Crossing to BeeHoms 53 Motor yacht vs 53 Sportfish

[sportfish 45]

Wow towing 4 boats backwards in a 60 MPH line squall. Did you have one hand tied behind your back also ?

 

[rsmith]

Wow towing 4 boats backwards in a 60 MPH line squall. Did you have one hand tied behind your back also ?

BAHAHAHA Maybe both in one of those white jackets

 

[Boatsb]

Uphill both ways in 3 feet of snow.

 

[hyperfishing]

"some boat"

I put in a customized hydraulic twin ram lift system, heavy water gaskets and a piano hinge on the engine hatch. Hence, waves that make it around the box (very few), just run right off the engine hatch, and over the side.

As to the truth of the towing story, yes, about 500 other boats at a "certain" raft-up can verify it. I would prefer not to ever do that type of towing again, but, the other boaters were certainly grateful.

My twin Mercury Racing 377 engines, needed 4,000 RPMs just to hold our five boat position, while I had the other boaters get on my boat and help my wife pull in the anchors and line across to the other side of the 500 + boat raft up. We were positioned stern into the sudden pop up 60 MPH storm winds. Other NUC boats were drifting down on us, while I swerved and weaved the entire 5 boat fleet around them with just the engines on my boat. I just wish someone had filmed it, but, as it was total chaos on the water, everyone was just too busy, or taking cover from the accompanying lightening show and hail stones. Rates as the most spectacular summer storm I have ever seen.

But, I am quite sure rsmith etc. have much more exciting tales out in the middle of the ocean. Probably should be a separate thread "Hatteras sea tales." I would like to read how different Hatteras boats and owners handled severe storm conditions, alone or with with lightening strikes, stabilizer failures, cracked/broken forward windows, fouled prop, fire on board, failed steering, etc. etc. I like to read the AOPA "I was lucky but got home" articles, always useful to read about "problems" and how they were coped with.

Example: I knew someone who cruised his 53 MY from Florida to Vancouver, passing through a sandstorm in the Gulf of Mexico, that blasted the paint off his boat. He had to tie himself to the bridge to keep from being thrown off in the wild sea conditions. I do not think he had a stabilized boat, I can't remember. The article was published in Pacific Yachting many years ago.

Like the raft-up, we have drifted this thread off topic. But, thanks to all to those who provided useful information.

 

[sportfish 45]

Boy custom twin ram haydraulic lift, Heavy water gaskets, Lunch box, Piano I'm surprized you didn't add a Flux Capacitor for time travel.

 

[thoward]

Until you've laid offshore in a EB you will never understand.

We only took the 60EB(with tower) swordfishing a few times because of the roll. The cockpit gunwales would roll under water in 3 footers if they were fairly steep. Looking through glass at night complicated things a bit too.

 

[Ross Macdonald]

Simple....Don't lay offshore.. I assumed this thread was about transiting to the Bahamas and was about traveling from point A to point B. It would be interesting to see how many forum members who use their boats cruise them, or just go out in bad weather to fish and lie static in the trough in 6-8 ft. seas. Even though weather prediction is a bit of a crap shoot, the available information in today's world is very good. Weather bad=don't go....I still don't get why you would purposely leave in bad weather and get your butt kicked. Makes for good war stories when you're sitting at the bar so you can tell your friends you were out in that crap. It makes no sense to me...

 

[hyperfishing]

In the northeast, it can take three hours to get to the Hudson Canyon. Once out there, kinda dumb to head straight back. You want to make use of maximum fishing time and stay out there for a few days if all possible, chunking for Tuna, almost dead in the water and saving fuel.

That is why I was so interested in the steady state rocking and rolling behavior of the various models, in a thread a few years ago.

Now the invention of the Seamaster gyro, changes things A Bit. As they come down in price, that is an interesting option also.

Various fishing tourneys go out in all kinds of bad weather. Same date every year, means your boat better be able to tough it out with mother nature.

Now, it is more likely I would be cruising back and forth to the Beehoms, and Cuba in the future when it opens up. Cuba is about 100 miles and 5 hours at 20 knots, 10 hours at a fuel sipping 10 knots. Again, the boat better be able to take on the tough stuff, cause mother nature can change in a hurry. But, you knew that, as per your Baja Bash experiences. <gg>

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Just buy any old boat and put your money into a big gyro stabilizer. Problem solved, no rolling even when dead in the water.

