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 Post subject: Am I stupid?
PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:38 pm 
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Joined: Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:45 pm
Posts: 1668
Location: Northfield Minnesota
Basically I'm looking for someone to tell me that I am suicidal, and that I have a 1 in 328 chance of surviving.

This is something I has been haunting me for a while and I'm starting to get the ambition and the funds to pull it off.


From Ft. Lauderdale to the Bimini Islands in the Bahamas its 47 miles.
From the Bimini Islands to the Andros Island it is 98 miles.
From Andros Island to Nassau its another 53 miles.

The farthest I've been off shore on a beach cat was about 5 miles, I felt pretty small. But I think if you broke it up into 3 days there and 3 days back it would be pretty do able. Short of a storm kicking up and blowing us out into the Atlantic and magically not hitting any land before hand. The 50 mile stretches don't scare me, I've done that easily on an lake in a day, but the almost hundred miles of open water in the 2nd leg sounds scary. The 3rd leg would be 20miles tops being out of sight of land.

Obviously I don't want to do this all alone. I do have an adventurous, (ie similarily stupid) friend who would probably be game for this. We'd do it on my FXone. Probably want to add a jib just to get as much sail up as possible if needed, or usable. We'd probably want to bring a gallon of water for each person, for each day. Some food, a tent, very basic camping stuff.

I don't know, dumb? Or have people done this? Sounds scary to me, which gives it its appeal.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:45 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:33 pm
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Location: Lindale, Texas
My opinion........yes, it sounds stupid. Thats why I would do it in a New York minute if given the chance. Hey, I would be jealous if you did it. Sounds like a great adventure. I think if you prepared for Murphy (You know Murphy, right?) you could do it. Go for it, take lots of pictures and share the adventure with us! :wink:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:18 pm 
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Location: Santa Cruz
Dang Karl, That'd be an adventure. What direction does the wind come from in that part of the country? Carry some spares, liquid provisions, and some comms and you'd be set. I wanna go!

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:02 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2003 7:14 pm
Posts: 461
Location: West MI
Karl, I did the trip from Lauderdale to Grand Bahama Island on a 36' monohull with my sister when she retired. The trip was in Janurary a few years back. We waited about a week to get a good weather window. Large waves & wind crossing the Gulf Stream, a short wave frequency like on Lake Michigan. Water over the bow several times in the 20 hours. :shock:

I suppose it all depends on when you go. Check out the Sailnet web site for more information on the trip and the best times to cross over. Take lots of safety gear.

BTW: My friend & I were going to cross Lake Michigan from Milwaukee to Muskegon or Ludington on a beach cat but his wife said no and mine wanted to raise my life insuance. :lol: It would have been a 68 mile trip. I have done that crossing in a 27' Corsair tri in 8 hrs 5 min. In different monohulls 26' - 68' it has been 10 -22 hours dependent on the wind direction & speed.

Good luck, It will make a heck of a story.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:07 pm 
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Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 4:59 am
Posts: 75
Location: Ogden Dunes, IN
My 1st thought is the strong NE Gulfstream current that flows between Ft. L and Bimini. I was a hand on a 67' sloop that rock'd and roll'd. I've had 50 miles days with the SX on L Michigan....and would love to join.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:41 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 5:33 am
Posts: 145
Location: Ottawa, Canada
I did the crossing to Bimini in January 86 in a 45 foot keel boat, and like the other poster mentioned the weather was an issue. We turned back a few times due to weather. On the other hand I had sailed a Prindle 16 off that Florida beach six years earlier but in May and the seas and weather were much more co-operative. In fact we got the P16 much farther out to sea then we should have given that we had nothing on board but our speedo bathing suits and life vests (but that is what being 17 will do for you).

I would say you should study the situation before deciding anything.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 9:51 pm 
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Joined: Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:45 pm
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Location: Northfield Minnesota
Great info guys.

Adrio wrote:
I would say you should study the situation before deciding anything.


Yes, very much so.

Weather is definetly the greatest factor to safety. Riding out a storm bare bones on a beach cat I'm willing to bet would be a horrible experience.

Parts of me say do it, parts are honestly scared of what could happen. That second leg is really the scary part. Good wind speed, seas, and direction it would still probably a minimum of 10 hours. Perfect maybe 8, but everything would have to be just right.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:46 am 
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Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:15 pm
Posts: 1199
Location: Oakland, CA
And don't forget the return trip is just as long. How about organizing a flotilla with a 26+ ft. monohull as backup and to carry your stuff? That's how we did it sailing from Ko Samui to Ko Tao and back in Thailand, 50 miles each way. It's a good thing we had the monohull with the "iron sail" to tow us in when the wind DIED while I was a good seven miles away from the destination and darkness had just settled in.

If you do an internet search you'll find sundry "Hobie safaris" in places such as the Virgin Islands, Turkey, Seychelles. I found these to get you started for ideas of how to do it:

http://www.sailsafaris.net/StJohnDestinations.html
http://www.sailing-in-samui.com/sailing_safaris.html
http://www.travel.reperages-thailand.co ... 10_en.html
http://wf014.lerelaisinternet.com/hobie ... uction.asp
http://www.philhobie.com/aboutus.htm

Have fun!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:17 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 3:08 pm
Posts: 199
Location: Massachusetts
There are old sailors,
There are bold sailors.
There are no old, bold sailors.


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 Post subject: Sailors
PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:58 pm 
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Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2006 4:44 pm
Posts: 162
Location: Raleigh, NC
I beg to differ. I can name quitea few dozen old, bold sailors.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:19 pm 
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Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:37 pm
Posts: 238
Location: Columbus Ohio
Stupid, the idea no, but a cub scout would know to bring more water than a gallon a day, especially for someone never out of site of land. :lol: You should check with your area troop about all the other things you'll need. :lol: Think of all megabytes of space that will be freed up on this site if you don't make it. :lol:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:42 pm 
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Joined: Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:45 pm
Posts: 1668
Location: Northfield Minnesota
buzzman2 wrote:
Think of all megabytes of space that will be freed up on this site if you don't make it.


I'm not sure how to take that. :?

Trey, how much water do you guys carry when you're doing the Tybee? I don't plan on any single leg taking more than a day.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:47 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2004 8:45 pm
Posts: 648
Location: Saskatoon, Sk. Canada
Don't let them scare you man, it sounds like the adventure of a life time, something you could tell your grandchildren about lol. Like everyone has said you need to take reasonable precautions and be well prepared, then just go have a blast.

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 Post subject: sailing
PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:51 pm 
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Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2006 4:44 pm
Posts: 162
Location: Raleigh, NC
In total, there's about 2.5 gallons of drinkable liquid on the boat (some gatorade, some water). This is in 2 camelbacks and in 2-3 small jugs of water in the tramp pocket.

Take with you:

VHF
GPS (x2) -both programmed with waypoints
4 flares
Cell phone in a drybag
EPIRB
Willie Nelson's greatest hits

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www.velocitysailing.com
2006 N20 1017
1998 H16 102698
www.sunjammers.com ftw!


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 Post subject: Re: sailing
PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:04 pm 
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Posts: 1668
Location: Northfield Minnesota
NCSUtrey wrote:
VHF
GPS (x2) -both programmed with waypoints
4 flares
Cell phone in a drybag
EPIRB
Willie Nelson's greatest hits


Everything but the Willie Nelson is on the list. Even the two GPS's. Which I have.


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