Abacos 2004

captgene · Post by **captgene** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 6:07 am

If anybody is interested and wants to come along. "Nauti Marie" is going to bite the big one again this year and go to the Abacos. Fuel (gas) in West End , Bahamas this Memorial Day was $3.37. That is only up .29 from my trip in 2002. Figure the out islands may be .25 more. I just paid $2.30 for fuel Truck delivery here in Fl. last week. So what the heck. Up the limit on the Credit Card and go for it. We are going June 18 thru July 3. E.W. Dugan

lobsta1 · Post by **lobsta1** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 6:52 am

Sure, go ahead & make us up here in the the NE all jealous. We've had nothing but rain, cold or hi winds. Sunday, I was about to go out. We had 20 gusting to 40 kt winds & a strong ebbtide in the same direction. We only have 42' between opposite fingers. The boats on the other side are all sticking out. My neighbor in a 36' Uniflite(with over 40 yrs boating experience) went out 1st. Just as he made his turn, wind & tide both caught him. He backed down hard to bring it back & lost the port engine. Lost the flagpole on the aft cabin went he ended up under the bulkhead ramp. Got restarted & tried to pull straight up between the line of boats. Lost the port again. This was the downwind engine. I ran up & over to the other dock. Before I got there, all you heard was the crunching of fiberglass. He was laid across a 37' Sea Ray ( exposed Delta Fastset anchor) a 28' Rampage ( Danforth on a pulpit) & a 34' Mainship( another big Danforth under the pulpit). The Mainship's anchor fluke snagged a stanchion & ripped it out of the deck. Thrubolts & all. With 24,000 lbs & the wind & tide there was no way of getting him off without him powering out. In retrospect maybe we could have tried to throw a couple of lines upwind to the other dock & maybe we could have pulled him clear. But with all the continueing crunching noises going on, he just wanted to get off the other boats & minimize the damage to them. Final damage: he's got a couple of gouges completely through the gunwhale, the stanchion & other surface gouges. I was impressed by the Mainship's pulpit. The anchor looks like a pretzel but the pulpit only got some gelcoat scratches from the anchor twisting up against the bottom edge. The Rampage has a split pulpit. The Sea Ray looks OK. After that excitement, the Admiral said we weren't leaving the dock! Doug, we took a run over to Palmer's Cove yesterday. Didn't see your boat. Is your deck all back together & are you in the water? That's another nice looking Bert in the 1st row of docks. Al 1978 33 FBC NITES OFF

Post by **Admin** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 8:36 am

Geez, what a catastrophe! It is truly amazing what the wind can do. Yesterday, I got blown past my entrance into our row, and I ended up having to turn around in the tightest of spots to attack it again from the downwind side. All the while, the wind trying to blow me into this multi-million dollar yacht that is ridiculously docked parallel across from the entrance to our row. I got a little sketched out, as I am a fairly new skipper, but I just remained calm, and all worked out fine. I figure it is just another level of much needed experience, but I guess my real point here is that the wind can move you so fast, you hardly have a chance to see where you are going to end up, and even a skipper of 40+ years, you can get caught. Sounds like those wind conditions were really bad. David Sumich Bertram33.com Forum Administrator

Post by **dougl33** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 12:13 pm

AL, I am in the water and the cockpit is all back together. I was actually walking down the ramp and saw you leaving the PCYC channel. Are you referring to the 25 in the very first row next to the ramp, or to the 33 thats further out? I actually went out yesterday myself. I swung in to Bev Harbor to see if you were back in and then started heading for Manchester. I saw you anchored just to the right of the channel entrance. I was on my way to say hello when my buddy called me from his 88 FBC to tell me they were anchoring at Kettle Cove for lunch so I did an about face. So far (2 trips) the boat is running well. Knock on wood! Cruising real nice at 3100 rpms and 19-20 knots. Topping out at nearly 4200 with full fuel and water and 2 pob. Getting almost 30 knots on the GPS. Boy, that wind was something on Sat and Sun wasn't it? Thank god no one was injured. Any thoughts on the rendezvous in Newport? I finally got a permanent job offer in my chosen field on Friday. I start next Monday. I have already made the call to Brian Woods at Fastech in Plymouth to do the hardtop and enclosure. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth

franklyprice · Post by **franklyprice** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 2:15 pm

