# Going Deep in a Single Engine Boat?



## boatnbob (May 31, 2009)

I work out in the High Island Field. I have the pleasure of watching a few boats tie up time to time to enjoy the fishing at our rig. What surprised or should I say disappointed me was watching a husband and wife pull up to our platform in a single outboard engine center console 21' boat and commence to fishing. No radar, just a bean bag chair and standard VHF radio. They appeared to be having a good time. I question the sanity to travel that distance in a single screw boat vs. twin or a single and kicker. The boat was from the Texas coast, so the run is a little over 65 miles for them.

They managed to boat their snapper and a few grouper. They stayed until around 1700 before they left. I think more and more people are buying boats with no clue how dangerous the sport can be. We had significant meteorological activity building up all around us. 

Bad things can happen that we may not forsee. A member posted that they spun a hub and was 30 miles out - ouch. Tonight, a EPIRB was sending out a distress signal 20 miles from our platform. No word on the situation. The CG was working it and asking if the boat was near our platform. It was to late for me to launch to take a look. At least that boat had an EPIRB to send a distress signal. I hope all is well with that situation.

Please think about the consequences of your boating experience. We have discussed this topic before. If you desire to push the limits of your single engine boat, at least have a buddy boat that you can call for help. File a float plan. Happy snapper season guys and gals!

Cheers,

Bob


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

I wanna fish the rigs BAD!!! But never have because all I have ever owned is single engined boats... Not gonna do it...

I've been about 20 miles and keep SeaTow current...


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## NKlamerus (Jan 4, 2016)

I've been out further than I'd like to admit in the exact same setup but way older, and it still wasn't 65 miles

I think they expect that if anything happens y'all are supposed to save them lol


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

boatnbob said:


> We had significant meteorological activity building up all around us.


does this mean thunder storms?


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

Sea Tow or don't go!!


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

I've fished 80 and 90 miles on several occasions with only one motor. But it's not really a good ideal...


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Nothing wrong with a single engine. Most newer engines have a rev limiter for a lot of problems and if fuel and water related twins will fail also. Sea tow and remember if an emergency occurs the Coast Guard will respond. I was monitoring that rig mishap a couple days ago and the Coast Guard kept asking if there was an emergency. Finally when I was returning to Sherman Cove I seen a bigger CG cutter going out the pass. Sea tow was saying that they were tied up for 6 hours before the could even respond. I believe the disabled boat was struck with lightning so twins would be two repair bills. If you can afford twins by all means go for it for that little advantage. I have been boating for 64 years and just last month had my 150 freeze up and had to call tow boat for a tow cost was free. Been a member for something like 10 years. Make sure your Bow tow nose ring it in good shape like mine is. Backing plate is the best.


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## boatnbob (May 31, 2009)

*Good call Realtor*

Sorry about calling it significant meteorological events. You are right. Thunderstorms. The seas were flat calm. However, I didn't fly most of the day due to the storms painting on the radar that covered up 75% of my flying area (245 miles x 60 miles x 165 miles x 65 miles). At least the boater could scoot back at a decent speed!

I hear ya about fishing the rigs. We had a nice little Bertram come up on us yesterday and start laughing at us guys trying to fish. We lose a bunch of tackle to the rig as we can't pull away from the structure. You have to crank fast and hard and have strong (150# braid) line to yank up past the legs and debris. Every once and a while we manage to find something to eat  

Sealark, I hear you. The call I am referring to happened last night. The USCG would most likely come out of Galveston for our area. I don't know the particulars yet. I know twins can suffer the same fate as a single. There are plenty of trawlers out here that are singles, but they are also commercial boats and have boat buddies from their fleet if they need assistance. Sorry to hear about your engine issue. Spun hub, seized engine, water contamination, it all happens. Heck, I fly a single engine out there, but we do have limits of seas less than 12 feet and water temperature above 65 degrees. Also, winds greater than 35 knots shut me down. It is hard to do an autorotation in those conditions and stay up right with the floats. We carry two life rafts and every life vest has an EPIRB and survival equipment. Max load is 7 POB. We also carry a portable VHF radio in a bag. Our challenge is to safely land and deploy the equipment.

I am glad that those who have ventured out recognize the danger. As far as Sea Tow and Boat U.S Tow, I think there is a limit for them to come to render aid. As far as rendering aid to a boater, I am sure we have some protocol that allows us to help. Remember, big companies don't want liabilities. I think the whole affair is organized by the US Coast Guard and our guys get on board with it when it is coordinated. Us good ol' boys will help out in a pinch though.:thumbsup: We know we have done less intelligent things in our life and will not stand there and let someone lose their lives.

