Bahamas Cruise to Abacos

[kasmith21]

We are planning to head to the Bahamas (Abacos) 2nd week in May. Boat is in Florida now. We are planning to leave from Lake Worth inlet. Just wondering if anyone else was planning a trip and interested in joining us for the Gulf Stream crossing?? Sumner indicated he may possibly be in that area in May....would be great to meet up with anyone else who may be over there.
We will try to keep this board up to date on our progress throughout the trip. The admiral also created a blog (she is a web designer by trade so she likes doing that kind of stuff) which you can find here...http://www.sailingtobahamas.com
Cheers
Kevin

[Chinook]

You've got a great trip ahead of you. In 2004 we cruised the Abacos, also departing out of Lake Worth Inlet. It was an amazing trip. We'll be eager to follow your adventures on your website. If you're interested, shoot me a PM, and I can mention some of our favorite anchorages and places.

[bahama bound]

How long do you plan on the trip taking ? We have set 3 months aside for a island hopping adventure ! Planned on hitting exumas first ?

[kasmith21]

We have 4 weeks off but we will need couple days driving there and back so we anticipate about 24 days on the water (some of which maybe spent waiting for a weather window...although we are hoping for good crossing windows in May....but you never know). If the weather doesnt co-operate then we will spend the time cruising down to the keys etc (or maybe just a short trip to Bimini).
We know 24 days is a fairly tight timeframe but we think it is doable in a manageable manner if we dont get hung up in a bad weather for the crossing (keeping our fingers crossed).

Bahama Bound, when are you planning to cross?
Cheers
Kevin

[kasmith21]

Chinook, just curious on how much anchor chain did use when you were in the Abacos. I have a line on 50 ft of Galvanized chain but was thinking that maybe overkill...curious on your thoughts since I assume you spent some time on the hook there.
Thanks

[Chinook]

On our trip to the Abacos in 2004 we had 20 feet of chain, and were using a plow type anchor called Hydrobubble. Regarding length of chain, I think I may have only had 15 feet. For quite some time, I've gone with 20 feet. You'll rarely be tempted to anchor in water over 30 feet deep in the Abacos. We often anchored in water as shallow as 4 feet at low tide. That's one of the great things about the Mac, being able to get into shallow water. Several times we were able to go in past the deeper draft boats and anchor in an inside location. One problem we encountered when anchoring in the Abacos was difficulty finding sandy bottom patches in the midst of extensive weed (eel grass and such). The Hydrobubble is fairly light in weight, and doesn't have a very sharp penetrating point. It wouldn't hold in weed bottom, and I doubt if extra chain would have helped. Another problem we had was trying to anchor in places with current. The bottom out there us usually sand, and light weight coral sand at that. If you're in a place with reversing current, the bottom will often be scoured, with a thin layer of sand on top of hard coral rock. Unless your anchor is able to substantially penetrate the bottom, it's not likely to hold if the wind comes up at night. In my view, an extremely long length of chain may give a false sense of security, holding you in place under most conditions, but still allowing the anchor to drag if it's not well hooked. We did drag one night during a strong blow, and it was quite hectic for a while. Trust me, you don't want to wake up in the middle of a windy night with mangrove branches scratching against the cabin windows, and a jagged vertical coral shelf just a few feet away.

When we went to the Exumas in 2011 the Hydrobubble had long since been retired, and replaced with a Bruce type anchor I picked up on our way to Alaska. The Bruce served well on the 2011 trip, including resetting itself in the middle of the night when a fast norther blew through, with sudden shift in direction and 40 mph winds. It rehooked right away and we barely shifted position. The Bruce did have trouble with weed bottoms though, and so I always looked for a patch of sand to drop into. I also often put the snorkel mask on and dove on the anchor, to visually inspect the set. I managed to foul the Bruce and/or chain on a boulder two summers ago on the west coast of Vancouver Island and had to cut the rode. The old Hydrobubble came out as backup and served till we got home. I looked at a variety of anchor types in shopping for a new main anchor, and ended up with a Rochna. The Rochna, Manson, and several other new generation anchors seem to outperform most of the old standbys, and so far, I'm really happy with it. It weighs 22lbs, has a very sharp penetrating tip, and is rated well for most bottoms. It should do better than most in weed because of the weight and sharp point. It also resets very well in a shift of wind or current. It's a bit difficult to fit into an anchor roller. I had to modify my bow roller a bit, but it sits well there now.

Regarding long chain, I'm not a big fan. I think the right anchor for the conditions you're in is most important, and 20 feet of chain is enough for my boat. I have a hard enough time pulling up the anchor/chain weight I already have. For those times when I want to reduce the angle of the rode, I carry a 15 lb kellet, which I can slide down the rode to the top of my chain.

