# How far out could I go?



## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

hey there everyone
I just bought a boat and have it now in Mobile, Al. It`s a 17.5 Hydra Sports dual console with a 115HP evinrude. I`m dying to take her out, but won`t be able till september. I`ve never been out with my own boat and was wondering how far out i could go and what like the max waves would be? I put the coordinates of the reefs which are on the alabama fishing website onto google maps and saw that they`re all close to 20 miles from shore. Are there any closer structures and reefs where I could fish for some nice fish? what could i be catching?
thanks a tons for the info in advance.
tight lines y`all


----------



## Kingfish514 (Jan 21, 2009)

Congrats on the new boat, like anything new you should get the feel of things before running out 20 miles. You have a good boat there but you should get to know what its capabilities are. I think you find it will get uncomfortable at about 3-4' waves. also if the boat has fuel in it right now, you need to put some stabilizer in there so it wont go bad before september. 
Good luck and have fun


----------



## amarcafina (Aug 24, 2008)

With a low profile boat you might want to stay in the Bay area for a while .


----------



## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

amarcafina said:


> With a low profile boat you might want to stay in the Bay area for a while .


what would a low profile boat mean? i just got two way different answers....I`m trying to upload a pic right now so I can show it to you exactly.
thanks for the answers


----------



## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

Kingfish514 said:


> Congrats on the new boat, like anything new you should get the feel of things before running out 20 miles. You have a good boat there but you should get to know what its capabilities are. I think you find it will get uncomfortable at about 3-4' waves. also if the boat has fuel in it right now, you need to put some stabilizer in there so it wont go bad before september.
> Good luck and have fun


yeah, thanks for the tip on stabil....trieing to get that settled..hope the gas hasn`t spoiled yet....how long would it take to spoil usually?
yeah, I was def gona cruise around close to shore before heading out at all.


----------



## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

You'll catch snapper, aj, trigger, kings, etc. Depends what and how you're fishing. If you just got the boat, stay a little closer to shore until you get to know how it handles in rougher water and how comfortable you are with it. If you don't have a radio, get one. And maybe a back up too. Get an epirb, flares, etc. You can go out that far, just be prepared. Storms can come up on you in an instant and the seas can change too.


----------



## ClemsonTiger11 (Aug 12, 2010)

I take my 16'7" Boston Whaler out 15 or so miles all the time. Make sure you have all the provisions and safety equipment on board you need. Tell someone where you are going before you leave and what time you plan on being back. I always throw a 5 gallon gas can in the back of my boat because I only have a 18 gallon tank and don't want to run out. Make sure you play with your boat a lot and the motor and learn it's ins and outs. Every boat is different. I don't go out unless it's 1-2 feet or maybe 2 feet. I always stick my head out the pass and make my decision then. Don't be afraid to turn back if you don't feel comfortable, it's not worth it. 20 miles is definitely doable in your boat. Another good idea is to find a buddy to join up with and follow their boat out especially for the first few times. Good luck!


----------



## SHunter (Jun 19, 2009)

X2 on safety equipment including a good radio and a float plan left with someone on land. Some football players a few years back out of Tampa were in a much larger Everglades but did not invest in an epirb. All but one didn't make it back. If you are going out of sight of land you need one. Also, be sure to check the weather from NOAA before leaving the dock. I never go out without a weather report.


----------



## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

Believe me....In that size boat your days are limited. It was mentioned that it would be uncomfortable in 3ft to 4ft. It's going to be uncomfortable in 2ft with a 4to 6sec interval. It's due to the length of the boat. In that boat in the Gulf with 2ft seas you will be down maybe just planing speed.

The Gulf is not the place just to going running off into as a total novice as you have altitude to.


I'm not trying to scare you....I'm trying to educate you. Get comfortable with that boat on inshore waters. Heck Mobile Bay will kick your ass real quick if your not careful.

Sea Buoy. http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=42040

Bookmark that site.

Pay close attention to 

Dominant Wave Period (DPD):

Average Period (APD):

Wave Height (WVHT):

On the wave period... The less sec. between waves the bumper it will be.