Hope ya'll get your fill of snapper this season. The boats out here are doing well most of the time. The bite is off and on. Right before a storm, the bite is on fire. After a storm, crickets - nothing. I gave up this hitch after the storm. Fished all depths. 

Cheers,

Bob


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

boatnbob said:


> Sorry about calling it significant meteorological events. You are right. Thunderstorms. The seas were flat calm. However, I didn't fly most of the day due to the storms painting on the radar that covered up 75% of my flying area (245 miles x 60 miles x 165 miles x 65 miles). At least the boater could scoot back at a decent speed!
> 
> I hear ya about fishing the rigs. We had a nice little Bertram come up on us yesterday and start laughing at us guys trying to fish. We lose a bunch of tackle to the rig as we can't pull away from the structure. You have to crank fast and hard and have strong (150# braid) line to yank up past the legs and debris. Every once and a while we manage to find something to eat
> 
> ...


One time we were out there an a boat had battery issues, I radioed the rig and the crew boat responded. I towed the fishing boat to the crew boat, they charged their batteries and got them going again. The were super pleased to be able to help it seemed. Where is the "High Island Field?" your comments lead me to think its closer to Texas than Florida?


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

Here you go Jim- you know everyone's favorite AJ rig the MP 255? That's main pass block. Petronius is in Mississippi Canyon. I've dove a rig (Genesis) in Green Canyon before, yellowfin everyone but that's a long run from anywhere.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

The one time (knock on wood) I had to use my tow insurance with with a twin engine boat. An electrical or a fuel issue where both engines share the same tank will shut them both down. I KNOW! We had bad gas (water) and it was too much for the separators to handle and shut one motor down, then the next 5 minutes later. Sucked in the pure ethanol water mix and scorched one cylinder in one motor too!

It can happen with one or two engines! Things happen. Having two does help your odds. But the best course is just to have a way back without your own power no matter what!


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

If you are in water that's too deep to anchor, you've lost your engine, and you don't have a sea anchor or someway to keep your bow into the seas and a storm kicks up, you're screwed. Just too risky in deep water. You'll end up sideseas and take water over your stern and you're done. Better have an EPIRB or PLB.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

FenderBender said:


> If you are in water that's too deep to anchor, you've lost your engine, and you don't have a sea anchor or someway to keep your bow into the seas and a storm kicks up, you're screwed. Just too risky in deep water. You'll end up sideseas and take water over your stern and you're done. Better have an EPIRB or PLB.


Water over the stern you say? No problem!

https://www.facebook.com/MySeaLife1/videos/1392555350833316/


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

That was me that spun the hub. I do have EPIRB, a PLB, 2 VHFs, 2 engines, and TowBoatUS. I was glad to have the 2 engines. The spun hub would run about 2300 RPM before it would spin out so we limped in at about 7 knots.

A single engine would have been a much longer ordeal, and I am increasingly glad that we moved up to twins.


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## Eastcoasted (Feb 1, 2017)

I fish out at the spur with a single out of destin 70ish miles. Watch the weather, file a plan that you stick to and have safety gear. I have a sat phone on the boat for any deviation from my trip plans as well as a properly functioning vhf/dsc/ais. The main issue with this topic is the amount of boaters that are Ill equipped or jaded by machoism. If you really know your boat and are a skilled captain who is prepared, go as far as you like. Not everyone has the extra $$$ for twins. Second pet of this is that it doesn't matter how many engines you have, when an emergency situation arises out there, stop fishing and help, I'll gladly tow in a fellow boater or at least stand by until a tow service is on station...Karma.


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

Here's mine.

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f21/almost-home-758209/


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## boatnbob (May 31, 2009)

*High Island Location is actually HI East.*

I am out on High Island East 582C. I am at the very southern end of the field. I fly out of Galliano and have flown most of the Gulf from Mobile to Brownsville. I applaud all you guys who have thought this through. Sharing some of these stories and maybe a few who read it will change their minds to become better prepared. 

I understand economics. Twins cost much more to purchase and operate. If you can't afford the twin or alternate source to come back on, invest in safety gear like mentioned in previous posts by some smart people. Yep, twins do break down. I am not bashing anyone for taking a single out this far. Just do it safely. If a fatality can be prevented by making a post and educating the uneducated, we have done our part to support our fellow boaters.

Regarding crew boats, most are super friendly and will help out a fellow boater. The problem over the last few years is that oil companies aren't paying for them to be out here 24/7 anymore. The oil prices have caused a lot of that. Heck, we see one once a week and that is our grocery run. That means there are less available to help in an emergency. Gulf of Mexico Aviation has relied upon them for decades as a secondary source of rescue should we ditch. Not a good feeling when you see so few out here these days. 

