Preparing for Bimini

[Betik]

In case there is another paroid person besides me, I spoke with Bahia Mar today about getting there on Saturday night.
Parking for truck $27
Parking for boat on trailer $80

The person I spoke did not sound very confident about the trailer/boat pricing but he said for 24feet it should be around $80. He was confident that they definilty have space though.

 

[Bruce]

In case there is another paroid person besides me, I spoke with Bahia Mar today about getting there on Saturday night.
Parking for truck $27
Parking for boat on trailer $80

The person I spoke did not sound very confident about the trailer/boat pricing but he said for 24feet it should be around $80. He was confident that they definilty have space though.

Group rates will be lower. Give me a few days on that.

We stay an hour or two north of Fort Lauderdale on the Saturday night and drive in Sunday morning. It is much easier than dealing with a boat on a trailer at Bahia Mar.

 

[DieselCamel]

In case there is another paroid person besides me, I spoke with Bahia Mar today about getting there on Saturday night.
Parking for truck $27
Parking for boat on trailer $80

The person I spoke did not sound very confident about the trailer/boat pricing but he said for 24feet it should be around $80. He was confident that they definilty have space though.

I would not recommend staying there with your truck and trailer will be much better served staying out of town. I stayed there the first year with truck and boat. Not worth the parking charge. It's a headache dealing with the traffic.But they do have a huge lot. Once you get to it. Getting to it is pretty tight

 

[Betik]

Yes I know, you like to stay at Ft. Pierce, but I am not sure if that is too far away for me and this being my first time. I am expecting it will be crazy busy at the marina as everybody will be coming in, so I was thinking about getting a head start. Like go to public at 7:30 and then go to marina by 9am.

We are super paranoid. As matter of fact will be arriving in Orlando on Thursday and spend a couple of days at Disney/Crayola park and be close in enough in case we have to move the departure date to accomodate weather.

 

[Betik]

It's a headache dealing with the traffic.But they do have a huge lot. Once you get to it. Getting to it is pretty tight

Maybe I need to think about this twice. LOL

 

[Bruce]

Adding to the do not park your truck and trailer at Bahia Mar unless you have a good reason thread, there is no launch ramp at Bahia Mar, Harbor Towne where we launch is 7 road miles away and Bahia Mar treated @JROD terribly and overcharged him when he left his truck and trailer there.

We did park our truck, trailer and boat at Bahia Mar in 2015 when we arrived early to watch the fireworks on the beach then launched the next day. Several of us did the same. It worked out fine but was expensive.

Bahia Mar would be a nice beachfront hotel if we were not going to absolute paradise the next day.

 

[Bruce]

Maybe I need to think about this twice. LOL

Just relax, it will all work out. No harm in being early. But it absolutely is easier to negotiate a highway side hotel parking lot than to tow in and out of the small roads and heavy traffic around Bahia Mar.

 

[Betik]

Just relax, it will all work out. No harm in being early. But it absolutely is easier to negotiate a highway side hotel parking lot than to tow in and out of the small roads and heavy traffic around Bahia Mar.

Amen to that. My only experience towing the boat so far was during Superball night when nobody was on the road.

 

[DieselCamel]

Yes I know, you like to stay at Ft. Pierce, but I am not sure if that is too far away for me and this being my first time. I am expecting it will be crazy busy at the marina as everybody will be coming in, so I was thinking about getting a head start. Like go to public at 7:30 and then go to marina by 9am.

We are super paranoid. As matter of fact will be arriving in Orlando on Thursday and spend a couple of days at Disney/Crayola park and be close in enough in case we have to move the departure date to accomodate weather.

I would look at google maps and made your decision. 2015 we stayed at a holiday inn not too far from Harbor town. Can't remember the exact name it worked out pretty well. IMO launch around noon that will be plenty of early. As people will probably be pulling out around then from returning from Bimini.

 

[JROD]

In case there is another paroid person besides me, I spoke with Bahia Mar today about getting there on Saturday night.
Parking for truck $27
Parking for boat on trailer $80

The person I spoke did not sound very confident about the trailer/boat pricing but he said for 24feet it should be around $80. He was confident that they definilty have space though.

My recommendation is don't do it! Every time I parked there, I had problems from the quoted price to the price they charged. Then even when you have a name of the person that quoted you the price they may not be there when you return or the famous excuse I got last time from the manager that the Marina attendant that had quoted me the $15 a day price was not authorized to do so. Then wanted to charge me $600 which really brought out my UGLY man! ;-) BTW there is a public ramp, Cox's Landing at 1784 SE 15 St Ft Lauderdale to the right by gas pump and store before you cross under the last bridge to the Port Everglades inlet. Great wide multiple launching ramps, but only daily parking.

 

[Bill D]

Lol, $600 for parking!? I would have lost it.

