Want To Buy: Towing Service Wanted, Abacos to Florida

[Rigdaddy]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Temporary stern bracket and an outboard motor? Just musing.

Sounds like an idea worth considering

[captlloyd]

Fix the engine and get some sails. Surely if you ask around someone can get your engine running. Or put a used one in it, you probably are going to need an engine anyhow, think about putting the money you are going to spend on a tow towards fixing the engine. What is going on with the engine anyway ?

[Cadence]

As I recall, TowBoat US is portal to portal. Their dock to their dock. So you pay for the dead heading, which is not unreasonable, business wise. It could be for the wallet.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by Cadence

As I recall, TowBoat US is portal to portal. Their dock to their dock. So you pay for the dead heading, which is not unreasonable, business wise. It could be for the wallet.

Unless he already has Towboat US he wouldn’t be able to immediately use it. Otherwise everybody and their brother would be signing up as soon as they needed a boat tow. I inquired about it once and the operator told me the coverage went into effect as soon as you sign up. She was misinformed and I had to pay for the tow out of pocket.

[bensolomon]

I have my previous mainsail from my hunter legend 37.5. You can have if you want it. Was on my boat last season. Still has the buntlines for the first and second reef. Has Dutchman grommets, too. All you'd need is a main halyard and an outhaul.

Ben

[Apollo366]

Since it's pretty much a beam reach I'd just go with a large genoa simple to rig & use for this journey.

About the motor, I'd sure try to find a local mech to get it running right where you are, will have to happen anyway.

It sounds like this was a salvage boat, be sure to check out all the remaining systems before leaving, your life may depend on it.

Apollo Wayne

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by captlloyd

Unless he already has Towboat US he wouldn’t be able to immediately use it. Otherwise everybody and their brother would be signing up as soon as they needed a boat tow. I inquired about it once and the operator told me the coverage went into effect as soon as you sign up. She was misinformed and I had to pay for the tow out of pocket.

Fortunately I had it years ago. I could have done without it but said screw it I'm tired of fighting an engine on it's way out and didn't want to try sailing a bridge opening. Best hundred bucks I ever spent. I had to sign the tab for maybe a two mile tow.$700+. It was their dock to their dock. Polite people and good equipment. Now that may depend on who has the franchise in the area. Dumb ass figured maybe a couple of hundred bucks, so as I said a $100 well spent.
After the fact it's on you.

[Sailshabby]

Originally Posted by skipmac

My thought exactly. I do believe Tartans sail quite well. I had electrical system problem once on the way back from the USVI and managed to sail back.

Son in law had an engine failure on a power boat in the Berrys and if I recall TowBoatUS said they had a max service area of 100 nm. He managed to limp to Great Isaacs and they met him there.

Just got towed a month ago. Discovered “unlimited towing” has a 26 mile limit, if that helps.

[zstine]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Respectfully, you are being short-sighted considering the current marina situation in Florida. You need to specifically think of a haulout marina you want to get the boat to, where, I'm supposing, you'll want to do the work on your boat yourself...?

As reported on this Forum, there are not many DIY yards left in Florida, so if you don't target your destination, you could end up with the boat in Florida, yes, but in a full-service yard and marina with dock and service fees that will soon bankrupt you, if you're on a limited budget - with a 40-foot boat, no less.

Can't the engine be fixed? And no sails or running rigging on a sailboat? How did that happen? (Sorry, that's just idle curiosity.) First and foremost, sailboats are just that: sailboats. I think I would fall in the camp of getting some sails on her and sail her. Lengthy tows can be tricky...
LittleWing77

All I need is a haul out to drop it on a truck to New Jersey. So just about any marina that can pull the boat can do that.
The boat has been unattended in Abaco for a while and was looted. All running rigging and sails, a winch, the dorade scoops, instrument cluster... all taken.
Engine was flooded with seawater. It needs to be pulled and rebuilt. That is not going to happen in the Abacos. They are pretty hard up.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by zstine

All I need is a haul out to drop it on a truck to New Jersey. So just about any marina that can pull the boat can do that.
The boat has been unattended in Abaco for a while and was looted. All running rigging and sails, a winch, the dorade scoops, instrument cluster... all taken.

