34T to Key West and Maybe the Bahamas

[Jc180]

OK. Good. Now we have configuration understood. Only caution is that if you run down both 8Ds connected to house, can’t start engine. Not desirable. A reasonable and inexpensive fix would be to reconfigure engine starting to thruster battery. You will always start your engine before needing the thruster.

Oh, and an inexpensive way to parallel any and all batteries in an emergency is with jumper cables. I carry a heavy duty set on board.

 

[Jc180]

OK. Good. Now we have configuration understood. Only caution is that if you run down both 8Ds connected to house, can’t start engine. Not desirable. A reasonable and inexpensive fix would be to reconfigure engine starting to thruster battery. You will always start your engine before needing the thruster.

Sorry for the disconnected thoughts. Need to understand how your alternator as well as battery charger charges batteries. Hopefully charges all of the 8D batteries through combiners.

 

[DonW28]

My 34T came from the factory this way. Two starboard 8Ds connected to a 1/2/BOTH switch used for house and main engine starting; and one port 8D used solely for the bow thruster. Also a separate G27 (24?) used for starting the generator.

I think this is exactly the way mine is currently configured. The 2d group 27 is for the stern thruster the PO added. I really need to get a bit smarter about this stuff before trying Bahamas trips. The 14 days down to Key West was a learning experience for me as our previous long trip was only 7 days and less than 200 miles. I've been offshore boating and diving my entire life but not living on the things. Very different experience that returning to port every night.



Don

 

[MOJO]

Buying water is something to think about. Definitely not a price issue. I was thinking more for convenience as we like to anchor. We have another option although I haven't mentioned it. Out friends have a 50 foot GB and we use their compressor to fill out scuba tanks. Rigging a pump and hose to fill off their watermaker is an option. They make an obscene amount every day but I was trying not to be a pest. But I think the point of buying it makes a lot of sense. We can survive 3-4 days on the hook.
Don

Do a trade deal with your friends for their water. Back in the 90's we had a friend anchored in Georgetown who made a ton of water everyday. He didn't have a lot of money and loved to fish from his dinghy. To get dinghy gas, he traded water for gasoline. I think it was on a 10:1 basis, 10 gallons of water for a gallon of gas. RO water was selling on shore for $0.60/gallon and gas was about $4.00/gal. Everybody was happy!

 

[Raffy]

Hi, its Ed with Control Masters. Just to clarify the issues with the MicroCommanders on the Mainships. The problem is not with the controls it is with the installation of the controls on these vessels that were the problem. There are over 300,000 MicroCommanders on vessels worldwide from small center consoles to large ships (including Coast Guard & Navy). Mine have been on my boat for 22 years and have never once failed me (of coarse I installed it). The main problem on this installation was the use of ignition relays (I hate them), I rewire the controls to a 10 amp breaker so all I have to do is turn the breaker on and the controls are active. This eliminates the relays that Mainship hid around the vessel and resolves the problem with the MicroCommander. The main benefit of the MicroCommander is that you can never damage your transmission by accidentally shifting from ahead to astern at high speeds. There are built in safeties to prevent it from clutching into reverse while there is still clutch pressure on ahead.

Just a note, if you had to use jumper cables to start then you may have a battery or battery connection issue. The MicroCommanders come off line about 10 volts, if you need to start you can bypass the safety switch by removing the cover off of the MicroCommander and connecting the two yellow wires (with red stripe) together under on screw connection and you will bypass the neutral interlock.

As far as a water maker I have been going to the Bahamas just about every year for the last 30 years and have never had one. The longest trip over there was for 3 months and we carried 80 gallons of water. I kept one 5 gallon spare in case we ran out but we never did. Water is cheap, water makers are not and the maintenance on them can be costly. Just my 2 cents worth.

As far as your batteries, I would use one 8D for my start and then have a separate house bank. You could always use a combiner to start off the house bank if you had a problem.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[tdomenech]

Long story short. We just moved our 2006 34T from MB, SC to Key West, Florida. Took 2 weeks and my wife loved the trip. I liked it. So now she is thinking maybe the Bahamas next year (May-June). We are thinking a week up, 3 weeks while we are over and a week back. From our trip down and just thinking out loud here is what we want/need. Open to suggestions.

1) The MicroCommander has to go. Call me old fashioned but a good old cable control is going to replace it. Tired of having the alarm go off at least once a day and the morning it didn't want to start wasn't amusing.

2) We need a small watermaker. We like using freshwater and see no way to get around it. Suggestions are welcome.
3) Was very impressed with the fuel economy at 7 knots (2.5SM per gallon)so don't see that as being an issue.
4) I see us running the genset other than in a marina the entire 3 weeks. Can't see the rational to buy solar and more batteries for a probably one time trip.

5) Based on #4 we are going to get a small 110V freezer.
6) We need a dinghy and motor. Badly.



Any thoughts or recommendations are highly encouraged. And if the generator conks out we are coming home. ;-)


Don

Have been over there. Also use watermaker (a must given what you're going to do). Besides upgrading to a 12KW Northern Lights, adding the watermaker is the best and most freeing thing I've done. Carry 600 gallons of fuel so freshwater is the one thing I needed to be FREE!

 

[FANCY-FREE]

Bahamas

Some thoughts.

We have been to the Bahamas six times since 2005.

1. Water. I agree with a lot of the comments above about NOT buying a water maker. We had one the first couple times we were in the Bahamas and needed it. Now it is easy to find "good" RO water. Yes you will have to pay for it.

