Bahamas Gathering 2012 - Updated '08 Thread

[gofastsandman]

Wring it out. Learn your limits. Better to know what you can't handle before you're 35 miles from the nearest land. A shakedown cruise is called that because you are seeing what will shake loose when you need it. Better to fail where SeaTow will come get you and take you back to your trailer.

Go ahead and deliberately run in less than great weather a couple of times to get experience handling under somewhat adverse conditions. I promise you, when you're running before a squall with a 6'-9' swell with 30 kt winds, there is no substitute for knowledge combined with experience.

Amen and Amen.

I`ll have tools and spares within reason. One of my biggest fears is having a major failure over there.

What I dont have is wheel time in big seas. Well the water is still warm, and I have my new PLB.

Bimini sounds like fun too. Anyone hear about the progress of the Bimini ferry? That would be awesome if you could bring your rig on a ferry.

Cheers,
GFS

[Caymanboy]

See above Sandy, For $150 they will tow you back!!!!
Just encase you have that catastrophy you be talking about. Speaking of that, got a freind stuck in GT, his flywheel sheared off from the crank, woopsie!!

[Rainmaker]

I always bring (at a minimum)

spare prop (just a cheap aluminum one)

Spare thrust washer, nut, cotter pin... sucks when you drop these.

set of plugs

fuel filter and water seperator

brass fuel line fitting so I can remove my water seperator

full compliment of sockets, ratchets, wrenches, screwdriver

spare switches and breaker

Some wire and crimps

EPIRB

handheld GPS to backup the dash unit

Valid Boat US membership

Sat Phone (not great but if needed I can get a call out once in a while)

enough food and water to stay on boat for a couple of days

Spare beer/spirits

Normally, I have a buddy who is mechanically inclined on my boat but when I do not he is a phone call away for some help. There are some things I won't touch on the water because it may cause more harm than good. The main thing is to have a few boats with you. There is safety in numbers. None of us want to sink, but if you do it sure is nice to have someone with you to pluck you out of the sea.

As far as the weather goes, you just have to be smart and allow a little flexibility. Early morning is the answer to most potential storms. Summertime normally has calm seas however the afternoons bring thunderstorms at times. The idea is to be prepared and plan around it. I have been stuck in some pretty nasty weather because I was fishing the banks on day trips and stayed too long. I have not had any weather issues in the past 10 years on multiple crossings each year.

[gofastsandman]

Does my 162 clam Sea Tow cover all of the Bahamas? I thought it was to West End.......I will call them.

Doc Martin ran outta diesel years ago. He didn`t have Sea Tow. A 1961 Rybo 48 and no sea tow???

And it does suck dropping things in cold water.

Desoto comes to mind.
Cheers,
GFS

[Bushwacker]

Good list Rainmaker!

I'd often change to the cheap aluminum prop over there, since it was most likely to get dinged when diving around the reefs, and keep good prop to run back on. To that list I'd add duct tape, spare fasteners and canvas snaps/tools, sea anchor, extra oil for motor, hydraulic steering and lower unit, maybe a spare seal kit/tools for steering cylinder, a good compass that's been swung with deviation table, good charts, and a stop watch. Should have compass headings worked out ahead of time for each leg of trip and marked on chart. Don't need a spare GPS, but you should know how to navigate via dead reckoning and how to allow for current running across the stream. (All my trips were made before we had GPS.) However I have to admit that it IS nice to have a satellite antenna on your GPS to pick up storms and be able to see how fast they're moving, especially to be able to avoid the associated lightening! (Don't mind the wind and waves, but sure don't like all that electricity!) Didn't carry much beer to minimize weight; we just bought rum in Bahamas, where it's cheaper than beer or soda! Took frozen groceries to also minimize weight, packed in dry ice in foam coolers. Don't need EPIRB, Satphone or SeaTow if you're running with other boats, which is wise to do for many reasons anyway. All need to stay in sight of each other with good radios so somebody can yell and be heard if they have a problem. Also good to be rigged for quick towing hook ups. The guys I ran with all had a snap hook on anchor line (with about 300' of line minimum), with the line run down thru a carabiner hook on bow eye and back to deck, so you have a LONG towline attached down low instead hooked to a bow cleat. Everyone also had 20' lines hanging on stern cleats, with snap hooks to towing eyes in transom and an eye spliced in other end of line. Put the tow-ee's snap hook thru the eyes on the tow-er's stern lines, and you have an instant bridle with a tow line that the tow-ee can adjust as sea conditions warrant.