----------



## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

wow guys, you have posted so much. thanks to all incredibly, great help, although i`m kinda unsure since i`ve heard "no don`t go out" and "no prob at all, u can go out 20miles".
i guess the weather must just really be nice and i will certainly go play around with the boat before heading out. great info all together. I`l most def make sure to have all the safety measures i need. i have a radio on the boat, so that is taken care of.
tight lines guys


----------



## Kingfish514 (Jan 21, 2009)

You know in todays world people paddle kayaks across oceans, so it all depends on your comfort level. I would say be ready for anything that could and will come up. Have tools, spare parts, extra fuel line and primer bulb, definatley set up a fuel/water seperator, this will save you lots of headache, your boat probally does Not have a self bailing hull, so you need a good bilge pump, and pumps need good charged batteries. Boating is a great sport but like anything you need to be versed in the proper ways to go about having fun. I would reccomend a safe boat course for you and your family. but most importantly get out there, get used to the boat and have a good safe time.


----------



## Kingfish514 (Jan 21, 2009)

Also you should get a Tow boat Us towing membership, its like AAA on the water.


----------



## redeyes (Jan 14, 2008)

If you are an Alabama resident, you will need to pass the boater's safety course and have a "V" (for vessel) put on your drivers license to be legal.
Go to Dauphin island put you boat in and fish around the oil rigs in the bay, if its calm you might try hitting a few of the rigs you can see to the south. Buy a chart and check out the sand bars.


----------



## whome (Oct 2, 2007)

The size boat is not all that you have to consider when deciding how far offshore to go. Your experience offshore counts as much as your size boat. It's obvious you don't have experience offshore. Even if you had a 30ft boat, without any offshore experience it would be in your best interest to stay closer to shore until you get the experience. Baby steps, not one huge leap....


----------



## Johnms (Nov 29, 2010)

ClemsonTiger11 said:


> I take my 16'7" Boston Whaler out 15 or so miles all the time. Make sure you have all the provisions and safety equipment on board you need. Tell someone where you are going before you leave and what time you plan on being back. I always throw a 5 gallon gas can in the back of my boat because I only have a 18 gallon tank and don't want to run out. Make sure you play with your boat a lot and the motor and learn it's ins and outs. Every boat is different. I don't go out unless it's 1-2 feet or maybe 2 feet. I always stick my head out the pass and make my decision then. Don't be afraid to turn back if you don't feel comfortable, it's not worth it. 20 miles is definitely doable in your boat. Another good idea is to find a buddy to join up with and follow their boat out especially for the first few times. Good luck!


you are a brave man.


----------



## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

Paolo said:


> what would a low profile boat mean? i just got two way different answers....I`m trying to upload a pic right now so I can show it to you exactly.
> thanks for the answers


It means your freeboard, or height of the deck (or sides) above the water is very low. Meaning a wave or wake could easily come over your transom, or sides of boat, swamping you.


----------



## Johnms (Nov 29, 2010)

I once took a quick trip out to Sand Island lighthouse at the mouth of Mobile Bay -only about 3 miles or less out in 2-3' seas in my 17' Pro-line with high profile. That was a learning experience - prayer , sweat, and tears got me back. On a calm day there is not problem heading out there.


----------



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Johnms said:


> you are a brave man.


Ive been out there with him. Obviously you need to pick your days but when its flat enough that you can run out there and back at 30MPH its no big deal. With phones having radar on them these days its easy to keep an eye on the sky which on those flat calm summer days is what you really need to worry about.

We have it easy here on the Gulf Coast. The east coast guys pray for 2-3ft days and here we moan about them. Perspective I guess.


----------



## gator7_5 (Oct 4, 2007)

X-Shark said:


> Believe me....In that size boat your days are limited. It was mentioned that it would be uncomfortable in 3ft to 4ft. It's going to be uncomfortable in 2ft with a 4to 6sec interval. It's due to the length of the boat. In that boat in the Gulf with 2ft seas you will be down maybe just planing speed.
> 
> The Gulf is not the place just to going running off into as a total novice as you have altitude to.
> 
> ...


BINGO!

I took my 17 cape out last saturday and went straight into 1.6-2.0 foot waves with a 3 second period.  That 20 mile ride took over an hour and wasn't comfortable. I dont go out in the gulf when the bouy reads over 2.0


----------



## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

I don't have a signal 20 miles out.


----------



## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

As XShark said it's not the size of the sea it's the interval of the waves. 2 foot seas at 3 seconds will kick your butt. Thats our chop we have here. 

Do not take your boat out in a sea like this. Use it in the bays running it 20 to 40 miles in a day to replicate a long trip. See how the boat and you hold up in a long day like this. One day something can and will go wrong. Be prepared.