I also run the hose water thru a 3-stage whole house water filter before it goes in the tank. First filter sediment. Second for bacteria. Third charcoal for taste and smell. I even do this at our dock in the states.

2. Dinghy. You can not have one too big or too fast!

3. Power. We have a 8 kw diesel on board, but use a Honda 2200 most of the time. Our diesel burns 0.4 gph. The Honda burns 1 gal in 10 hours. It is some what a hassle to contend with the gas, but we have it for the dinghy and keep 5 ea 5 gal containers that we can go a few weeks on.

4. We have an apartment size refrigerator/freezer that is the main thing the Honda operates. We shut the Honda down at sunset and start it about 8 or 9 in the morning. If you don't open it all will be good. To test, put an ice cube in a small bowl or lid and leave it in the freezer. I can almost guarantee that in the morning the ice would not have melted.

It was mentioned to spend more time there. I fully agree with that. The Bahamians are great people (especially in the out islands) and it would be a mistake in my mind not to spend a couple months in country if you time will allow.

Have fiun and I wish you a great trip.

 

[Bryant]

34t

Long story short. We just moved our 2006 34T from MB, SC to Key West, Florida. Took 2 weeks and my wife loved the trip. I liked it. So now she is thinking maybe the Bahamas next year (May-June). We are thinking a week up, 3 weeks while we are over and a week back. From our trip down and just thinking out loud here is what we want/need. Open to suggestions.

1) The MicroCommander has to go. Call me old fashioned but a good old cable control is going to replace it. Tired of having the alarm go off at least once a day and the morning it didn't want to start wasn't amusing.

2) We need a small watermaker. We like using freshwater and see no way to get around it. Suggestions are welcome.
3) Was very impressed with the fuel economy at 7 knots (2.5SM per gallon)so don't see that as being an issue.
4) I see us running the genset other than in a marina the entire 3 weeks. Can't see the rational to buy solar and more batteries for a probably one time trip.

5) Based on #4 we are going to get a small 110V freezer.
6) We need a dinghy and motor. Badly.



Any thoughts or recommendations are highly encouraged. And if the generator conks out we are coming home. ;-)


Don

West Marine 8’ plastic lapstrake dinghy $600. Looks good and is indestructible. Weighs 75 lbs. Suzuki 2.5 can be bought online for under $600 and works great on this dinghy. That’s what my setup is and I have no complaints. (My dinghy is a Walker Bay 8, sold by West Marine but no longer available. The one they sell now is the same thing). I’ve had mine for over 20 years.

 

[Donna]

The first time I went to the Bahamas was in a 24’ sea Ray cuddy cabin with a cooler and a few cases of water. Stayed at marinas for 2 weeks.

The second time was with my 36’ marine trader sundeck with a full galley. I do have an inverter. Didn’t take the dingy down once. Stayed at marinas for a month.

My next trip will be on my new to me 55’ Viking. The only thing I need to do is put an inverter in it. Will stay at a marina.

It’s all about what you personally need/want. I went way over budget on my 36’ trawler thinking I needed a lot of things. Now she is for sale because the only thing I needed was more room!

 

[Shaunc]

I go no where with out my working water maker. Had a valve fail a while back and lost 50% of our fresh water.



No problem, we made more.


I got a sea water pro water maker. I got the basic one but have upgraded it.
Super helpful folks and a buddy of mine who is doing a around the world trip on his sailing cat installed one also.

 

[Jc180]

I think this is exactly the way mine is currently configured. The 2d group 27 is for the stern thruster the PO added. I really need to get a bit smarter about this stuff before trying Bahamas trips. The 14 days down to Key West was a learning experience for me as our previous long trip was only 7 days and less than 200 miles. I've been offshore boating and diving my entire life but not living on the things. Very different experience that returning to port every night.



Don

Don,
I compliment you. Most people, including me, when they start to cruise don’t figure this stuff out until the first time they anchor for days at a time and THEN it dawns on them that battery consumption and recharging must be understood and managed differently than when under power every day. I think you are almost there with understanding configuration. Just need to overlay charger(s), alternator, and any combiners. Take them one at a time.
Jeff

 

[Shaunc]

Here is the site for the water maker. Good stuff on you tube also for them.


https://seawaterpro.com/

 

[Jc180]

Interesting to follow this thread. Many different points of view, all experience based and all valid. It does, however, highlight the diverse cruising styles ranging from 100% marinas every night to extended time at anchor in remote areas. Obviously, dc power and water consumption and management, as well as dinghy/outboard differ depending on style. For a new cruiser, difficult to know where you will fall until you go try it. Do strongly believe though that if you think you will lean toward anchoring, need to prepare for it.

 

[BandB]

Interesting to follow this thread. Many different points of view, all experience based and all valid. It does, however, highlight the diverse cruising styles ranging from 100% marinas every night to extended time at anchor in remote areas. Obviously, dc power and water consumption and management, as well as dinghy/outboard differ depending on style. For a new cruiser, difficult to know where you will fall until you go try it. Do strongly believe though that if you think you will lean toward anchoring, need to prepare for it.

Wifey B: When it comes to the watermaker, I suspect a lot of those posting have little to no hair. I have long hair. Most of our traveling companions have long hair. Hubby even has rather long hair. Makes a huge difference. We shower daily and they are not short showers.