I did see in the news that a boat's crew was rescued by a tanker 12 miles off of Galveston. I don't think that was our distress boat though. Glad their story ended well. Good on the tanker crew. That is a lot of vessel to stop and help someone out. 

Cheers,

Bob


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

Eastcoasted said:


> I fish out at the spur with a single out of destin 70ish miles. Watch the weather, file a plan that you stick to and have safety gear. I have a sat phone on the boat for any deviation from my trip plans as well as a properly functioning vhf/dsc/ais. The main issue with this topic is the amount of boaters that are Ill equipped or jaded by machoism. If you really know your boat and are a skilled captain who is prepared, go as far as you like. Not everyone has the extra $$$ for twins. Second pet of this is that it doesn't matter how many engines you have, when an emergency situation arises out there, stop fishing and help, I'll gladly tow in a fellow boater or at least stand by until a tow service is on station...Karma.




I understand you have safety equipment, and are a skilled captain. But if you spin a hub, or your lower unit fails, or you get water in your fuel, etc, if you have no way to anchor or keep power so your bow is in the waves and something blows up, you are in trouble. A 15 horse kicker motor could save your boat and life. 

This video was taken by me in the vicinity of the Spur several years ago. 1 ft or less day, with no rain forecast, and a storm blew up out of nowhere with 30 mph plus winds and heavy seas. It was all I could do to keep the boat in the seas and the bow was porpoising throwing water all in the boat as we chugged along at 8 mph. If we had lost power we would have sunk, for sure. 


https://youtu.be/aLqDKxFf3u8


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## Eastcoasted (Feb 1, 2017)

FenderBender said:


> I understand you have safety equipment, and are a skilled captain. But if you spin a hub, or your lower unit fails, or you get water in your fuel, etc, if you have no way to anchor or keep power so your bow is in the waves and something blows up, you are in trouble. A 15 horse kicker motor could save your boat and life.
> 
> This video was taken by me in the vicinity of the Spur several years ago. 1 ft or less day, with no rain forecast, and a storm blew up out of nowhere with 30 mph plus winds and heavy seas. It was all I could do to keep the boat in the seas and the bow was porpoising throwing water all in the boat as we chugged along at 8 mph. If we had lost power we would have sunk, for sure.
> 
> ...


Unfortunately i spent way too much cash to rebuild my boat from the hull up to fish in the keys. A new job opened for my wife and we moved here in November. I would by lying if I said I didn't want twins but an older hull not designed for the weight didn't make sense to me so I went with a 2017 300hp to achieve proper weight and balance to achieve a true bailing deck. The distances I need to run hate vs the keys are crazy. I know every inch of my boat down to the last screw. Spinning a hub would suck or any loss of propulsion, keeping a sea anchor handy would mitigate that risk to a degree. Longest trip I've done so far was 2 weeks ago, left destin went to the slice then HST to the ozark, saw a shelf cloud moving north west so we picked up and ran to the nipple only to find bad water. We trolled from the nipple all the way back along the edge to Navarre deep and headed in, saw boats everywhere we went. Off y'all see me out there swing by and say hi! I launch out of Joes Bayou. Next trip is Wednesday or Thursday this week depending on the weather.

1991 Mako 251 (Ex Fwc patrol boat) 300 zuke.


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

i have fished out to a little over 40 miles in my 1979 single screw boat and will do it again. pick your days and your crew and be sure to have all safety equipment and be prepared for anything. wish i could afford a newer boat and would love one with twins but i cant so i fish with what i got and the ole girl brings home the fish. some may disagree with me doing that and i am ok with that but i am very confident in my skills to be able to get myself out of almost any problem safely while keeping a cool head.


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## rustybucket (Aug 18, 2011)

We went upwards of 110 miles out in our shamrock single engine straight inboard. I had spares onboard as much as realistic. 

We had satellite weather on 24/7 and watched it VERY closely. Pulled the plug on several trips mid-trip due to building/encroaching storms.

Anything can happen out there, twin engine boats sink/catch fire/break down just as much as single engine boats. If a capt is meticulous in their maintenance and knows the vessel well and has tools and parts onboard for basic repairs (starter, alternator, hoses, wires, belts, bilges...etc) I have no problem with a single engine boat heading offshore.

On our Ocean 38' with twin cats, we had both alternators take a crap at approx the same time one trip. I did not have a spare onboard (like I would have had in the single engine shamrock), so we had to run the battery charger from the generator the rest of the trip. If we did not have an onboard charger we would have been stuck in short order (even with twins).

TBH, I would not feel completely safe with a single outboard offshore, just not easy to make repairs on the engine should something go wrong with it hanging off the back of the boat.

