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Check out our South Florida Boating Guide!
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Small Boat to Bimini OK, so you don't have the excess funds to charter or buy that huge yacht for a quick run to Bimini for the weekend. Now worries. Here's how to safely take a small powerboat across the Gulf Stream to the island of Bimini in the Bahamas.
Safety Gear Required In A Small Boat The economic advantages of small boats are obvious — lower fuel, maintenance and insurance costs, not to mention smaller monthly payments. But don’t rush out and blow the entire windfall on a new set of Internationals. Plan on investing in safety equipment commensurate with the task at hand. Remember, if things go wrong on a smaller vessel, the ramification are likely to be greater.
The fish don't know the boat is only 17-foot...
Step one is to toss out those cheap square life jackets that come with every new boat. Their main purpose is to make a boat Coast Guard legal when it leaves the dealership. Upgrade to high quality, type I offshore life jackets and attach a whistle and strobe to each. Since life jackets work only if they’re worn, you may want to carry inflatables. Don’t forget to have a throwable flotation device at the ready, not because it’s required but because it makes sense.
Another common shortcoming is the standard emergency signaling kit on most boats. As with life jackets, just because something meets the Coast Guard requirements doesn’t mean it’s adequate for venturing offshore and to the islands. Many standard kits come with three aerial flares yielding a total burn time of just 18 seconds. That would be almost comical were it not for the fact that your life may depend on being located quickly. Here are the items aboard my boat, all of which are stored in a single watertight box (see required safety gear, at bottom). Detailed Safety Gear Page
Tools, Spare Parts and Basic Knowledge Required Like computer hard drives, it’s not a matter of if, but when your outboard will decide to play dead. Adequate spares and a basic tool kit will fix many of the common problems. At a minimum spares should include spark plugs, oil filters, fuel filters, thermostats, fuses, extra prop, cotter pins and primer bulb. For emergency repairs add duck tape, wire, electrical connectors, zip-ties, hose clamps, epoxy and rope. Before each trip you will want to charge the batteries and change spark plugs and filters. Perform a mechanical check on important systems.
When it comes to tools, you have to get creative. There’s nowhere near enough room on my 17 foot center console to carry a full set of dedicated tools. Where possible, I rely on multi-purpose tools such as crescent wrenches, pliers, channel locks and changeable bit screwdrivers. Tools and Spare Parts List
Fishing / Drift Anchor In Case of Engine Loss Losing power offshore can result in your boat drifting in a dangerous orientation relative to the waves. Making matters worse, it will be difficult to fix the problem while rocking sickeningly from side to side. The solution is a simple drift fishing anchor. Deployed off the bow of the boat, it accomplishes three things. One, it holds your bow into the waves, generally the safest orientation. Two, it reduces boat motion allowing you to concentrate on getting the problem sorted out. And three, it reduces wind induced drift keeping you relatively stationary. Available for less than fifty bucks, no boat should be without one.
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