Merde!

Sorry to hear that.

Good luck with the transit,
LW77

[wsmurdoch]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Here is a tip that not many people know:

Great Sale Cay is within Towboat US range. Get to Great Sale Cay and they will come to tow you in from there.

We saw this several years ago. With unlimited towing TowBoatUS came out and picked up a motorboat that had blown up on the rocks on the west side of Great Sale Cay for just the customs fees for a Ft Lauderdale operation working in the Bahamas. There was lots of VHF radio traffic between the motorboat and the Ft Lauderdale home station then between the damaged motorboat and the approaching tow as the afternoon progressed. We listened intently. Our anchor held the night before; his did not.

[Squanderbucks]

I have known if fees being as high as 15-30 thousand from Abacos to Florida. You must remember the tow boat is being paid both ways - to get to you and to I take you to destination and then return to his home port. All as billable hours to someone.
Might be cheaper to get an outboard and a few carry on tanks to get you home.

[MicHughV]

Though the boat was looted, etc, I still think your best bet is to bring over a sail or sails, some halyards, sheet lines, portable vhf, maybe a gps, etc, food, water and other odds and ends you'll need. This gives you the option of leaving when you want and going where you want. Or stopping if necessary. You'll be needing most of these things anyway regardless. You'll be in MH for several days anyway, to get things ship shape, regardless of being towed or sailed, etc. Now you have the luxury of doing this at your own pace. Bring a friend, some fishing rods...have some fun.

I have flown over to MH with a cooler full of food....wrap the cooler in duct tape, so it doesn't accidentally open.

Secondly, I'd take advantage of the Gulf Stream to head north. You can ride the stream north till around J'ville, and then hang a left.
I've left out of Great Sale, headed NW to pass south of Walkers, an overnighter will put you in Cape Canaveral, with the stream doing most of the work or keep going...another overnighter will have you around J'ville. And there is always the Ft. Pierce option. All three have nice inlets.

You got plenty of options under sail, once you are close to either Canaveral or J'ville, call Towboat. Both places have nearby marina's where you can stop and consider your next move.

I think towing the boat, while doable, is not without it's issues. Timing, and $$$ are iffy. The weather is always a big ???

Taken all together, this trip is likely to take a week or more....with many "ifs" along the way to trip you up.

Lastly, as others have suggested, Green Turtle has a yard and travel lift, you can have the boat hauled there and engine repaired. I think your boat will be quite safe there. If you are willing to spend several 1000 $$ to tow it, I think that money is better used towards an engine repair. Treasure Cay airport is just across the way to fly home. Out of all the suggestions, this would be my pick.

Any of these options...in my opinion...is better than trying to tow the boat the whole way.

Interestingly, I once had to tow a smaller sailboat some way, due to engine malfunction, in the B'mas, with my sailboat. That boat was around 26' or so. Towing a sailboat is not easy I discovered. That tow was around 10 miles and took quite a long time.

Well, ok, I've given it my best shot with advice and recommendations, now it's up to you..

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by zstine

All I need is a haul out to drop it on a truck to New Jersey. So just about any marina that can pull the boat can do that.
The boat has been unattended in Abaco for a while and was looted. All running rigging and sails, a winch, the dorade scoops, instrument cluster... all taken.
Engine was flooded with seawater. It needs to be pulled and rebuilt. That is not going to happen in the Abacos. They are pretty hard up.

Have you been to Green Turtle recently? It's night and day from Marsh Harbour, they're pretty much fully recovered and anything you could do in NJ on that engine I'm pretty sure you can get done in Green Turtle. Almost certain their lift is operating and the boatyard is back to normal. If anything you may very well be able to get the work done cheaper there, they've been pretty liberal with the SERZ VAT/duty waivers so even if you have to ship parts in it might not cost as much as you think. I'm sure they'd also appreciate the business.

[Capt. Tom]

Check in MOW or Green Turtle for a mech to fix your engine it may be the cheapest way.