[Skylaw]

Questions for Scarab Chris and other who may travel to Bimini from South Florida.

1. Where do you depart from and what's the travel time to Bimini ?

2. At what speed ?

3. How are the seas during good weather ?

4. Would you make the trip on a single engine boat ?

What would you think of a 26 foot deck boat, with an 8 foot beam on a CAT hull making this trip ? I can carry 100 gal. of fuel.

Thoughts ?

[ScarabChris]

Originally Posted by Skylaw

Questions for Scarab Chris and other who may travel to Bimini from South Florida.

1. Where do you depart from and what's the travel time to Bimini ?

2. At what speed ?

3. How are the seas during good weather ?

4. Would you make the trip on a single engine boat ?

1. Either Ft Lauderdale or Haulover (North Miami)

2. Depending on the seas but usually around 40 MPH

3. Good weather is anything that allows you to run at your cruise speed without getting beat up or wet. For me good weather is anything from flat calm to 2-3' seas with no storms in your path.

4. Not unless you are running with a group and you have an agreement with another boat that if you break down they will ruin their trip to tow you back and vise versa.

Any 26' boat with a single (good running) engine can make it over and back with no problem. I see a lot of single engine boats from Florida when I go over. 100 gallons of fuel is more than enough to make it accross. I make it over on 40 gallons running at 40 MPH with twin 250s. You just need to pic your days. May through September are the safest months for the crossing.

Keep in mind that it's only 50 miles from Miami and on a calm sunny day it's a fantastic ride.

[mbrunski]

A few things to add.

The straight line GPS distance from the entrance of Port Everglades to Bimini harbor channel marker is 61 miles. I usually cruise at 35 MPH and make it in 1:45 minutes and use 30 gal of fuel each way.

A couple of things to remember, always check NOAA forecast before and while you are in Bimini. The seas in the gulf stream can change very quickly at any time of the year. Also the seas in Bimini may be different than the Florida coast and visa versa. I always say to have a backup plan, meaning if you are planning on going and the seas are rough........don't go. If you are over there and planning on coming home on Sunday and NOAA says don't........come back Saturday. If you are over there and the weather really gets snarly for days........raft your boat up at the dock and fly Chalks home.

I have a single screw and go over by myself at least 3-4 times a year. Just remember that you are crossing the Bermuda triangle and the gulf stream. Meaning bring extra water and non perishable food in case the worst happens. And even if it does, there are planes and boats that use the same heading for the crossing everyday so your chances of "being stranded" are slim.

Make the trip. It is a whole different world over there and it is less than 2 hours away.

[ScarabChris]

Very good and acurate advise. On my last trip over in September it was flat calm on the way over on Thursday. On Sunday when we were leaving the ocean on the Bimini side of the Gulf Dtream was calm but by the time we were 15 miles off Bimini we were hitting 8-10 foot seas. It was a long brutal ride home and I used double the fuel that I would have on a calm day.

The point being...make sure you have double the fuel you think you need for each crossing. I burned 40 gallons on the way over and 70 on the way back. I left Bimini with 80 gallons. To close for comfort, From now on I will fill up in Bimini no matter how much it costs. If you run out of fuel in rough seas in the middle of the stream you would be wishing you spent that extra 150 bucks to top off the fuel tank.

[mbrunski]

Remember not to listen to the myth that "The fuel in the bahamas is bad". The only bad thing about the fuel in the bahamas is that it is at least $1 more a gallon than the fuel in the USA. I also on my last crossing ran into 3-5's (on my boat that is uncomfortable) and used 15 extra gallons and 45 more minutes to cross. Not to mention my ribs hurt, my girlfriend bitched most of the way and I spilled my beer more than once.

[ScarabChris]

Yeah....if only the gas was ONLY one dallar more a gallon. Last September the gas on the water here was around 3.25-3.50 a gallon. In Bimini I paid 5.30 a gallon. Thats a 2 dollar jump but I use street gas which makes it around 2.75 a gallon jump. And yes....the gas in Bimini is perfectly fine. I have burned hundreds of gallons of Bimini gas over the years with no problems. The gas comes from Port Everglades.

[peytonlac]

1. Where do you depart from and what's the travel time to Bimini ? I leave from Lighthouse point or Port Everglades, depends on who goes, sometimes we just meet offshore

2. At what speed ? Great question, depends on conditions and passangers, with the wife not over 37mph, with the boys not under 45mph

3. How are the seas during good weather ? glass like you could water ski in the ocean, i have seen it all.. One trip back it was 6 foot seas and then when i could see Ft. Lauderdale it was glass, we couldnt beleive it...

4. Would you make the trip on a single engine boat ? not by myself...

I garee with Chris, always top off your tanks u never know what could happen out there... but there are alot of people crossing especially in the summer, we have talked to guys from miami to vero and all points in beteween on the way over..

[Skylaw]

Thanks for all the great advice so far guys. I tend to agree that I would not be comfortable making the trip alone with a single engine. My boat handles 3-5 seas pretty well. Anything much bigger it gets a little wet.

[Bossanova]

Does anyone have info/advice on Cay Sal or Elbow Cay (for a fishing run)? I hear it is "no man's land" and can be dangerous.

[Wobbet60]

Cay Sal and Elbow are "no mans land" and you need to be prepared for everything. I wouldn't be out there w/o a few firearms and some salty friends. Not the place for rookies.

With regard to crossing to Bimini in a single engine boat, my 21 Mako has been to Bimini several times, but we always go with at least one other boat and good weather.