Here's a screencap from SPOT. Looks like they made it to the dock about 8 pm.

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/6307/bobharbor.jpg

dunah...dunah....dunah...dunah......

That is awesome they had calm enough seas to make it all the way to Exuma on the first leg.

That monster eats props like no other...

Ok, Bob just called... they ran 66 all the way to Bimini. He said it was like glass and they were averaging about 62 out of Bimini until the prop let go.

He was the one in the water and said the shark was about 10 feet. (big enough in my book!) :eek:

It was getting dark by the time they got tied up so they are planning to change the prop first thing in the morning, top off the power steering fluid and hopefully be on their way to the Turks and Caicos by 9:30 am. The wind is supposed to pick up on Monday, so the plan is to leave the boat (Georgetown?) and come fly back.

:drink:

That's why I stick 2 the bluegills in Lake Michigan!!!!!:eek: B safe out there Bob!!!:coolcowboy:

Just got a call from Bob with an update. Not great news. :(

They were unable to get the prop changed- the replacement wouldn't go onto the shaft.

And the power steering problem is more serious than fluid- as they still don't have it after reloading the reservoir. (Bob suspects a broken or leaking hose.)

So they are currently idling at 10mph on a 40 mile journey back to Nassau where there is a travel lift and, hopefully a solution to their problems. I guess the good news is the ocean is still dead flat. I couldn't get excited at the prospect of idling forty miles through 2-3 footers. :eek:

He is hopeful they can get things sorted out and if so, they will try to get to Georgetown tomorrow.

He plans to post an update this evening.

OK. We are back in Nassau for repairs. Our day on the water yesterday, at least up until we broke the prop had to be one of my best days ever. Had that not happened we would have made Georgetown by 8 PM last night and likely be pulling into T & C about now. But that is boating, it has happened before and I am sure it will happen again. We were able to get the broken prop off without too much trouble this morning but the spare would just not go on. Same as the night before our run to Cancun when we had to have another prop flown in. Tomorrow we will hopefully get it into a travel lift and pound on it till it fits !! In addition we still have an issue with steering. There is absolutely NONE ! We idled 4 hrs today from Highborne Cay Marina where we stayed last night on the boat back to Nassau where there is some hope of getting it fixed. We came back 40 miles steering the boat using every possible means to keep the boat on track - tabs, throttles, transmissions, and bow thrusters to steer!
Anyway we are here now and looking forward to dinner at NOBU's at Atlantis tonight. Hans is going to make me like sushi he says.
We will see what tomorrow brings as far as boat repairs and if we attempt to head down to Georgetown tomorrow afternoon. I hear the weather is changing tomorrow so that needs checking.
I went thru thru the thread to see who guessed closest to our arrival time at Hurricane Hole Marina yesterday. Unless I am wrong it appears to be my hometown friend back in Ontario, 1bagger. Paul's guess was 4 PM and the SPOT message that went to my cell phone said 4:20 PM. He would have been even closer had we not taken some extra time and passed by the Atlantis from the beach side before entering Nassau Harbor. Congratulations Paul, I will bring it back to Canada for you.
We have taken lots of pictures and not just sure when I can get to post them. Stay tuned and thanks for following along. :)
Bob

I hope someone used the line......."Bob, I think you are going to need a bigger boat!" :D

Great adventure Bob, glad you guys were able to improvise and get Predator back to Nassau.

Bob, a hammer sledge & a little grease & your good 2 go!!!!:lolhit:

THIS from a dentist!!!

Scary chit!:lolhit::lolhit:

U'd B surprised Alec what I use in my office 2 get the job done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:party-smiley-004::evilb:

Some pics
 

I have a bit of time tonight so will post the first 5 pics of our trip in sequence.

1 & 2 - launch at Haulover Park, North Miami.

3) GPS showing our running speed of 65.9 MPH and 110 deg. course to Bimini. I think we crossed in about 45 min but need to confirm that. Not bad for a diesel boat :)

4) shows SPOT tracker and how flat the Atlantic was

5) Cat Cay about 9 miles south of Bimini where we cleared Customs. Took 2 hours same as last time as planes get priority.

1) Bob at Cat Cay Yacht Club - actually the fuel dock.

2) Leaving Cat and heading across the Bank

3) Hans turning the Go Pro video camera on off Paradise Island. Should have some good video to post when home.

4) Atlantis from offshore

5) Cruise ships as we enter Nassau harbor

I'm sending a professional photographer over. Wait:drink:

He, he. Bring him, don't send him ! Can't wait Alec. :)

Last batch of pics. That completes our day Saturday. Spectacular day up until prop breaking.

1) Atlantis from harbor side

2) Hurricane Hole Marina, Paradise Island. $4.00 / ft Ouch, I thought Key west was bad.

3) Nassau Harbor & bridges from Nassau over to Paradise Island

4) Sunset as we made our way to Highborne Cay for the night.

5) Nurse shark at Highborne Cay, not the one that checked me out when trying to change the prop ! LOL

LMAO, as I read that there was a Crest "Sensitivity" banner across the bottom of the page:eek:

At least someone(thing) was check'n ya out Bob!!! Things R look'n up!!!:coolcowboy:

He, he. They say nurse sharks are harmless but I had no intentions of finding out. LOL It was kind of a funny scene as I was in the water hanging onto ladder with one hand, prop wrench in the other and Marc was holding Hans' ankles as he hung face first over the swim platform. Like I said, would have made a funny pic but needed a fourth person to take it.

