Cruising the Bahamas in a Mac 26M

[James V]

I have a thread on the Sail Far site that accepts the bigger Pics and I do not have to post them twice. There is the thread. I will post updates when I post new pic's. There is some new pics of the foundry at Little Harbour and Man of War Cay.

http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php?topic=1063.0

[James V]

My buddy boat on crossing to Bimini has a blog as well for his and his wife's adventures in the Bahamas with a Mac 25S. Right now their in the Exumas at Warderick Wells.

http://fiberglassvengeance.blogspot.com/

It just takes me to long to write so I did not make one.

[Divecoz]

James V and anyone else who has actually made a trip across big water .
What are the real logistics to making this voyage?
My fantasy is. . .and only a fantasy as I have yet to ever sail anything like this but have the desire.
My boat is as ready as she can be.
I have 30 gallons on board for my 50 HP Merc. Big Foot.
I have waited for a good weather window.
I leave before daylight from somewhere around Key Largo.
I am under Motor power the entire way, at a cruiseing speed of around 8 to 12 mph.
Long before dark I arrive within sight of safe harbor.

Now please tell me the reality of such a trip as you have made.

[Chinook]

We made our crossing from West Palm Beach to West End, Grand Bahama Island in mid February 2003. We allowed 2 months for our cruise, and planned on cruising the Abacos to Little Harbor, and then return, mostly back tracking, but traversing the canal across Grand Bahama Island to visit Lucaya. The trip was great, and proceeded pretty much as planned.

We had 29 gallons of fuel on board, and 14 gallons of water. This was our longest open water cruise at the time, and first time out of sight of land. Our boat was heavily loaded with provisions for the trip. At the marina the night before departure, I filled the water ballast and found her sitting 2 to 3 inches lower than usual.

Normal crossing strategy is to depart around 4:30 am, with arrival by mid afternoon. We radioed from the marina and hooked up with another boat to buddy up with on the crossing. Mistake number one was not checking the channel between the marina and Lake Worth Inlet in daylight. Shortly after pulling away from the dock on departure day, I managed to find a sand bar in the dark. Not the best start to a crossing. That messed up the planned rendezvous with our "buddy boat". We got off the bar ok, and then passed through the Inlet, entering the Atlantic swell in pitch darkness.

My previous experience had shown that I got about 4 miles to a gallon of fuel, and with about 65 miles to cross, I intended on running at full throttle, to make the crossing as quickly as possible. That was very nearly mistake number two. In making my southing into the Gulf Stream, and with a 3 to 4 foot sea running, and heavily loaded, my best speed was only about 8 knots at full throttle (50hp Nissan TLDI). I figured if that's the best she'll do, I'll go with it. That worked fine for the first 24 miles when, quite unexpectedly, the motor quit. I knew 12 gallon tank #1 was empty; the problem being that I expected to get about twice as far on that tank. At the rate I was burning gas, it would be tight on getting across. Time for a strategy change. I ran the jib out in the 10 knot southerly breeze, switched tanks, and ran at 2800 rpm the rest of the way. I only used 7 gallons of gas the rest of the way across. Big lesson learned on how to make a crossing in a MacGregor.

Other lessons learned on the trip:

1. Be generous and flexible with time. A norther pinned us down for 6 days at Allens-Pensacola Cay on the way back. Just too rough to get out on the Little Bahama Banks. We were also pinned down for a week at West End, waiting for the northerly wind to clock into the east and south, and allowing the Gulf Stream to settle down enough to return to Florida.

2. Pay attention to "Rage Sea" conditions. We were cautious at the usual places, such as the Whale, but did get caught trying to sneak through a narrow, shallow channel near West End. We only had a mile to go to get into the West End marina, and couldn't really see just how bad it was in the pass. We took green water over the bow and got water into the cabin, not a good thing. Thank goodness for the power of that 50 hp motor.

3. Shallow draft of the Mac makes it perfect for exploring the Bahamas in. We could shallows that would stop the deeper draft boats. And we could anchor closer in than most boats at places like Allens-Pensacola.