 

[hyperfishing]

Ha ha! They really are quite remarkable I am told. I have no first hand experience, or knowledge of how much fuel they burn, or genny load required. Still, the less the boat rocks, the "better" the gyro will perform.

 

[Dan Mapes]

Ok, call me a wuss for waiting 2 months? Last time I buy a round and Panama's!

Anyway, a couple pulled in here with a M/Y about 45. Vintage refurb heavy Taiwan deal. They shelled out 70k for a gyro, and well, in their minds it would have been better spent on Greek Gyros so they had something to puke instead of heaving with dry stomachs. They put too much faith in it and it didn't deliver.

Stabs on a sporty? YGTBSM. M/Y sure but the speed ranges on a sporty would dictate smaller fins for higher speeds that would not be as effective when cruising slowly or trolling right?

As far as windows opening up every one or two weeks? Sure if you have 70 feet or 40 tons. Several boats in the 50 foot range all stayed put with us in various places until 12/23/11. Even 2-3 in the wrong direction will yield the occasional ugly one that stuffs the bow. I know. We tried the week before 12/23 and after stuffing it a number of times, the wife was ready to mutiny.
Sure I could have cranked it up to 13 knots but we would have redistributed many items, some large.

Size matters. So does center of gravity and with 13.5 of beam we are on the skinny side.

 

[saltshaker]

Ok, call me a wuss for waiting 2 months? Last time I buy a round and Panama's!

Anyway, a couple pulled in here with a M/Y about 45. Vintage refurb heavy Taiwan deal. They shelled out 70k for a gyro, and well, in their minds it would have been better spent on Greek Gyros so they had something to puke instead of heaving with dry stomachs. They put too much faith in it and it didn't deliver.

Stabs on a sporty? YGTBSM. M/Y sure but the speed ranges on a sporty would dictate smaller fins for higher speeds that would not be as effective when cruising slowly or trolling right?

As far as windows opening up every one or two weeks? Sure if you have 70 feet or 40 tons. Several boats in the 50 foot range all stayed put with us in various places until 12/23/11. Even 2-3 in the wrong direction will yield the occasional ugly one that stuffs the bow. I know. We tried the week before 12/23 and after stuffing it a number of times, the wife was ready to mutiny.
Sure I could have cranked it up to 13 knots but we would have redistributed many items, some large.

Size matters. So does center of gravity and with 13.5 of beam we are on the skinny side.

Dan,
Don't feel bad. I have a close friend who spends about 9 months a year cruising his 42ft trawler. He custom built the boat for single handed operation and has more miles under his keel than anyone else I know. This year he went north to New England and then back down the east coast to the Bahamas. He just left Georgetown and is heading up to the Exumas. I know he had a tough time crossing this year. He was hanging out in the Keys and Miami for a while because he wasn't getting a good weather window. This is not a guy who sits around waiting for a dead calm day.

As for stabilizers on a SF, I've got them and yes the fins are much smaller than what you'd put on a similar sized MY. They're only there for slow speed cruising. You'd be surprised how many big SF have stabs. I know a captain who oversaw the construction and ran an 80' Knight & Carver SF. That boat was built to fish hard and had stabs.

 

[Dan Mapes]

Jack I do not feel bad. Believe me, Chris knows I have a sense of humor and can take it. The only bad thing about waiting was the waiting. We blew a ton of time in Fl. and managed to make the best of it.
Don't get me wrong, many boats made the crossing in spite of the water. We left Lauderdale when another couple left West Palm in their stabilized 70 footer. They said it was doable we said, uh huh and turned back.
It still beats being stuck in NY having to haul out for the Winter.

 

[saltshaker]

...It still beats being stuck in NY having to haul out for the Winter.

Now that hurt!

 

[Dan Mapes]

Ooops. LMAO did not realize you were up that way. Sitting here in the Abacos killing time I tend to forget what it's like elsewhere...
One of the worst jabs I doled out happened a couple of years ago when someone saw me driving a buddy's boat on the Hudson. He called on the radio and said what was I doing, and I explained I was making due, getting by. He asked why. I said I don't know how we ever got by driving the boat up here because we can't see the bottom.
We don't talk any more.