OUCH. I was dying to go out this weekend after all the cold and rain but the winds on saturday and sunday kept her at the dock.I finally went for a cod fishing trip on monday when the wind finally died , it was beautiful, water as calm as it gets off of Gloucester, `till about noon. Caught a wolf fish and some small cod but it was more importantly the first time off the dock for the season and things went pretty well. This is my first season with a boat this size and at a marina. I wasn`t in a hurry to try out my docking abilities in 37 mile an hour gusts so now I feel much better about sitting out saturday and sunday. Frank Price `87 SF "JEANNE CLAIRE'

captgene · Post by **captgene** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 3:27 am

Sorry guys...sounds like a pretty crappy weekend up there. It usually is here too. For once we had a beautiful Memorial Day. I think it was 2-3, 2-4 in the afternoons, but just a strong sea breeze. Normally it is something like the one you had. My brother-in-law went out fishing from Port Jeff on Sat. in a 24 ft bowrider. Dumb ass had to call and tell me they made it back alive due to some miracle. E.W. Dugan

will newton · Post by **will newton** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 7:34 am

E.W. I sold my boat otherwise I would join you down in the Abacos. Long trip from Jacksonville but I was dying to do it. We are fixing up a house (I think you are doing one as well) and the boat lost the money battle....terrible thing, when your boat sale barely covers a kitchen rehab!! Next boat will be a Bertram 37.....one day. Have fun down there. Will Newton

captgene · Post by **captgene** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 7:45 am

Will, No Boat! That is not good. We finished the remodel. Doubled the size of the house (and the mortgage). Now I need a new lawn, new sprinkler system , etc, etc. It never ends. I get hasseled every time I work on the Boat and not the house. Boat is winning so far. I figure by the end of the summer I'll get the house thing straightened out. I won't be able to spend anything on fuel after this Abacos trip, and have to stay home. E.W. Dugan

will newton · Post by **will newton** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 9:46 am

Yes, very difficult but our kitchen was really in bad shape and my wife was putting up a pretty big fight (she refered to our boat as MDK "my damn kitchen"). Feel like I'm on withdraw....got the shakes and everything. Testement to the B33'...we got in, enjoyed the hell out of her and got out without much trouble. Not too many boats you can do that with and not lose your ass (especially a boat that is 15 years old). Appealing design and well built...hard to find a problem with it as long as you show her some love. We will get another one day and join you in Abacoland. Have a safe time. Best, Will Newton

captgene · Post by **captgene** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 5:25 am

Return from the Abacos. What a great trip. Boca to West End. West End to Spanish Cay. To Great Guana (Nippers) on to Hope Town. Rough crossing but flat seas , NO rain after that. No fish! Hooked up to a couple of Wahoo, and couldn't even slow them down. Got some Yellow Tail, and speared Hogfish and Grouper. Highlight was the Hooter's Calendar girls next to us in Guana (w/o cloths). Fuel...$3.63 was the low. Paid $4.07 in Green Turtle. Guana was $3.95. Bit worse than anticipated. Still a good trip. gotta have diesels. Boat with me had the 300 Yanmars. 60 gals to my 205.9 , and he ran 28 kts. to my 18. E.W. Dugan

will newton · Post by **will newton** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 10:13 am

E.W. Now We are all counting on you for pictures of the "w/o clothed Hooter girls" at Nippers. It is a rare event when somebody does not take their clothes off at Nippers on a Sunday afternoon. Good to hear the trip went well. Sounds like you got the 18 knot blues. Your house rehab is all done....go for it... a pair of shinny new Cummins or Yannies sure would sound good. It would be a fun project but you would be attached to the boat for a few years for sure. Sounds like you got the Bahama thing down and with the new range, weekend trips to Walkers or Spanish would be a breeze. Keep on dreaming. Best, Will Newton