4. Only place we had anchoring difficulty was at Grand Cay, where a channel current through the anchorage scours the bottom. The holding there was poor.

5. Adjust your clock to "island time", and try not to be in a hurry. The people we met there were wonderful, and happy, but not in a hurry, and not likely to respond well to an edgy guy from the States who is.

6. Bring your own pop and beer. Buy the rum locally. Rum is cheap, but carbonated beverages are not.

7. Lastly, just do it.

[Divecoz]

Chinook: I spent hours reading about your Northern Adventure as well!
I know there is no way to haul enough fresh water and it too can be expensive so we are contemplating spending a couple days here and there in small hotels . Did you spend the entire 60 days on board?

I have island time down pretty good from living P/T on Cozumel and running numerous construction jobs there as well. We meet in the middle for those. People wonder why it takes so long to build anything South of the Mason Dixon Line. . . . " no fear of winter being on its way"

[Divecoz]

The Pictures are no less than great and add to the inspiration. What could be better than dining on fresh fish you shot or Lobster and Conch for that matter . But what about things like the inevitable Porta Potty clean out?
This brings up another question ? Are night swims out of the question?
In Florida most or at least many Hunter's carry a bang stick . The Bahamas are Famous for Shark dives . So what are you seeing?

[James V]

Divecoz -
30 gal of fuel should be fine, that is what I have. Just keep it below 8 mph. No real need to waiste the fuel. Only a 12 hr trip at 7 mph.

You can get water at any marina or town.

The Weather window is no wind with any N or winds below 7 knots for 24 hrs. With the wind shifting, you should waite 24 hrs for the Stream to calm down. Leave around midnight and you should be fine. Plan an escape route(s) just incase something bad happens, You will have VHF 16 all the way across the gulf stream to Bimini with the coast guard. Get a buddy boat and auto pilot. Mine really saved me. I would not have been able to single hand without it.

It has taken me 12 hrs at 7 mph on both of my crossings. It is really easy with an auto pilot and the motor connect to the rudders. Just set it and sit back and take in the view. It is something to behold. A little to ruff and wet to go faster.

I do recommend an SS prop.

Potti - I had installed a proper marine head with a holding tank. This required the head floor to be made level and an maculator(sp). I can either pump overboard or pump out at the dock. Do get a bigger holding tank than 5 gal's. The V-bearth area would be good.

Sharks, no real problem. When spear fishing, just get into the boat as soon after spearing the fish as possible, clean and move to a different spot. Sharks feed at sunset and sunrise. Problems with a long swim at sunset. As long as there is no blood in the water and you do not play with them, you are OK. I have seen nurse sharks and have not had any problems.

Bang stick, illegal here, No, just cut the line, sharks come back to life way to many times to take the risk.

I have not seen any shark this trip but I have not been in the water much. The shark dives are usually baited.

Supplies, don't take to much, everything is easy to get in the Bahamas. 3 weeks of food is all you need if you want to travel light and save space.

Is it a reality to go to the Bhamans in a Mac, You bet. People do it all the time. My boat is way to much overloaded and people are doing it with much less and older boats. You just need the time to waite for the wind and a great anchor system and supplies to waite it out. And a great desire to make it happen. Before you cross you should know what it is like to spend weeks on your boat with not needing land and IF you want to give up the comforts of land life for a while and go cruising.

I am really rughing it. Anchored in a Man of War Harbor, taking showers on land and doing laundry and only moving the boat when I need/want which I have not done in 1 1/2 weeks and I have internet for $ 20 per week. When the wind blows in the harbor, I have almost no seas.

