Atlantic Buddy Boat or Crew

Just wondering if there are any other trawlers thinking about crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean?
We are currently getting ready to make our short legs to the Canaries then to Cape Verdes before the longer journey across to Granada.

If no other trawlers for buddy boating we would be looking for crew if anyone is available.

70’ Hatteras with 12V71TI’s 1000hrs on complete rebuild. Solid Detroit’s.
1870gal of fuel plus 450gal in bladders.

If looking for crew talk to Hank at OPO.

Hippocampus said:

If looking for crew talk to Hank at OPO.

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If I lived alone, I would be knocking on the side of your boat but, I have a Vietnamese lady living with me who does not understand boats at all.

I have been searching for a training captain who speaks fluent Vietnamese to educate her on all things 'boat handling'
I suspect, you will find a crew before I find the captain I need.

I wish you great success on your voyage.

Euphoria said:

Just wondering if there are any other trawlers thinking about crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean?
We are currently getting ready to make our short legs to the Canaries then to Cape Verdes before the longer journey across to Granada.

If no other trawlers for buddy boating we would be looking for crew if anyone is available.

70’ Hatteras with 12V71TI’s 1000hrs on complete rebuild. Solid Detroit’s.
1870gal of fuel plus 450gal in bladders.

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Out of curiosity, what is your plan for fuel? Looks like it's around 2300nms from Cape Verdes to Grenada against tankage + bladder of 2300 gallons diesel. I would think a boat this size with DDs would burn around 7 gph at 7.5, maybe 8.0 kts. Granted, nice push from prevailing weather out of the east, but still, seems a bit tight. Thoughts?

Peter

Peter,
Yes we have a burn of 6.8gph and the distance is approximately 2150nm at an average 7.2kts. So you were very close. Hopefully we get the push but the current is only .8 kts average so hopefully 7.7 kts average should be attainable.
On our way to Gibraltar we were going to check our burn rate at 800rpm, everything else stated is calculated and confirmed at 850rpm. If we can get the burn down to 6gph and maintain 7kts we have lots of fuel.
One more thing to test out is alternating our engines to get the burn down a little more and this would also save on an oil change in mid ocean. Our transmissions are twin disc and low rpm engines so we don’t have to lock the shaft.
Fuel is always a concern but if we get everything dialled in we should burn 1800 gallons of fuel and have approx 530 left in the tanks on arrival.
We can also save 200nm if we have to and stop into the Barbados.

Better have lots of room on your credit card when you fill up the fuel tanks.
OUCH OUCH OUCH

Euphoria,

I made the same crossing last December on a Super Maramu. PM sent.

Rob

Euphoria said:

One more thing to test out is alternating our engines to get the burn down a little more and this would also save on an oil change in mid ocean. Our transmissions are twin disc and low rpm engines so we don’t have to lock the shaft.
Fuel is always a concern but if we get everything dialled in we should burn 1800 gallons of fuel and have approx 530 left in the tanks on arrival.
We can also save 200nm if we have to and stop into the Barbados.

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It takes a brave person to shut-down an engine mid-ocean. I've changed break-in oil on deliveries, but that's within 30-miles of the coast. Not sure I could turn-off key 6-days into 12-day passage. I might ask around and see if stretching an oil change to 300 engine hours might be okay. Because diesels hold so much oil, can usually figure out how to read level on dipstick.

Sounds like an interesting trip. Godspeed.

Peter

mvweebles said:

It takes a brave person to shut-down an engine mid-ocean. I've changed break-in oil on deliveries, but that's within 30-miles of the coast. Not sure I could turn-off key 6-days into 12-day passage. I might ask around and see if stretching an oil change to 300 engine hours might be okay. Because diesels hold so much oil, can usually figure out how to read level on dipstick.

Sounds like an interesting trip. Godspeed.

Peter

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Yep, could not believe it when our TF friend was crossing the Atlantic to England in his single-engine trawler and shut down the engine to change the oil. A few goosebumps as he hit the start button.

I’m in the skip the oil change camp. Start with fresh, change at destination. Figure a lot of the oil wear and tear is starting cold engines, condensation, age, etc. Besides I don’t think ONE prolonged oil change would have an affect on overall engine life. Now oil level is a different animal if you burn or leak. Of course I had a single when doing our nonstop 7 day trip.

