Miami to Bimini single boat... Good Idea?

ardeprint

ardeprint

Member
Nov 1, 2010
688
Miami, Florida
Boat Info
2003 Formular 40PC and a 185 SRX 2002
Engines
T Yanmar 440's with V-Drives / 4.3 Mercruiser with Alpha I
I have a trip planned to Bimini next week and the other boat I was going to be heading out with had a family emergency and won't make it. Should I still go alone? I have been boating for over 10 years, but never made a crossing like this. I will have three friends with me.

I am leaning towards cancelling myself. Any thoughts?
 
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It's what?.. 50 miles? How bad can it be?

When I cancel a 150 mile run I have the peanut gallery on here calling me a chicken.
 
As long as you have the appropriate gear with spares, etc I say go - but remember, you are the captain - you need to be the one 100% comfortable with doing so......when exactly are you leaving - I may be up for the trip, I would just have a pretty good run down the coast first.
 
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Ididntdoit said:
As long as you have the appropriate gear with spares, etc I say go - but remember, you are the captain - you need to be the one 100% comfortable with doing so......when exactly are you leaving - I may be up for the trip, I would just have a pretty good run down the coast first.
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I was planning on leaving next Friday at dawn. I have two slips reserved at Bimini Bay. Coming back Sunday at dawn. All this, weather permiting.
 
This is kind of a loaded question, but in the end it all comes down to only few things:

1. Yours and your crew experience and comfort level.
2. Your boat condition (I'm referring to proper maintenance). By default your boat is more than adequate to make it.
3. Weather conditions, mostly wind direction and strength, which translates into the seas condition.

Other than that, if you ever made a trip about 10NM off shore, then it's not much different. On a good day you'll loose the sight of land for an hour (if that). Going at about 25MPH it's only 2.5hrs trip.
 
Four Suns said:
It's what?.. 50 miles? How bad can it be?

When I cancel a 150 mile run I have the peanut gallery on here calling me a chicken.
Click to expand...


chicken.jpg
 
Go with your gut. If you are comfortable then go for it.
 
LMBoat said:
Contingency plan? Float plan? Epirb? PLB? Satphone?
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Contingency Plan: YES
Float Plan: YES
Epirb: NO
PLB: NO
Satphone: NO

MMSI: YES
VHS with DSC: YES
BoatUS Membership: YES
 
Did that run this summer, seas were 2-4s and we 'detoured' a bit South half way across to avoid a cell (we were watching on Sirius Weather). I agree with what everyone said, it depends on your comfort level/experience (with boat handling, navigation, etc.), boat condition, weather conditions, safety equipment, etc. We made the run alone, however we had an EPIRB, PLBs for each individual, a ELT, Sirius Weather, Submersible VHF with built-in GPS, two Raymarine E-120s, latest Navionics Charts, paper charts, an iPad with Navionics for backup, Sat Phone, Life Raft and a 20hp Tender on the swim platform. Yes I know I'm over-cautious, but personally I would never, ever be alone in the ocean further out than I can swim to shore without an EPIRB (and probably a Sat phone as well). That's my take on it anyway, assuming weather is good, your boat is in good condition and you have the comfort level/experience to do the trip - at the very least I would add an EPIRB to the equation.

Sincerely,
Jason
 
As long as the boat is good to go and you have a forecast in the 2's I wouldn't worry about it. On the weekends, you're always in sight of a boat on the headings out of Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. I went back and forth last weekend and had at least two boats in sight at all times. More than likely a Coast guard boat will be sitting within the triangle formed by Bimini/MIA/FTL. You also don't lose radio contact. I can always hear the USCG and TowBoatUS covers the area.

I would rent a life raft and have a handheld VHF. The jellies are pretty bad right now but have fun.
 
You can get a PLB now for about $300. A good investment if you plan on doing this trip often. Looks like the weather may make the decision easy. From the forecast this morning a tropical system may be here for the weekend.

Just a comment of the VHF range, just because you can hear them, does not mean they can hear you.
 
LMBoat said:
You can get a PLB now for about $300. A good investment if you plan on doing this trip often. Looks like the weather may make the decision easy. From the forecast this morning a tropical system may be here for the weekend.

Just a comment of the VHF range, just because you can hear them, does not mean they can hear you.
Click to expand...

Good comment on the weather. 4-6's on Saturday ='s some 8's rolling by. I wouldn't do it.

Also, correct on the VHF. Still, I don't worry much about getting stuck out there or losing contact with somebody even with a handheld. Many boats out there all the time.

Two side stories: One, last weekend at Big Game I saw a boat that was seized when the guys didn't check in, fished and they found unregistered guns on board. Seized the boat and they got sent to jail in Nassau to work through the legal system. The story goes that the jails in Nassau are not a good place to be. Second story, I was over with a bunch of people at Big Game in June when some bad weather came in. Some people couldn't make the return to FTL but one in the group had a big Viking so about 12 people hopped on that. For reasons not clear, a pilot that was in the bar at Big Game called CBP and said they were smuggling human cargo. They were met by 8 law enforcement boats when they cleared the Port Everglades inlet. Full to the keel search.
 
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