 

[hyperfishing]

"Ok, call me a wuss for waiting 2 months? Last time I buy a round and Panama's!"

No that was Mr. Rivas that bought Panama, err, Noriega anyway. The Bahamas is gittin you all confused!

Seriously, you know U are a role model that hope to emulate at some point in the future. <gg>

No wuss, did you read I stated another friend waited ALL winter to cross in their big sailing cat, and never felt there was a good time to cross FOR THEM. That is ok.

Very interesting about the gyro not being effective. I learn all kinds of good stuff from U.

I do feel an older Hat SF is going to be more comfortable making that crossing, and even longer winter crossings to Cuba in the future when it opens up. You would likely agree, yes? What model Hat were you fishing on? Congrats on the fishes U caught.

I can't read your blog cause it makes me all jealous. no kidding, it is great stuff. Particularly the warnings about leaving puffs of sand on the bottom, hence, 4 feet seems critical to have as maximum draw. Jane will thank you and Deb in the future.

 

[34Hatt]

In the northeast, it can take three hours to get to the Hudson Canyon. Once out there, kinda dumb to head straight back. You want to make use of maximum fishing time and stay out there for a few days if all possible, chunking for Tuna, almost dead in the water and saving fuel.

That is why I was so interested in the steady state rocking and rolling behavior of the various models, in a thread a few years ago.

Now the invention of the Seamaster gyro, changes things A Bit. As they come down in price, that is an interesting option also.

Various fishing tourneys go out in all kinds of bad weather. Same date every year, means your boat better be able to tough it out with mother nature.

Now, it is more likely I would be cruising back and forth to the Beehoms, and Cuba in the future when it opens up. Cuba is about 100 miles and 5 hours at 20 knots, 10 hours at a fuel sipping 10 knots. Again, the boat better be able to take on the tough stuff, cause mother nature can change in a hurry. But, you knew that, as per your Baja Bash experiences. <gg>

Well what you say about the canyon in the Northeast is what I do and even still sometimes you have to be ready to run for home. Happened to me 2 day good weather window go out put two in the box in the afternoon. Everyone talking about how hot it was in the morning marking fish, bait and whales around the boat but very limited fish but we get two. Night time chunk was dead for 90% of the boats. Next morning back on the spot fish marked ton's of bait just a matter of time
Then the chatter starts xm weather huge storm 200 miles long solid RED heading for us do you run and hind or play tough guy I decided I could live better with the run and hide decision. Most boats did the same some Big boys stayed they were in a tournament. When I was 5 miles from the Inlet someone called out for a weather report boat answered Were getting are asses kicked how's that! Reply was, that answer that Thanks.
That day was the day I re-powered for 68 nm out back home in 2:40 mins some of the crew didn't think I could outrun it

So no matter what you do or have some times wait, turn around or Run like hell is just part of smart boating!
To many boats go down due to these Tournament you mention not to mention they beat the hell out of it. In my case I don't have the money or time to beat mine up like that I'll let the big boys stimulate the local marine economy

Oh yeah have a friend of mine did a lot of cruising told me 20 years ago he think Cuba was going to open soon! So good luck with that!

 

[Dan Mapes]

The hatt I was lucky enough to get out on was a 51 or 53. Nice ride, well cared for. Repowered with 800 HP 3406's. Much, *much*, more stable than Freedom.
BTW, another couple we met has a newer 60+ Viking with 1000 hp mtus. They cross in just about any weather they want but both of them will tell you it's rough on the bod.
I am thinking if you go across the stream in more than 4-6 in a large sporty you will pay a price because the period of the waves is so close. It's one thing when they are at 10-12 seconds but it will rock and slam your world when they are 4-6 seconds apart and steep. And you will not want to take the all day at 9 knots approach.

BTW the gyro deals require water cooling, and start up shut down time.

 

[hyperfishing]

Thanks for the additional great info Dan. Verrrry interesting about the engines, seems the same model as the HotRod repower in the "for sale" thread.

Hey, don't eat all the conch fritters, U lucky Sobs, leave some for us! <gg>

 

[Dan Mapes]

Nope.