 

[2nazt]

If you have never navigated Ft. lauderdale with the drivers and a messy highway system or in town with horrible illegal drivers, then I would stay away and avoid it if possible unless just going to launch. I avoid driving there when possible for work as it sucks. I would skip Orlando and enjoy Peanut Island and Blue Heron Bridge and the ICW in that area for a few days, get a taste of salt water boating and be 1.5 hours or less Haulover.

 

[Betik]

I cannot skip Orlando, because we have promised the kids Disney and Crayola park. They particularly like crayola park, so Orlando is must. But we do to orlando once a year anyway, so this time we are combining our usual trip with Bahamas. Hopefully, the kids will be so thrilled with Bimini that for 2018 they will skip Disney, I hate Discney. So crowded and so expensive. It costs us $500 per day to be in the park, let alone hotels foood etc

 

[Bruce]

Checklist (work in progress)

Required by most:

1. _____Register for the Bimini Fling
2. _____Book Bimini Sands Condo(s) and Slip(s)
   
3. _____Book Slip at Bahia Mar Yachting Center
4. _____Book Bahia Mar Hotel in Fort Lauderdale (coming soon)
5. _____VHF Marine radio(s)
6. _____Customs/Immigration forms completed including, passports exact cash and boat registration
7. _____Verify your boat insurance covers Bimini
   
8. _____Upgrade onboard supplies to meet Coast Guard Requirements
9. _____Sun Protective Clothing
   
10. _____Sunscreen
    
11. _____Groceries
    
12. _____Quartine and Bahamas Courtesy Flags
    
13. _____File US Coast Guard Float Plan
    
14. _____Read The Preparing For Bimini Thread

Optional:

1. _____Have boat towing insurance
2. _____Bimini Fling Shirt(s) (coming soon)
3. _____JetBoaters Sticker(s) for boat
4. _____JetBoaters Flag for Boat
   
5. _____Bring dish for pot luck
6. _____Backup bilge pump
7. _____US Coast Guard Seaworthiness Inspection
   
8. _____Make leaders aware of any serious medical conditions amongst your crew

 

[Drift Away]

Checklist

Required by most:

1. _____Register for the Bimini Fling
2. _____Book Bimini Sands Condo(s) and Slip(s)
   
3. _____Book Slip at Bahia Mar Yachting Center
4. _____Book Bahia Mar Hotel in Fort Lauderdale (coming soon)
5. _____VHF Marine radio(s)
6. _____Customs/Immigration forms completed including, passports exact cash and boat registration
7. _____Verify your boat insurance covers Bimini
   
8. _____Upgrade onboard supplies to meet Coast Guard Requirements
9. _____Sun Protective Clothing
   
10. _____Sunscreen
    
11. _____Groceries
    
12. _____Quartine and Bahamas Courtesy Flags
    
13. _____File US Coast Guard Float Plan
    
14. _____Read The Preparing For Bimini Thread

Optional:

1. _____Have boat towing insurance
2. _____Bimini Fling Shirt(s) (coming soon)
3. _____JetBoaters Sticker(s) for boat
4. _____JetBoaters Flag for Boat
   
5. _____Bring dish for pot luck
6. _____Backup bilge pump
7. _____US Coast Guard Seaworthiness Inspection
   
8. _____Make leaders aware of any serious medical conditions amongst your crew

Where do you all do the pot luck at? At the sands at night or out on the water somewhere

 

[Bruce]

Where do you all do the pot luck at? At the sands at night or out on the water somewhere

In the past we have always had it at Honeymoon Harbor. This year we plan to have it at the sandbar on the East side of North Bimini.

 

[Drift Away]

In the past we have always had it at Honeymoon Harbor. This year we plan to have it at the sandbar on the East side of North Bimini.

Cant wait!

 

[Skroggy66]

OK guys laying out what I have and don't have for the trip and I REALLY don't want to install a marine radio in my boat. Handheld I am OK with but there are a ton of them, of course I want a waterproof one and it must float. I think I want to have the DSC just in case. What have you guys bought ?

 

[sgtpunisher]

To not have a big radio in a boat for off shore in my opinion is nuts. You just don't have the range with a handheld. Basically a handheld is just for communicating to other boats nearby. Once off shore you will not be able to get more than 10-12 miles Max with a hand held. Thanks standing on top of your roof. A rubber duck antenna just does not give it the radiating power. You need a permanent radio mounted with a good antenna. A handheld is great for communicating within a harbor and with boats right next to you.

 

[Skroggy66]

In the past we have always had it at Honeymoon Harbor. This year we plan to have it at the sandbar on the East side of North Bimini.

What sort of things do you recommend for the pot luck? I am a beer and steak guy lol not very creative when it comes to pot luck. @Bruce