Going to boat now. Lift out at 10 AM. Will know in a while whether we are boating later today or flying out. Nice day here just yet but can feel breeze is starting to pick up.

Good luck and be safe
:kiss:

good luck, I am happy to hear you are having a new adventure

Another great adventure for us to follow along with you.
Looks like you are having the 'time of your life', again!

Go fast, Go safe, and keep us updated.

R U sure U want 2 go there!!!????????:evilb::grinser010:

Just got a call from Adventurer Number One and he says they are back in the water and heading for Georgetown!

Steering issue was a blown hydraulic line at the pump. They went to a local NAPA and they made one while they waited.

Let's hope that's the end of their mechanical issues.

Onward!

Cool, I bet that made a hell of a mess.

Yep. He told me last night the bilge was full of hydraulic fluid.

We made a stop to show Hans and Marc the wild pigs at Big Major Cay on our way down to Georgetown.

In the last pic I figured it was safe to swim at Big Major Cay if the pigs have not been eaten by sharks since I was was there a year ago!! Would that make a tasty meal for them. :)

Great adventure Bob!!!! Thanks for sharing!!

Thanks Jim and others. Hans and Marc flew back to FL early this morning. I found I could get a direct flight from Nassau to Toronto at 3 PM today so will have some time to relax a little and post more pics later this morning. Wind is really howling this morning so secured the boat about 5:30 PM in Georgetown just in time. :) Plan is to resume our trip to Turks and Caicos late next week, weather provided.

Hey Bob, the trip sounds like a great time, I did about 10 weeks working in the bahamas this past winter, and we hit all the same spots you have gone to. if you are still down there, you should try to get into compass cay, it is only 10 minutes from Big majors, and it is by far the most pristine water in a marina I have ever seen, the sharks come up onto the dock at high tide and you can pet them. We also spent a lot of time at atlantis, hurricane hole and Highbourne cay.
Here are some of my pics of feeding the pigs at staniel cay, thunderball cave, and some others from the area.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref...09&id=48900089

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref...11&id=48900089

[IMG]http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=30001782#!
/photo.php?pid=3491969&id=588044916[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=30001782#!
/photo.php?pid=3491985&id=588044916[/IMG]
http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?i...0&id=588044916

1)Bob and Hans removing prop at Highborne Cay

2)5 blade prop now a 4 blade. 3rd one I have broken in 2 years.

3)Bob in his perch bringing boat back to Nassau at idle speed with no steering.

4) Hans goofing off......again!

1) marina guys could not believe we brought boat back 40 miles and down this fairway to lift with no steering LOL

2)in the lift at Nassau. After boat was in slings ready for lift guy tells me he has no insurance for boats over 40 ft and should he go head ? Yes !

3)fuel dock attendant. Was not sure if he was dead or having a nap. Too funny. It was 2 PM and over 90 deg and here he sleeps in the blazing sun!

4) Hans and Marc at the helm crossing the bank south of Nassau

5) boat secure at February Point Maina at Georgetown, Exumas

Nice pictures Bob, show more ! You may not
want to come back north, its 41 and raining
in ohio. Have safe one.
Rick

Bob,

I love the picture of you sitting on top of the front seat bolsters, while underway. I assume Mr. Autopilot had things under control. I just read the picture caption, no steering means no Mr. Autopilot.

What an awesome adventure, and this is only the beginning.

Thank you for sharing it with us!

2 many Bahama Mama's!!!!!!:ernaehrung004: Or,:bong:

Thanks for sharing bob. Those pictures look awsome. Good luck and be safe. Hope you make it to T&C this time
Tim R.

Bob,

Be Safe and Enjoy the trip

3: 40 is my guess
Most important part is to be Safe.
Jim

At the time that pic was taken we were tracking fairly straight but that was not always the case. Auto pilot was not operational with no hydraulics. Every once in a while it would start off in another direction and I could not bring it back without pulling back on the throttles and putting one transmission in reverse to get back on course. Small adjustments were made with tabs and throttle adjustments. Once I had all of us on the starboard side of the boat to try and get back on coarse. For a laugh I held my right arm straight out the starboard side and the others did as well. Too funny. Too bad we did not have someone to take that picture. We had a lot of laughs over the few days and there were times that I felt a bit down when I saw we were not going to get all the way to Turks and Caicos on this first leg of the trip. Hans and Marc were great guys to have along as they were just happy to be on the water and would roll with any situation. It made my job a whole lot easier ! They were also a big help when there was work to do. Thank you Hans and Marc. :)

Sorry Jim, but you are a couple days too late with your time !! I know you are in a different time zone but we arrived ( the first time LOL ) in Nassau at 4:20 PM on Saturday. 1bagger guessed 4 PM so looks like he won.

Yes, being safe is number one. We never felt unsafe at any time since we left. Boat is now put away until we return late next week. I am now back in Toronto and looking forward to continuing the trip / adventure.