Just curious if anyone encountered this issue before.

 

[Betik]

no my wife owns our boat and she flew in. I checked in the boat, myself and my wife's friend.

If you fly/ferry them in, make sure the airline is okay with it. They gave us grief because she had one way ticket. The airline and airport custom agent wanted to make sure that people with one way ticket hves a way to return back to the US.

 

[Speedling]

What is this crossing like in March for a spring break run?

 

[Berrie]

Winds with a north component in it tend to cease towards the end of May. If there is a north component in the wind your crossing is going to be hell and dangerous.

On the flipside, March is also a time where you could have no wind, and most likely no cells popping up out of nowehere.

 

[Julian]

I am more convinced than ever now that people doing this trip need to have a full size marine radio with fixed antenna on their boats. Handhelds just don't have the range needed in an emergency (as demonstrated by a recent FB post of a group of people who's boat sank during the crossing and they couldn't reach anyone on their handheld radio). Also my experience with a member who didn't know how to use the handheld radio squelch function (handhelds like the Standard horizon don't have a squelch knob, but rather a series of button presses to adjust the squelch--if you use a handheld only you MUST know how to work it).

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I am more convinced than ever now that people doing this trip need to have a full size marine radio with fixed antenna on their boats. Handhelds just don't have the range needed in an emergency (as demonstrated by a recent FB post of a group of people who's boat sank during the crossing and they couldn't reach anyone on their handheld radio). Also my experience with a member who didn't know how to use the handheld radio squelch function (handhelds like the Standard horizon don't have a squelch knob, but rather a series of button presses to adjust the squelch--if you use a handheld only you MUST know how to work it).

You should actually have both. Your handheld should be charged and ready to go in your ditch bag so that after your fixed VHF is on the bottom of the Atlantic or on fire, you can hail nearby vessels for help.

 

[afsigma21]

I went with only fixed mount. For those with a tower, I put a wooden board in my ski rack and mounted the antenna to that. On my lake I don't need the big 8' antenna. 20 minutes install and I can add or remove the 8 footer with no holes in the boat!

If you zoom in you can see it on the right.

 

[Julian]

You should actually have both. Your handheld should be charged and ready to go in your ditch bag so that after your fixed VHF is on the bottom of the Atlantic or on fire, you can hail nearby vessels for help.

Agree...I actually go with 3! 1 Fixed mount with full size (8 foot) antenna, and 2 portables. Once in bimini, having multiple portables is VERY helpful for your family. During the crossing, one of the portables is in the ditch bag with extra batteries, medical kit etc

 

[Liveto99]

 

[nofd843]

Lots of great info, thanks.

 

[jethrof16]

From reading the FCCs website on registering a DSC radio to get an MMSI number it says that if you plan to travel to an international port (I.e. The Bahamas) the vessel must be registered. Have you guys with DSC radios done this? Any tips?

 

[TexasPilot71]

You can get an MMSI number from BoatUS. It's completely free and if you have a DSC radio, you might as well do it. I don't think it's a requirement to have one, though. At least it wasn't a couple years ago.

 

[Mohamed Z Sherif]

You can get an MMSI number from BoatUS. It's completely free and if you have a DSC radio, you might as well do it. I don't think it's a requirement to have one, though. At least it wasn't a couple years ago.

I did mine last year.
It was very easy and simple

 

[jethrof16]

You can get an MMSI number from BoatUS. It's completely free and if you have a DSC radio, you might as well do it. I don't think it's a requirement to have one, though. At least it wasn't a couple years ago.

True, BUT, the Boat US website and the FCC website says this is valid only for domestic use. Traveling to the Bahamas requires a station license. If you don’t go through the license process the vessel will not be registered in MARS. Keep in mind I’m an international airline captain and an use to following international laws regarding navigation & communications. This may be a standard far above what most people use for just the Bahamas.

 

[Bruce]

@jethrof16, a full registration would allow the information associated with your MMSI to be available to foreign and US rescue services.

If you get rescued by a government agency in Bimini it will be the US Coast Guard. Official Bahamian vessels are rarely active there.

Up to you on how much hassle that your want to go through. I registered through BoatUS and that has been sufficient for five trips to Bimini.

 

[TexasPilot71]

True, BUT, the Boat US website and the FCC website says this is valid only for domestic use. Traveling to the Bahamas requires a station license. If you don’t go through the license process the vessel will not be registered in MARS. Keep in mind I’m an international airline captain and an use to following international laws regarding navigation & communications. This may be a standard far above what most people use for just the Bahamas.

Great point! I had forgotten the domestic limitation for registering through BoatUS. I've only made one trip to Bimini.