PDQ OWNERS FORUM

I know some of you have made the Bahamas crossing many times in your PDQs but this will be my first trip.
I have done the crossing my self many times but never in this boat. I’ve even gone in small center console boats.
At the moment I’m am stuck in Stuart with a port engine that will only make 2800 rpms trying to get that sorted out.
Hoping it’s only filters that need changing and not something more serious. Engine runs at 175 dg and will make easy 3400 in neutral but struggles in gear...
Anyways I missed a window last week and it doesn’t look great for the next few days. I know a light south wind would be ideal
but other conditions would you find acceptable to make the crossing?? Wednesday starts out wi5 light north winds diving out
then switching from the south later. I have been looking at the Windy App and Passage Weather for next week.
I know everyone’s tolerances for weather are different just looking for some guidance from others with more experience.
All this assuming I get this port engine sorted out...
Thanks Alll..

Bill
MV 34
2005 75hp

Bill,

We usually cross from Miami to Bimini. Typically, we travel at about 7 knots so we steer to the south a little to account for the current. Best advice is to not go directly into it. We came across from Bimini to west palm beach Friday in ten hours.

Tim

Regarding your port engine (why is it almost always the port engine?) -

In neutral, you are supposed to be able to hit about 4,300 RPM. If yours is really limited to 3,400 RPM, that itself is a real problem. As to low RPM in gear, can we assume the prop is clean?

Thanks for the responses..
As far as the prop goes the bottom and props were just cleaned within the last two weeks.
I suppose it’s possible I wrapped something around the prop when I left Miami.
I had no idea they should make 4300 in neutral that is disturbing..
The most I ever achieved on the port engine was 3500 in gear. Never tried in neutral.
I should add there is no smoke or anything out of the ordinary going on just smooth running and no overheating at all. Stuart Yachts is going to change the fuel filters on Monday and see if that helps. From my understanding if the turbo was the issue I would be seeing black smoke?? If it was the exhaust elbow it would be running hotter?
Maybe fuel injectors??
Hopefully I’m not just throwing money away by fixing things that aren’t broken but just wanting to try the cheapest things first and no harm in changing filters I guess.
Hopefully I can report back with some news Monday and then revisit the Bahamas crossing questions..
thanks for responding.

hi,

we have crossed to bahamas 13 times. we have left from stuart, west palm, ft lauderdale, and miami. we have 2 possible targets: west end or great sale. once we are ready to go we start monitoring 2-4 of our favorite weather sites. once we see a possible day we look for 2-3 days of agreement. we're looking for a settled forecast to avoid surprises. we look for "2 foot or less" because as diane says "they lie" and it's usually an extra foot. with our mv34 we avoid head seas so going to bahamas we avoid easterlies and generally northerlies although we have crossed from stuart on a light nw.

hope this helps.

Under no circumstances should you cross if anything on the boat is questionable. When you do cross have plenty of spare parts and know how to install them. Service in the Bahamas is sparse and parts stores generally have nothing but a catalog.

We cross from west palm over to west end.
Would never trust a weather report that says north will die down and go south..... only leave in a southerly wind direction and be aware of sea state from previous days weather ( heavy northern winds will cause seas for a few days).

Good luck with the engine... my bet is on fuel filter. You should have them onboard and be able to change them yourself.
Will not have much help in the Bahamas as spares are rare and costly!
Changing the primary filter is easy and quick.

We have crossed to the Bahamas at least 20 times and in the PDQ 5 times. I agree with the comments about not crossing in a north wind. We don't cross from the states with an east wind. South west less that 10 knots is what we wait for. Never had a bad crossing. We use Marv's Weather Service as our main weather information source and compare his forecasts with others' Marv is good because he gives 7 day forecasts for specific routes like West Palm to West End and Miami to Bimini. He gives wind speed, wind direction, wave heights, wave periods (important), and wave direction. He emails the weather every day. Free. But he asks for a donation. We give him $100 a year. Google Marv's Weather Service.

Our port engine lost rpms twice. (Why the port engine?) Both times it was the same problem. A blockage in the fuel pickup tube. They are a bear to remove. First time the bottom of the tube was clogged. Second time, a month ago, a piece of what looked like cotton was jammed in the elbow at the top of the pickup tube so I didn't have to fully remove it. Also, I understand that PDQ put screens in the bottom of the pickup tubes in some of the boats. That may be your problem. If so I suggest you remove the screens and cut a short groove in the bottom of the tube so nothing can be sucked up flat against the bottom of the tube and cut off the fuel supply.

Bob MacNeill
Gusto

Duane,

You say in neutral you can get 4300 RPM. How do you put the engine in neutral? I am forced to start in neutral and any increase in throttle puts the transmission in gear. I guess it is called single lever control or something. Do you have the original engine controls? Do you disconnect the transmission linkage for testing?

Tim
M/V Expatriate

Not sure about others but I have Kobelt controls.
All you do is pull the shift lever out sideways this keeps it in neutral
Then throttle up.. I always start the boat in neutral then do as above to ad rpms. Maybe other boats are different ??
Bill

Bill,

Thanks. I have Kobelt controls, but I don't think I can pull the lever out to run in neutral. I will try it again.

Tim

Tim,

If you have Kobelts then they definitely pull out to give neutral. I’ve been on lots of boats with them and they all work the same way. Much better to warm the boat up wit a small amount of throttle.
Each lever pulls out separately try pulling out more from the base of the shifter and move it forward.
Hope this helps.

Bill

i have to confess i don't know the answer to this after all these years: do the flybridge levers pull out for neutral?

Yes they do as well...

Bill

Ok here is my update for the day and it’s not good news unfortunately.
Pulled the pickup tube out today and it was perfectly clean with no obstructions
whatsoever.. Being the boat does not smoke at all and otherwise runs perfectly I had pretty much ruled out the turbo as everyone including the mechanics said if it were the turbo there would be black smoke. Well guess what it’s the turbo... it is completely seized and not movable by hand at all.... Of course it’s disappointing because the trip to the Bahamas is off for now but at least I know what the problem is.
I will be sending it off to be repaired or price a new one.
Thanks to everyone for helping. this forum is really amazing.

Bill
MV 34 075