I plan on making the crossing this spring on my N20. I have a few crew options anxious to make the crossing with me. I also have a power boat owner who says he'll be a chase boat. I'm interested in finding out if there are other sailors interested.

My idea so far is to pick a week some time in April where we'd plan to leave on the best day and return a day or two later depending on weather.

If anyone else is interested we could begin to plan together.

probably want to mark out a week for weather. A few guys tried it on H20s way back, but the wind died about 20 miles offshore and they had to turn back.

A chase boat is ideal, as would a tow harness I suspect.

Do you have to clear the boat with Immigration @ Bimini?

Is Bimini closer to Ft. Lauderdale, than Cuba is to Key West?

Bimini is about 50 miles off the coast, Cuba is about 90 miles from Key West.

A few friends and I are looking into chartering a cruising cat to do the same thing, around the same time... perhaps we can share ideas/data and or even fleet up to do it

Nice short day's run...but you do have to contend with that gulf stream thingy...Still, with a good north west push after a cold front, might be a fun ride.

Now, how about getting back?

oh, getting back....um

You do have to deal with Bahamian Immigration and the gulf stream is a factor for most boats, but i doubt a 3 knot push is going to affect any beach cat in more than 10knts of air.

Really bumpy, but fun I guess...

It would be fun to coordinate a beachcat regatta with Abaco Race Week. http://regattatimeinabaco.com/
Perhaps a car/ferry ship to get beachcat fleet over there.

That sounds like fun!

I've done the crossing many times with two of my motorboats and the weather can be very tricky. Plan plenty of time late spring or summer is a lot less troublesome when it settles down.

Doesn't take much wind to make the Gulf Stream very rough but if you guys give yourself a big enough window for weather you should be fine. As mentioned the crossing is about 50NM.

The boats I have done it with are a 46 Azimut cruising at 25 knots and a 42 MTI so when the window is there it's a short hop. Once there you cab hop from small island to another relatively easily and it's fairly shallow so less susceptible to weather, all you need is a window to come back. Nice marina and place to stay once there with a beautiful marina.
http://www.biminibayresort.com/

Wow, $150 fee to bring your own boat. Been planning on doing the crossing as well on my N20. Guess I better start looking at weather patterns and what time of year. I heard Steve Lohmayer used to do it on his TheMightyHobie18...by himself.

I live in Miami so waiting out for the best few days is not a problem for me. I may start a little further south to allow for the gulf stream. Hoping to get winds from the S or SE, I hear N winds aren't the best for crossing in. Yes customs must be cleared in Bimini and back in FL. Rooms and a beach don't look like a problem.

This is what the gulf stream looks like in April....just sayin.... check out minute 1 in the lighthouse, and then at 3 minutes...whoa

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=T4FIS1FnOQg

Are you sure that's the gulf stream? We don't even get that in hurricanes. If we did the southern most point in the state would be Jacksonville.

I might be interested in the fleet part. Put me on the list if there is one.

Pick your window carefully. The N. wind puts you wind against current and creates some cat breaking conditions. I think Leandro tried it a couple of years ago, but had to turn back. During the Worrells that I did, somebody (usually a newbie) would try to pick up the Gulf Stream current and many paid dearly for it.

The video was NOT the Gulf Stream.
I ran charters to the Bimini and the Bahamas on 67' sailboats, that were more or less motorsailors.
The stream can be a scream whenever there is any sort of northerly -- the winds and current in opposition. That is when the seas are what we used to call "Square Waves" of 15'-20' where as you came off a wave the boat would just drop straight down as if off a cliff.
At 8 knots I would steer 15-degrees farther south and wind up right at Bimini every time, dead reckoning -- all we had then was Loran, which did not work in that area.
Best launching spot would be somewhere like Key Largo, where you would have the stream pushing you all the way.

And Bimini is a blast.., good restaurants and bars. End of the Earth Sand Bar was pretty funny. Nice people as well.
Have fun,
Rick

Ok,Rick, so I can leave the truck and trailer at your place? How about the return? Would that be a bit much going against it? I've done a few deliveries from USVI/BVI's up the east coast in the spring and always stayed outside of the Bahamas to avoid the rough waters of the Gulfstream. Will be doing the crossing in the next year or two in the Nacra 20 for sure, unless they get the Cuba Run to go (Webster isn't giving up on it).