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-   -   What would you do to prepare for an open ocean trip? (https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-boating-discussion/284642-what-would-you-do-prepare-open-ocean-trip.html)

Crossett 09-11-2012 04:29 PM

What would you do to prepare for an open ocean trip?
 
I'm thinking about going from Miami -> Bimini -> Bahamas in my little outlaw. The trip would be in the day during calm weather. Aside from GPS what would you do to prepare for something like this? Radios? Charts? Preventative maintenance? I know a lot of you guys have probably done this before, tips on navigating reefs or just ocean boating in general?

blaquebaja 09-11-2012 05:36 PM

Minimum of two (2) engine or at least three other boat. 24 is little to small for my comfort.

mikebrls 09-11-2012 06:13 PM


Originally Posted by blaquebaja (Post 3774679)
Minimum of two (2) engine or at least three other boat. 24 is little to small for my comfort.

x2 at least have 2 motor's or another boat going .if you get stock in the gulf stream it will pull you north with a strong current anywhere from 10 to 20 mph at time's :(

TBAG 09-11-2012 06:15 PM

Buy a bigger boat with twins.

Craney 09-11-2012 06:20 PM

How many miles is it??

Crossett 09-11-2012 06:26 PM


Originally Posted by mikebrls (Post 3774717)
x2 at least have 2 motor's or another boat going .if you get stock in the gulf stream it will pull you north with a strong current anywhere from 10 to 20 mph at time's :(

There's talk of people taking jetski's too

Crossett 09-11-2012 06:27 PM


Originally Posted by TBAG (Post 3774720)
Buy a bigger boat with twins.

It's not in the budget

Crossett 09-11-2012 06:33 PM


Originally Posted by Craney (Post 3774724)
How many miles is it??

Miami to Bimini is 50
Bimini to The Bahamas is about 80

The distance from where I put in to where I hang out on the lake is about 30 miles. I've run up there, turned around and run back absolutely as hard as she'll go numerous times. I know that the ocean is a totally different ballgame than a lake, but the distance alone doesn't seem to be that big of an issue.

HabanaJoe 09-11-2012 06:44 PM

I have made that trip in a 20' Seacraft (solo boat) with a single 175 Johnson more times than most here are years old, it's only 40 miles to the flats - is it smart looking back, probably not the smartest.

Always better with another boat but single engine is fine here's my advice:

- have a sat phone - you can call someone along the way and just say "hey we're doing good and we're here, call you in 2 hours" if they don't here from you they know where you were and the Coast Gaurd can figure out where you could be?

- always have plenty of drinking water

- spare set of belts

- oil filter, fuel filter and enough oil for 1 oil change

- spare prop

- sea anchor

- a chart is good and make a little list of compass headings before hand so you know without GPS what direction you should be heading to get to your next waypoint and so forth

- most important drive the boat easy and flat so it never leaves the water!!!

Do all that and you'll be fine, that's what we did for many years and of course another boat tagging along is great to have.

troper 09-11-2012 06:53 PM


Originally Posted by HabanaJoe (Post 3774752)
I have made that trip in a 20' Seacraft (solo boat) with a single 175 Johnson more times than most here are years old, it's only 40 miles to the flats - is it smart looking back, probably not the smartest.

Always better with another boat but single engine is fine here's my advice:

- have a sat phone - you can call someone along the way and just say "hey we're doing good and we're here, call you in 2 hours" if they don't here from you they know where you were and the Coast Gaurd can figure out where you could be?

- always have plenty of drinking water

- spare set of belts

- oil filter, fuel filter and enough oil for 1 oil change

- spare prop

- sea anchor

- a chart is good and make a little list of compass headings before hand so you know without GPS what direction you should be heading to get to your next waypoint and so forth

- most important drive the boat easy and flat so it never leaves the water!!!

Do all that and you'll be fine, that's what we did for many years and of course another boat tagging along is great to have.


+1 did it many times in a 25' Donzi


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