Heading to Key West

Handymans342

Ok everyone. I am heading to Key West in the morning straight shot 125 NM from Sanibel light house. Everything is in order. Put my drive showers on LOL. So if you dont hear from me in a few days I am sunk LOL or I had one too many margaritas. 

Black_Diamond

Safe travels and have fun!

raybo3

Have a great trip and stay safe. BTW am I in the will???? LOL

Michael T

Safe passage Steve, you'll have a great time and some tales to tell. You might not want to have tooooo many margaritas in KW unless your Admiral has your back!

randy56

Enjoy your trip, relax, eat and drink to much.

Handymans342

Got here fine. Water was very rough. Burned 3/8 tank. Will fill up tomorrow

raybo3

Glad your there. Have a great time.........

Dream_Inn

Very nice Handy. We made it into Ohio yesterday and driving right now to Michigan.

gtyee

Sounds like a great trip, was just in Key West last month and love it! Have a safe trip back.

Handymans342

I found out where MT is hiding in his new boat. The marina here is awesome. All brand new floating docks with piers to the end. It was the easist docking we ever did. There are 8 restaurants and bars all within walking distance. I will post the Rinker pic later. 

Michael T

Fantastic. You could have gone on to Cuba....I hope that's a future trip for you.....seriously, see my post on the Florida Power Boat trip to Cuba.

Handymans342

Cuba has nothing Michael

Michael T

Cuba has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, some of the coolest architecture, the absolute best rum and cigars and very friendly people. Scuba diving is superb. The "nonsense" was created by the two governments flexing their muscles. Cuba will become, within a short while, one of the biggest destinations for Americans.

Michael T

Steve, what's your diesel tank size, your cruising gpg and mph?

I have run 125 miles lots of times. At 34 mph and 24 gph that's about 96 gallons. The EC 360 holds 220 gallons.

Now if you are using NM as in 1.5 or so " gps land miles" that would be about 188 miles at 34 mph at 24 gph so 132 of 220 gallons for an EC 360 with twin 502s. Right?

Handymans342

Cuba's beaches are no better than Turks or Aruba or St John's so why go to a 3rd world country for beaches? MT I will fill up in the morning. A lot of factors go into the gph for example when I was driving towards key West we had heavy following seas with a 15 knot East wind. Some times my speed dropped 5
mph and them picked up. Now we did 140 miles on 3/8the tank but the tanks were not 100% full. Gen ran the whole way too. I hope for better seas going back. The Rinker handled well but I noticed about 12 screws backed out of the rub rail. Will have to rebed all those later. 

Handymans342

Only Rinker in Key West. The weather is to die for. 

randy56

Handy is running with the big dogs! You are living large! Good for you, Nice 

Michael T

Nice shot Steve!

raybo3

Nice pic's Handy keep them coming. Hope your having a good time.........

aero3113

Have fun! you need a bigger boat to fill that slip!!

Handymans342

Ok well I filled up and it took 120 gallons and we went approx 145 NM which is more than miles I believe

Handymans342

View from my slip

Handymans342

Don't know if you can see this 5 foot Tarpon just waiting for a snack

raybo3

Handy I would have thought you would have a little better fuel economy with those diesels.  Looks like your having a great time. Enjoy yourself bro.........

Handymans342

You would have burned double Bro. I'm telling you I have never fought seas, current and winds like that before. Will recheck on the way back

Michael T

A true nautical mile is 1.5 gps land miles. Not sure how heavier seas that you experienced would have affected my old twin 502's but I have gone 188 gps miles in seas like you see past the breakwater in your shots and would have normally haveburned 132 gallons for that length of trip.

Handymans342

So what was my fuel per mile. A NM is 1.15 miles. 

Handymans342

Also I went full throttle all the way which is not as economical as my cruising speed. 

Dream_Inn

Well, no matter what your fuel burn, you got there and having a good time! I'm now driving back to Ohio after one heII of a wedding!

Enjoy and love seeing the pictures!

Handymans342

Here is Mallory square where they celebrate the sunset every night 

raybo3

Handy I did not mean to sound like I was "ranking" on you for diesels. I really thought you would of had better mileage. But I was also thinking miles and not nautical miles. So you actually got pretty good mileage.......... Just say'n....