[Sumner]

I have 25-30 foot of I believe 5/16 chain (I went up one recommended size). I'm a believer in the chain as it helps to keep the pull on the anchor more parallel with the bottom which is what you need to be pulling it into the bottom and not out of it. I also get generous with scope any time I can. I figure it from the bottom to the top of the bow at 7:1 and use that for the rope length and have the chain length in addition. Say the water depth is 6 foot at high tide I'd go 6 +4 = 10 (feet from bottom to anchor roller) and take that times 7 = 70 (feet of rope). So would put out at least 70 foot of rope plus the chain on top of that.

That is way more than you see most people putting down but they also talk about dragging at times. I sleep through about anything on the boat so need to know I hopefully don't drag and have never drug using the 25 lb. Manson Supreme and only once maybe 20 feet or so with the 22 lb. Bruce but also haven't anchored in the Bahamas yet buy hopefully next week will be.

I now also always back down on the anchor. That way I'll know it is holding me and not the chain. I'll go to reverse and give it about as much gas as I can before the outboard wants to kick up. If I know the winds are going to really kick up I'll add to the scope and think about using the second anchor at about 30-40 degrees from the other out front. Or will put two down 180 deg from each other (one towards shore and one out) if I think a wind change might swing me to shore. Also use that with the 180 deg. set for a narrow channel with the 180 deg. set being parallel to shore (Bahamian Moor) and also use that if I want to suck up close to shore. Don't just think one method, use what you need with the current conditions.

I for sure wouldn't go with less than 2 good anchors and I have a Fortress FX-11 stored below and 2 more rodes. Overkill but if you ever need it then it won't be.

It is easy to know how much rode you have out. Take some electrical tape and put one wrap at 25 feet, two wraps at 50 feet, 3 wraps at 75 feet and 4 at 100 and start over again with 1 at 125, etc.. You can see these as the rode plays out of the rode bag. I still love...



http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner ... ng-20.html

... the hard sided coolers as rode bags. I've never had a line foul going out and it is easy to pull in and just drop the rode into the bag without having to try and coil it, quick and easy going in and out.

Sumner

============================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Chinook]

I really enjoy talking about anchoring. It conjures up happy memories (mostly). I've recently started deploying a trip line and float most of the time when anchoring. The first few times I tried doing this, things got messed up and tangled very quickly. The system I now use pretty well solves the problem. For the trip line, I use a 20 foot length of 3/8 inch nylon line, which is tied to the buoy. Tied to this is one of those long stretchy tethers, which are designed for anchoring near shore and pulling the boat back out into deep water after you step off onto the beach. I never used it for that purpose, but I like it as part of my trip line. It acts like a super snubber, giving me adequate length for most depths I would anchor in (the combined lines will stretch out to around to nearly 40 feet), but keeping the buoy from drifting around too much if I was in shallower water and had an excessively long trip line connected to it. The bungee allows for changes in tide, and eliminates the need for coiling up and tying off excess trip line when anchoring in shallow water. The other issue I addressed is stowage. Sandy sewed up a neat storage bag out of sunbrella, with a mesh bottom for drainage. The buoy and trip line fit into the bag, and the bag attaches to the bow pulpit where it is always handy for use. I keep the bungee clipped to the trip line hole on the anchor. When it's time to drop the anchor I just open the bag, toss the buoy and line overboard to one side, and then lower the anchor to the bottom. Having the stretch line connected to the anchor minimizes any chance of fouling as things are lowered. It floats, and so easily stays up and away from the descending anchor. The trip line gives nice assurance that I have at least a fighting chance of saving the anchor if it snags something on the bottom. Another benefit to this system, which I really like, is that it always shows exactly where your anchor is located. This is particularly handy when you're the first one to anchor in an area, and the next boat arrives. If they start to crowd me, I can point to my buoy and say that my anchor is directly below the float. If I'm in really clear water, or water that is warm and shallow, where I could swim down onto a fouled anchor, I won't bother to use the buoy, but in most other situations I drop it in.

[kasmith21]

Thanks for the anchoring suggestions...very informative. I just purchased 25 feet of galvanized chain for my main CQR anchor. I also have another smaller Bruce anchor (I think it is a knock off of some sort) which has 15 feet of chain. I also have a fortress anchor at my disposal which I will probably bring as well (might be handy for the dinghy).
Chinook- you dont by chance have a picture of your anchor setup. I am interested in this trip line idea with the snubber. Sounds like a great idea. Anchoring is one thing that has concerned me about our trip as I have heard of some horror stories of people who have dragged anchor in the bahamas and woke up to find themselves bouncing off another boat or worse yet a reef.

FYI- our blog/website was updated to a new address if anyone is interested in taking a look. The admiral is a web developer and graphic designer so she likes doing this kind of stuff.

http://www.sailingtobahamas.com

Thanks again for your suggestions. I am sure I will have more questions as we get closer to our departure date.