I would also add having a buddy boat is only as good as the trust between captains. I’ve heard horror stories about being left behind. Are you or they willing to put the boats and lives in danger? Same with crew, no crew is better than bad crew. Prepare accordingly and do it!

I have a hard time believing 300 hours between oil changes is too long. Especially since this is not stop and start running. As a young man I worked on a drill rig that had 5 Cummings engines. 300 hours was our goal but many times were longer. All 5 had over 30,000 hours on them at first rebuild. They were running fine but the timing worked out well for the rebuild.

Euphoria are you really planning to run your Jimmies the entire trip at 850 rpm?

If the long term goal is to run your boat at trawler speeds then how about investing in a depower? Smaller injectors, drop the intercoolers, slight reprop.

Mako said:

Euphoria are you really planning to run your Jimmies the entire trip at 850 rpm?

If the long term goal is to run your boat at trawler speeds then how about investing in a depower? Smaller injectors, drop the intercoolers, slight reprop.

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They are looking at running one engine at a time for fuel economy and balance the hours. Will mean a higher rpm for that one engine. They have two decent sea trial legs - azores and then to cape verdes.

Its a tight run, but my hunch is the OP has no appetite for unusual risk.

Trip of a lifetime. What a treat to spend that much time at sea.

Another question: how are you planning weather? I know it's past hurricane season, but finding good routing for power boats is difficult as world cruising routes are geared towards sailing. Pilot Charts? Other?

Maybe a different thread. But I have a ton of questions. Why grenada?

Peter

mvweebles said:

They are looking at running one engine at a time for fuel economy and balance the hours. Will mean a higher rpm for that one engine. They have two decent sea trial legs - azores and then to cape verdes.

Its a tight run, but my hunch is the OP has no appetite for unusual risk.

Trip of a lifetime. What a treat to spend that much time at sea.

Another question: how are you planning weather? I know it's past hurricane season, but finding good routing for power boats is difficult as world cruising routes are geared towards sailing. Pilot Charts? Other?

Maybe a different thread. But I have a ton of questions. Why grenada?

Peter

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Do you have a single side band radio and or a sat phone?
Some sound deadening ear phones.

Maybe put bypass oil filters on and then don’t change the oil til you get to port.

Great trip but I'm still worried about fuel and would strongly encourage you to do some testing in ocean conditions. You will not get the mileage you're use to in 6' and 8' or 12' or 15' seas. Consider all possible conditions. Coastal range and open ocean range in tough conditions are very different. Take your boat out to practice in some very rough seas and go with and against the wind. Again, sounds like a great trip.

Run lower rpms to start, watch your fuel burn and adjust accordingly. Followed several people that have crossed oceans and were conservative to start and made it with plenty to spare. Might have to give up Genny time to save a bit more but sounds like you’ve calculated this out with a good cushion. Enjoy the passage, be safe, but all means do it!
Cheers

Also, might check the Sailing Forum, if you find someone crossing around the same time, let them get a couple days ahead and follow them.
Best of luck.

I failed to address the other part of your question. Buddy boats can work if both or all are similar boats moving at the same speed. However, I'd far rather have the expertise on my own boat. You need people capable of doing what needs to be done on board as well as able to share the helm so your time there is reasonable. For my first Atlantic crossing, I would want someone who has crossed before as a crew member. That's just my personal opinion. The buddy boat may be helpful if people aboard it have skills no one on your boat has, but otherwise just another party out there that can notify people just as you can. The companionship of another boat might be nice.

There are certain times of the year with many boats crossing. Megayachts are relocating for the season. You can find their routes and take similar even though you'll be going much slower. The one thing you will gain though by taking a common route at a popular time is likely can get help sooner if an emergency arises. Most of the megayachts cross with only their crew, but they do often end up helping others, typically sailors (simply because more sailors than power boats crossing). They all have professional captains and engineers aboard. Even the common shipping routes are safer than crossing on a route and at a time other boats won't be around. All types of vessels are more than willing to come to your aid if needed.

mvweebles said:

It takes a brave person to shut-down an engine mid-ocean.

