New to Boating: Miami to Bimini

[LouMAR]

Hello everyone, my name is Lou. I signed up yesterday to this great site.
I am new to boating. Last year my father and I purchased a new Bayliner 265 to learn before getting into something bigger. Most of our trips have been within the Biscayne bay. I've taken safety courses as well as read many books with lots of theory.

My question is how much experience is required before heading out to open sea, say to Bimini? Any and all guidance is very much welcomed and appreciated.

[pilot]

Not that tough. Listen to the weather forecast on VHF, avoid northerly winds.
Have safety equipment, GPS, VHF Radio. Think about the Gulf stream.

Anchor at no name harbour. There you probably find other boats waiting for a weather window. Talk to them, if they are experienced they will give you a hint.

[Tspringer]

Like Captain Ron said.... if anything is gonna happen, its gonna happen out there boss!




Terry

[Chuck Baier]

Don't let the "it's easy" replies fool you. Leaving under the wrong conditions in a 26 foot Bayliner can seriously put you at risk. It is not the experience so much as wind, weather and sea conditions. Never leave in northerly wind and wait for the seas to lay down after any north wind. Don't try to out run an approaching front since if it catches you you could be in trouble. For your boat you need calm conditions or very light winds from the south. Check on sea conditions in the Gulf Stream and not what you can see from the coast. It is done all of the time in small boats but with caution. Keep in mind you will need to come back so waiting again for weather will be necessary. In our 40 foot sail boat we have anchored behind Key Biscayne for ten days waiting for weather. Don't put your selves in a position to have to keep to a schedule.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Lou,
Welcome aboard! Good to have you here on the forum asking questions. Hope you will be able to give us an update on how the crossing went.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[LouMAR]

All, thank you so much for the guidance. I've heard that the GPS true position is sometimes as much as 1000 ft off in the bahamas. Is that going to greatly affect by landing position? I am basically leaving from Homestead Marina and cutting accross south of Key Biscayne and landing at Bimini ( hopefully ).

Thanks again...

[Chuck Baier]

LouMAR, Many of the guide books contain the GPS co-ordinates to enter Bimini. But the first and most important rule of navigation in the Bahamas is eye site. Use the GPS as a guide to finding the area you want but you must navigate by site once you arrive. Get a set of Explorer Charts and they will give you the most current information and as accurate positioning as anything.

[GordMay]

GPS positions are always fairly accurate. Paper charts often locate places inaccurately.
If I recall correctly, Bimini may be as much as 1/2 nm from it's charted position.

[mobetah]

Lou Mar,

Why would you leave Homestead Marina and then go north to Key Biscayne? Just go out through Caesar or Angelfish creek and head to Bimini ..... It'll save you about ten miles or so and you'll have a better angle on the current.

Just pick your weather window and make sure that weather window is long enough to not only get to Bimini but also get back .... If not you could find yourself in Bimini for several days waiting for weather to get back on. The closer you get to summer the more setteled the weather should become .... by June or July there should be days on end where the water is smooth as glass all the way across the stream.

Have fun and let us know how it works out.

[scallywag]

Lou,
Remember Weather Window, Weather Window! I have seen seas as flat as glass. I have seen seas with waves higher than a DGG's top deck. You need to know the weather and not be afraid to tuen back. A 27 foot boat can be very uncomfortable in a 3 foot sea. With the power you have you csan utilize all of it in a flat sea, but none of it in 5 foot seas. Be prudent.

John

[LouMAR]

Thank you everyone. I hope to go on 3/24 but I need to return on 3/27 latest. It seems that waiting for the right window may be an issue. Therefore, I may postpone until later on when I have a larger window. How are the sea conditions typically at the end of March? can anyone recommend the best weather sites for making the trip to Bimini? I will surely post pictures when I go. Looking forward to it.

[Chuck Baier]

The best weather site is the NOAA weather out of Miami or Key West.Giving yourself 3 days might somehow work out but it would be pure luck. You do not under any circumstances want go out into the Gulf Stream in your boat in the wrong conditions.

[LouMAR]

Chuck/All, thank you very much for your guidance. I will surely post pictures when I go.

[sv-Mystique]

Lou,

Heed the advice from the sailors on this board. Based on experince you should allocate at a minimum 10 days for your trip. Also, I would delay your trip until mid May through June, waiting for the right weather window with a 27 foot boat is a true roll of the dice. At least your odds for the right window increase the closer to summer months.

[imagine2frolic]

That schedule could be your very downfall. You need to be able to sit it out if necessary, or take Chalks back, and leave the boat. March can be iffy in crossing the Gulf Stream. As posted a couple of months later, and you can get a better weather window to go, and return...............BE SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! & WELCOME