I think a lot of folks get in trouble because they try to come back across the stream in the afternoon when they should wait for a smooth easy crossing in the early morning. Having some slack in your schedule and the capability to spend the night on your boat is somewhat of a safety factor in my mind . . . if you can comfortably wait for better conditions, you're less inclined to take chances with the Gulf Stream, where you can quickly get in over your head if something breaks!

[76Red18]

Good list Rainmaker!

I'd often change to the cheap aluminum prop over there, since it was most likely to get dinged when diving around the reefs, and keep good prop to run back on. To that list I'd add duct tape, spare fasteners and canvas snaps/tools, sea anchor, extra oil for motor, hydraulic steering and lower unit, maybe a spare seal kit/tools for steering cylinder, a good compass that's been swung with deviation table, good charts, and a stop watch. Should have compass headings worked out ahead of time for each leg of trip and marked on chart. Don't need a spare GPS, but you should know how to navigate via dead reckoning and how to allow for current running across the stream. (All my trips were made before we had GPS.) However I have to admit that it IS nice to have a satellite antenna on your GPS to pick up storms and be able to see how fast they're moving, especially to be able to avoid the associated lightening! (Don't mind the wind and waves, but sure don't like all that electricity!) Didn't carry much beer to minimize weight; we just bought rum in Bahamas, where it's cheaper than beer or soda! Took frozen groceries to also minimize weight, packed in dry ice in foam coolers. Don't need EPIRB, Satphone or SeaTow if you're running with other boats, which is wise to do for many reasons anyway. All need to stay in sight of each other with good radios so somebody can yell and be heard if they have a problem. Also good to be rigged for quick towing hook ups. The guys I ran with all had a snap hook on anchor line (with about 300' of line minimum), with the line run down thru a carabiner hook on bow eye and back to deck, so you have a LONG towline attached down low instead hooked to a bow cleat. Everyone also had 20' lines hanging on stern cleats, with snap hooks to towing eyes in transom and an eye spliced in other end of line. Put the tow-ee's snap hook thru the eyes on the tow-er's stern lines, and you have an instant bridle with a tow line that the tow-ee can adjust as sea conditions warrant.

I think a lot of folks get in trouble because they try to come back across the stream in the afternoon when they should wait for a smooth easy crossing in the early morning. Having some slack in your schedule and the capability to spend the night on your boat is somewhat of a safety factor in my mind . . . if you can comfortably wait for better conditions, you're less inclined to take chances with the Gulf Stream, where you can quickly get in over your head if something breaks!

Hey Denny..I'm suprised you didn't mention that if you wear glasses, you should bring an extra pair

[Snookerd]

76Red-You planning on going? I need another seasoned 18SF owner going to calm down or fire up the masses regarding a small boat crossing. [img]/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] 95% of safe boating is seamanship and good judgement. Any idiot can take a 27 Seamaster and get into trouble....just sayin

[DonV]

Didn't carry much beer to minimize weight

Hummmm.......this could be an issue. Maybe a larger boat with more capacity.

[NoBones]

Any idiot can take a 27 Seamaster and get into trouble....just sayin

Can a Wood Chuck, chuck wood ?...

You just wait smart azz.... your day is coming!!

See ya, Ken

[76Red18]

76Red-You planning on going? I need another seasoned 18SF owner going to calm down or fire up the masses regarding a small boat crossing. [img]/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] 95% of safe boating is seamanship and good judgement. Any idiot can take a 27 Seamaster and get into trouble....just sayin

Its a good possibility. Depends 100% on the funds 6 months down the road. I'm still down here trying to slug it out as a concrete contractor. There's not many of us left and I've seen some good signs in the higher end market. There will be no low end around here for a long time.

The boats' ready. Stays ready. Hardly gets used anymore. Snapper trip before the end of the month has to happen.