[Tomfoolery]

FYI- our blog/website was updated to a new address if anyone is interested in taking a look. The admiral is a web developer and graphic designer so she likes doing this kind of stuff.

"UPDATE: Apparently “battery power” is more important than “coffee”. Still discussing "

You'd better get your priorities straight. What good is battery power if you haven't had your morning coffee?

If I might stick my head into the firefight for a moment, I'd suggest a Melitta pour-over brewing cone, with water heated over a flame. Or for that matter, a real old-fashioned percolator, heated over a flame. You can watch the coffee perking in the glass window while humming the Maxwell House theme in your head, and still have your batteries intact. For anything that requires heat (just about anything that cooks anything), there's nothing like liquid fuel. Those little butane stoves can be had for as little as $13 or so, carrying case included.

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/portabl ... 7Aod82IA6w

As far as I'm concerned, morning coffee is non-negotiable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_HN_3ulO9M

[mrron_tx]

FYI- our blog/website was updated to a new address if anyone is interested in taking a look. The admiral is a web developer and graphic designer so she likes doing this kind of stuff.

"UPDATE: Apparently “battery power” is more important than “coffee”. Still discussing "

You'd better get your priorities straight. What good is battery power if you haven't had your morning coffee?

If I might stick my head into the firefight for a moment, I'd suggest a Melitta pour-over brewing cone, with water heated over a flame. Or for that matter, a real old-fashioned percolator, heated over a flame. You can watch the coffee perking in the glass window while humming the Maxwell House theme in your head, and still have your batteries intact. For anything that requires heat (just about anything that cooks anything), there's nothing like liquid fuel. Those little butane stoves can be had for as little as $13 or so, carrying case included.

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/portabl ... 7Aod82IA6w

As far as I'm concerned, morning coffee is non-negotiable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_HN_3ulO9M

Ditto.... There Is nothing without coffee Ron.

[kasmith21]

I will show this to her...I think I am winning the coffee discussion
PS- She also asked if there were Tim Hortons in the Abacos...(the poor Canadian's equivalent of Starbucks)

[Chinook]

If I recall correctly, Tim Horton was a famous hockey player who decided to sell donuts when he retired. Hockey isn't big in the Abacos, so you'll search in vain for a Tim Horton's. As a matter of fact, I don't think you'll find any sort of franchise establishment in the Abacos, which is just fine by me. They're not even big on putting signs out. In places like Fox Town the grocery will be the pink house a quarter mile down the road, and they might have a dozen or so items on the shelves. Even in Marsh Harbor, the largest town in the Abacos, the businesses are all local. Much more interesting that way. Regarding anchoring, if you'll send me a pm with your email address, I'll be able to send you some pictures. Let me know what you're specifically interested in. The trip line/buoy won't be needed in most Abaco anchoring situations, since the bottom is generally sand or weed, and the water is warm and shallow enough to dive down on, for visual inspection. I would use a trip line if any coral heads were nearby, which you might run afoul of. It would also be helpful if you found yourself in a crowded anchorage. One such place, and worth a stop, is at Guana Cay. Anchor there and dinghy ashore. A short walk across the island, passing by the multicolor painted backhoe and the adequately signed poison wood tree, you'll find Nippers, which is a legendary watering hole in the Abacos. We happened to be there for the Barefoot Man concert, which attracted 4000 well lubricated fans. It was quite a happening. Speaking of the Barefoot Man, he's a middle aged singer, who fancies himself to be the Jimmy Buffet of the Bahamas. He's pretty good, and it's fun to listen to his music while cruising through the islands he sings about. Regarding dinghy anchor, I used to carry a backup danforth knockoff as my dinghy anchor. I found it to be too big and awkward for use with the dinghy. Overkill, and too many sharp points for an inflatable. I've gone to one of those folding grapple anchors, sized for dinghy use. I stow it, along with lines and other dinghy stuff, in a 5 gallon plastic bucket. I cut the bottom out and siliconed a clear plastic bottom into it, so I can uses it to look underwater. I saw a cool dinghy anchoring system recently, which looks handy for anchoring your dinghy out from shore, so it doesn't get left high and dry on a falling tide, or partly swamped on a rising tide with small shore break. The idea is to go ashore in the dinghy, then lay the anchor on the front tube of the dinghy. You attach a 100 foot long 1/4" line to the bow, hold the end of the line, and then give the dinghy a shove. When it gets out there, pull the anchor into the water with the 1/4" line, and tie the end of the line off on shore. It looks like a good idea, and I plan to try it out.

[Sumner]

We are planning to head to the Bahamas (Abacos) 2nd week in May. ....Cheers Kevin

Did you go? Are you there now? I should be in parts of the Abacos in a 7-12 days or so from now. Not sure when I'll have wifi next but post if you can,

Sumner

============================
2015 To the Bahamas and back -- I hope

Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[bahama bound]

It is about departure time ,right ?