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One does it on sailboats all the time.

oscar said:

One does it on sailboats all the time.

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And thank goodness sailors have sails! When I was a presenter at TrawlerFest, I noticed many transitioning sailors wanted twin engines for redundancy. If I maintained my engine the way many sailors do, I'd be worried too!

Is this an LRC or a MY? Your signature lists 70' LRC but I'm not aware Hatt ever made one that size, nor put 12V71TI's in any of them? Curious what the equipment is?

Also, curious...where is the boat now?

Problems always seem to arise in difficult conditions. How do people and stuff get from a buddy boat to help?

Took me a while to get over being nervous offshore with out sails, even with twins. []

bayview said:

Took me a while to get over being nervous offshore with out sails, even with twins. []

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Perhaps I was young and stupid back then, but I wasn’t nervous the first time I pushed offshore in a powerboat. I absolutely trusted the engines to keep running. They were Jimmies, and except for the noise and lousy fuel efficiency, I still think they are they most dependable engines in their class ever built. By the time my battles through the storms ended the only thing I had wished for was having a single instead of twins.

Oh... and having better acoustic insulation!

Left Hampton Va with 5 sisterships for BVI north Sound. Same hull, very slight variations in rigging but not SA. We never saw each other the entire trip until 100nm from landfall. It was rare we were in VHF range of each other. Don’t know how much safety you get from a buddy except in coastal settings.
Running one engine means constant rudder input. Every time you steer you increase drag, decrease speed and increase fuel use. May want to see what your SOG and fuel burn is with just one engine. You maybe more efficient using two at lower rpm than one at higher rpm and constant rudder input.
Most modern sailboats are faster with better days work (miles per 24 hours) than power boats of the same size. We counted on 7.2 to 8 knots with a lwl within a foot of a N43. Averaged 170-200nm for a days work. On the transit under consideration if buddy boating with sail ask about those numbers. Given it’s a run or reach with good air he may wish to leave before the sailboat.
Advantage of power on passage is independence from direction of wind and light air. For this trip neither is likely to be operative this time of year. Both types will do a modified great circle. Distance will be about the same.

If you cannot contact your buddy boat then, you have nor they have no help if needed.
The group can only be as fast as the slowest boat.

Crew

Hi , sounds like a doable passage , how did boat orriginally all cross the Atlantic?
Were Ryan and Sophie going to crew with you? I know they pulled out as the fuel looked too tight for them . But really figuring it out how to make it work is half the fun! Have you considered synthetic oil , designed for longer oil changes and can slightly improve fuel economy . Not normally used in boats because its not the best for cold starts with long down time but continuous running perfect).
Have you owned similiar boats with Detroit’s? It helps to know ‘what your doing’ .
Are you looking at hull fouling and prop tuning to improve economy ? 1% here 1/2% there will make a big difference on a long passage .
Good luck warren

Update and answers,
We have decide to ship from Palma to Antigua where we will continue the journey to Panama and up the west coast.
Read through some very good points and questions, I’ll try to answer a few.
First off we have done a sea trial across the Mediterranean as we started in Montenegro and are only 19 hrs to Gibraltar. On our various legs we did play around with the rpm’s and fuel consumption, even got to try different weather conditions and running on 1 engine. Best fuel was 6.7gph @ 850rpm with an average 7.2kts, Sea conditions were as flat as they get.
Currently we are in Almerimar, Spain and the winter winds have settled in but still have to backtrack 44hrs to Mallorca to meet the ship on the 14th with no weather window in sight. Still have a week to watch weather and it seems like it will be out of the west, will try hugging the coastline as much as we can.

Thanks for the comments on the thread.

Rocky and Renaye, I do hope you two spent at least a few days in Gibraltar and took the tour of the inside of the rock. The rock is a focal point of WWII wartime history. Spain would love to get Gibraltar but, that's another story. It is the only place where you walk across the runway..... Spain to Gibraltar. Yup, crossing gates..... they come down, airplane lands and gate go up.
We took a cab for the tour. I have a picture of an ape on my shoulder..... He/she took my navy white hat, inspected it and then gave it back. LOL Surprised me too. I expected the ape would take the hat and run away.