For what it's worth, we always carry epirb, plb's and fully functioning VHF DSC gear on every trip no matter what the boat.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

FenderBender said:


> If you are in water that's too deep to anchor, you've lost your engine, and you don't have a sea anchor or someway to keep your bow into the seas and a storm kicks up, you're screwed. Just too risky in deep water. You'll end up sideseas and take water over your stern and you're done. Better have an EPIRB or PLB.


Got to think and use you head. No sea Anchor what's wrong with making you boat anchor into a sea anchor just put it overboard and let it create the drag to keep you into the seas. :yes::yes::yes::thumbup:


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## iJabo (Jul 6, 2013)

We have a 25' HydraSport powered by a brand new 300hp Suzuki, (yes, it's a little underpowered). If the motor wasn't brand new, if we didn't have SeaTow, and if we didn't have radar+EPIRB, I would not feel as confident in going out further. But with those reassurances, we feel pretty comfortable in venturing out to the Nipple and Elbow. 

Even after all that reassurance, I'm still hesitant in scheduling a trip to the rigs; I would feel much better doing it with twin 200's. It's not out of consideration, but a huge number of factors would have to fall in place perfectly for us to execute it with a single engine.


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

iJabo said:


> We have a 25' HydraSport powered by a brand new 300hp Suzuki, (yes, it's a little underpowered). If the motor wasn't brand new, if we didn't have SeaTow, and if we didn't have radar+EPIRB, I would not feel as confident in going out further. But with those reassurances, we feel pretty comfortable in venturing out to the Nipple and Elbow.
> 
> Even after all that reassurance, I'm still hesitant in scheduling a trip to the rigs; I would feel much better doing it with twin 200's. It's not out of consideration, but a huge number of factors would have to fall in place perfectly for us to execute it with a single engine.


People fly in single engine planes all the time. As a matter of fact, more people are buying single engine turbo prop aircraft than twin engine props.

One of the most common cause of engine problems in boats is fuel issues. Contaminated fuel as a result of water or trash in the tank. Fuel hose deterioration is also a part of the problem.

Twin engines will do you no good if you're drawing fuel from one tank.

Twin tanks with the ability to cross feed is they key...just like in an aircraft. That's one of the things I like about catamarans.

Were I in the market for a new boat, I would talk to the builder about installing twin tanks vice a single tank.

The key is proactive maintenance.

For example, when was the last time you tested you battery under load? Boat batteries take a pounding and will not last as long as car batteries.

When was the last time you checked for water in your tank?

When was the lat time you checked your thru hull fittings?

Last time you purged your hydraulic steering system?

Replaced your fuel lines BEFORE they started deteriorating... and NOT after?

Do you change the water pump impeller every season?

It takes time and money but it minimizes the chances of you being stranded offshore.

Off my soapbox.


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## panhandlephinsphan (Aug 25, 2008)

All outstanding points. It is not a question of if you are going to breakdown and get stuck. You will. Period. 

I re powered with a single yamaha f300. I go out to blue water on a regular basis. I've been stuck on a color change with my propped wrapped up in things that don't belong on a prop. Bobbing up and down with a sharp object in your hand in rough water sawing off 20 ft of 400lb leader is no fun. But we got home. 

My motor had a fuel/water issue recently and luckily I was just snapper fishing 6 miles out instead of my normal 60-100. I did not have a sat phone. Shame on me. I will next time. It was scary at 6 miles out when no one answers the radio. Fortunately we were in cell range and tow boat came shortly thereafter. 

Current list of safety that is either on board already or is being added:
SPOT with SOS button
Sea Anchor
VHF with DSC
Hand held VHF
Cell phone
Sat Phone
Spare prop with all hardware and tools to change it out
Float plans


I am sure I have missed something- bottom line- it will happen. Just play it through in your head before you go and be prepared. 

I am sure the guys at the rigs look at me in my 99 proline with a single motor and outriggers flying out of the gunwhales and have a good laugh.


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## boatnbob (May 31, 2009)

*No laughing here!*

Actually, I wished a few times I was down on a boat or two fishing with you guys:thumbsup: The ability to pull the fish out and away from the rig is a huge advantage to my rig fishing experience. Most of the rigs will assist if you have an emergency. 

Your approach is well thought out and you understand the risk and manage it. The old Boy Scout motto applies - "be prepared"

Cheers, 

Bob


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## Magic236 (Oct 1, 2007)

Great points by many. I small boat fished for years and pushed the outer limits of craft, technology and man. Also, I have been on big boats and my closest calls have been on the "bigs," they are full of holes waiting to fail and sink you in minutes. I still prefer "bigs."

What ever you fish in; maintain it, know it, use good judgement, have an emergency plan and appropriate equipment, and realize you may have to actually deal with an emergency, it happens and it's not always to the other guy......

Safe passage and Tight Lines


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