bahamas

Now or never

Ok guys and girls my wife and I are thinking about towing our 250 fiesta vee to Florida then crossing to bimini isle has any one done this if so were did you depart from and how was the cruise. And where did you dock and all outher thoughts 

Now or never

I should have it is only about 60 miles from miami fl per my chart .I hold about 75 gallons of fuel I know I only get around 1.7 mpg at 25 mph

Now or never

The Florida power squadron said no smaller than 20ft jjust wondering lf anyone has done itthey have guided cruises .but I was going to cruise with my daughter and her famliy they will be in a searay cruiser

Now or never

I was hoping someone had done it before maybe tiki or someone in Florida of corse its snowwing real hard right now lol

TikiHut2

the trickiest part 2 doing a crossing is waiting for the perfect weather window.the other issue is doing a crossing like that in a single engine boat. It has been done many timesbut you have to be sure your equipment is completely up to the task. Also check your insurance.

I might also recommend that you just pull a little further south down to around Isla Marada or Marathon intge fl keys which would be much less risky far easier logistically and much simpler. The water is beautiful and the infrastructure is very accomidating.

Bimini is really only a 1st stop for boaters who intend to venture further into the islands but if the weather turns foul its generally very open water. Good luck and be safe.

Now or never

I was hoping you had done this before .we will be crusing with 2 more boats both of them are twin engine boats .this sounds like a great group trip come on everyone lets go lol

Dream_Inn

That sounds like a great trip! Don't let the size deter you, especially since you are travelling with others. Make sure you travel with enough water as well & an empty head. I certainly wish I lived within 100 miles of Bahamas!!!! Heck within 300 miles I'd go each year!

Now or never

The tow to Florida and back will be the most expensive part 14-16 mpg will cost more than the rest of the trip but it would be a blast just being there on your boat doing and going were you want . Can you tell its winter sun dreaming 

Dream_Inn

RY, go for it if that is all it takes. With that mpg, you should be putting several thousand on her each year.

Now or never

Rinkeryan are you pilot . 

BoatAway

232s do it...

Bruce

You get 14-16 mph pulling your boat??  What is your tow vehicle? I have a 2004 250fv and only get 10-12mph towing it with my F250 with a 6.7L diesel.

 If I wasn't so far away (Kansas) I'd love to make that cruise with you. I hope you let us know how it went.

  Good luck

Now or never

Thats what the mpg gage on the avalanche says its a 2011 I.the only time I drive it is to pull boats it has extended range tank and 3.73 rearend it has no problem pulling our boat a250 fv had problem once the brakes were sticking milage went to 10mpg changed to electric over hydraulic cleaned calipers greased them milage came back

Bruce

Wow that's great, I only get 17mph empty.

 Good luck and be safe

JoMama

In the FWIW category; I was test driving a boat out of West Palm/FLL this past summer and saw what appeared to be a parade of boats out in the ocean.  The Capt told me it was folks going to Bimini - and other areas of Bahamas.  They assemble (ad hoc, whoever is going that day) in the AM and ride out together for protection/assistance.  Weather is KEY!  So if you get right off the coast and no one is there assembling - RE-check your weather!  

Now or never

A guy I work with told me th same thing he said to contact the Florida power squadron they lead groups over and back . As for gas milage of my avalanche it stays pretty much the same loaded or unloaded never better than 17 dont know why 

EDWINC

Hello I'm interested on going to Bimini I'm I'm Miami email me at amdjs11@gmail.com I have a 310 ec

rasbury

would be a very cool trip! If you look on you tube, there are some guys that do it on jet skis........nothing I would try.  I think I need a couple years under my belt before I would try that...with the Fl. Keys and South West Florida to travel around, not sure that going that way is real attractive to me anyway......but I understand the desire.

EDWINC

@ Rasbury let me kwow when ur going to the keys,  we can plan a trip so there are more than one boat traveling.   

rasbury

10-4!

EDWINC

do u have a tentative date/?? 

srlaman

I know this is an old post but we just towed our 2005 FV 270 from Plano, Il to Miami (1400 miles each way) and crossed over to Bimini...was a great time.  Will do it again for sure.  We went out of Crandon Park Marina in Key BIscayne.  We did go with a buddy boat since this was our first time crossing the Gulf Stream.  It took us about 2-1/2 hours each way cruising at 20-25 knts.

Dude_Himself

Read these for ideas on what can go wrong and what is at stake:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/bimini-rescue-at-sea-from-2017.19085/

https://jetboaters.net/threads/jetboaters-net-bimini-fling-july-10th-to-15th-2017.11966/page-137

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=886OMilbSPg&t=33s

GMSLITHO

That’s a great trip when the weather is nice and calm seas .weatehr turns bad and 7 to 10 foot seas and it’ ca get a little scary at times 

[Deleted User]

I'd be worried about being swallowed up by the Bermuda Triangle.

Andy

rasbury

Good for you! I would say you always want to go with at least a buddy...there is an organized group for that crossing...can't think of the name. With only one motor for that crossing you do not want to be broke down alone out there for sure...no telling where you would end up . A trip I'm yet to have made but on my bucket list!

Stodge

@srlaman You took your fresh water boat and ran it in salt water?  

srlaman

Yes....the boat doesn't know the difference. It's all water to her. We flush it with fresh water once out of the saltwater. 

rasbury

I am mostly fresh water but have no issue going into salt...worry more about the trailer than I do the boat. I'm closed cooling as well which was a requirement when I went hunting.....the rest of it washes off just fine!

Stodge

srlaman said:

Yes....the boat doesn't know the difference. It's all water to her. We flush it with fresh water once out of the saltwater. 

All well and good if you have closed cooling.  I don't, and I would not run salt water through my engines.  But that's me.

jhofmann

I have never had a Fresh water cooled boat, only raw water cooled, and have spent quite alot of time in the salt on Long Island sound. I believe the key is to flush the cooling system with fresh water as soon as you get done, weather that is on a trailer with a hose, or in my case a couple hour run back up the Connecticut river. There was a thread on another site that discussed the benifit of short runs in salt water that would let the abrasive properties of the salt scrub the cooling passages before being purged with fresh water. Not sure I agree with that thread. I know I would not want raw water cooling if my boat stayed in salt water.