[Divecoz]

Which auto pilot are you using?
I will check out mods for what I am missing mainly:
1. auto pilot
2. Marine head
3. larger fresh water tank
4. maybe a deck pump/shower(?)
5. Scuba gear is it worth the bulk and weight?
Can you spearfish on scuba?
I have a chance I believe to buy some 40 cu. ft. tanks and leave my 80's at home. 20 to 30 ft. 40c.f. will last close to an hour.
6. Propane is a hassle from what the fellow from Michigan is saying?
Long term to make the trip worth my while... a cooler filled with those 1 lb. tanks lashed to the deck?????

[James V]

I have the New Raymarine S1 with remote. About the only wheel pilot we can use.

2, Head - Reritan.

3. fresh water tank. Get a big one and put under the aft bearth. Mover everything away. Not really needed unless you want to spend weeks without seeing a Soul. Town is always 1 day away if the wind is not to bad

4. Shower, Hmmm, What ever you want to do. Almost always people around, 200 yards or closer. Bimini and weather cloths are very nice.

5. Sucba gear. I would leave the tanks and rent when wanted.
No spear fishing with scuba.

6. Propaine - I posted there. I do not see the threat as long as the tanks have not been used and do not get bounced around much and you use rust protection. Marsh harbor has them as well as some of the smaller Islands. $ 6 per can.

I try not to put anything on deck. to much windage and to much of a threat of hitting something and falling overboard.

I should mention is

Fans, I have 4.

Stove - 2 Force 10 Seacock mounted on the bow side of the galley. I seem to be cooking with both burners most of the time now.

Sat radio is very nice.

Vent in the head.

[James V]

I should ad that the bugs bite here. No-see-um's and others, I have no-see-um neeting on all hatches secured with velcro. These go up when the sun goes down or sooner if the wind is light.

I also stern anchor now.
It is easier for single handing and I can put a yoke(bridal) between the 2 stern cleats and it helps the sway.

Curtians is a must on all windows.

A good bread knife, Fresh bread is $ 2 per loaf and cut bread is $ 3.65 and the fresh bread is sooooo goooood. I have a fiddle bow bread knife by Mountain Woods. Hard to make a bad cut with this.

The pots and pans for the Seacock stove need to be less than 7.8 inches. REI has some good SS ones that I am using. Get the extra handles as the stock one is to not strong enough.

[James V]

I should mention that I do not have any live bugs crawling aroung in my boat. I used liquid Lysol. Just pour it into the bulige and it turns into a guey thing, the bugs crawyl over it and then lick themselves and that kill them.

Mix 4 parts water and 1 part Liquid Lysol and wipe on everything and you will not have mold.

This should be done well ahead of time as the smell can be quite strong.

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Everytime that you change your oil put in fuel injector cleaner in the gas. This helps.

[Catigale]

James - what sort of fuel economy were you getting purring across the sea ..Im guessing you did well (I would love to get the Mercury Monitor system you have)

[Divecoz]

I was in looking thru the Mods and am wondering if James V is still using that Hard Dingy? I assume you lashed it to the fore deck?

[James V]

Yes, I have the hard dinghy. The only time it is on the fordeck is when it is stored. I tow it everwhere. I have a 5/8 - 50 foot poly water toy tow roop from West Marine. Keep it close when it is crowded and all the way back in open water.

I treat it ruffly. Only does 5 mph.

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MPG - on crossing from Key Largo all the way to Marsh Harbor the wind was on the nose and over 12 mph. My milage was around 7 mpg. and I traveled at around 7 mph. The longest run was from Bimini to Great Harbor in the Berry Island, 16 hrs. Auto Pilot the whole way, wind on the nose and wet. I went below and opened the curtians and closed the hatch, set the timmer and looked out every 15 min's.

I used about 11 gals crossing from West End to Bimini with strong winds on the nose. 8 gals the time before as there was not much wind then.

Now I am doing 10 MPG or greater but only doing 5 mph. Using to much power on board. I should have gotton an extra solar pannel, I have 2 20W, I am running the engin 1 hr every 2 or 3 days to top off the batteries.

[Catigale]

Thanks James - gotta love that EFI 4s....long cruising is where you really bring out the best in that motor. I was getting similar mpgs down the Hudson this summer.