----------



## Gulfcity (Nov 26, 2008)

*How Far Out*

I have a Bay boat Yamaha 115, 19' with a 8' beam across. There's a lot of good info already mentioned that I won't go over again. I go out on select days 10-15 miles with 2 ft or less seas (maybe 6 times during the summer). Never had a problem but it all comes down to time on your boat and learning your limits. If your in Baldwin County, pick a smooth day and go out of Fort Morgan into the gulf and head SE to the gas rigs south of there. Maybe a 20-30 minute ride and you can't miss them. This would help your confidence and give you some experience. On the way out look for spanish chasing bait fish and have a silver spoon ready. Just feel the ride out and get comfortable. Like a motorcycle, the more you ride the better you get and you know what dangers to lookout for.


----------



## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

*All these guys I agree with about getting used to the vessel and your own limits. I've had everything from a 25' Grady with twins to a 16' sunbird cc and have gone offshore with all but only after the proper preperation and tests. I now have a 20' cc Aquasport and had Tim at Breeze Fab set it up as an offshore boat. I have been out 50 miles on a good calm WOT day and had a blast. I have also been 15 miles out in 2' 3sec days and had the pucker level peg out.*

*I try to make the descision while in the pass. If beyond the pass chop I can get up to 22knts without feeling my prostate in my throat , it's fish'n time, otherwise I go back to the jetties or bay spots and get what I can. You will have fun no matter what once you get your stripes.:thumbup:*


----------



## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

> On the wave period... The less sec. between waves the bumper it will be.


And 'tween now and your maiden voyage, spend a bunch of time on the site. Learn to watch your online radar sites at the same time... watch as one little squall approaches a buoy and observe how fast the conditions go south.

A typical summer squall can be devastating to boaters and their confidence.

Seas can go from 1-2 feet with a WP of 9 seconds to 8-12 feet with a period of 3-5 seconds (or worse) in a matter of minutes... Those are dangerous numbers to any pleasure vessel not in the hands of a skilled, experienced and confident captain. Also you have to realize that the buoy computer works on "averages"... since it records each motion... If you have 2 feet of stormy chop on 8 foot swells, over time it will factor averages and read as 4-6 footers... 

Also, fuel capacity versus consumption is key in your range planning...

Personally I ALWAYS insist on no less conservative than "3rds" You can only burn 1/3rd of your fuel heading out and fishing... one third is your "git home" fuel and the other 1/3rd is "reserved". One bad storm or broken blade/slipping prop hub etc. can seriously affect your expected fuel range. Any number of things can seriously affect your planned fuel consumption.

Brent


----------



## Sea-r-cy (Oct 3, 2007)

I agree with the above post, little steps. Make sure your boat/motor is dependable, stay in close the first trip or two. Get to know your rig, and how to work the electronics. Pick your days, stay under 2' seas with that boat. They get small in a hurry when the weather kicks up. Get some experence, then progress further out. 

If you still ask if you are safe going out 20 miles, you probably aren't. You will know when you are ready for that trip.

Very important, buy seatow or boat us towing insurance before you go out. Don't leave home without it!

Sea-r-cy


----------



## aroundthehorn (Aug 29, 2010)

ClemsonTiger11 said:


> I take my 16'7" Boston Whaler out 15 or so miles all the time. Make sure you have all the provisions and safety equipment on board you need. Tell someone where you are going before you leave and what time you plan on being back. I always throw a 5 gallon gas can in the back of my boat because I only have a 18 gallon tank and don't want to run out. Make sure you play with your boat a lot and the motor and learn it's ins and outs. Every boat is different. I don't go out unless it's 1-2 feet or maybe 2 feet. I always stick my head out the pass and make my decision then. Don't be afraid to turn back if you don't feel comfortable, it's not worth it. 20 miles is definitely doable in your boat. Another good idea is to find a buddy to join up with and follow their boat out especially for the first few times. Good luck!



Completely different boat from the OP's.


----------



## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

thanks for the tip. do you go out of dauphin island with your boat? I`ll be close to the MS border and i`ve always absolutely loved to go to DI, great place. Always shore fished there, but not with my boat so far.


----------



## Ruger7mmmag (Jun 3, 2011)

I like to think I have pretty good experience having worked on 85' party boats to 30-40' charters to my grandfather's 25' hydrasport, dad's 17' proline when we were younger, his 21' proline now and my 18' sea pro I have now. 

I'm from USF so the story about Skyler and those guys hits close to home (guys from tampa who died). Here's the thing about going further than 7 miles or where you "lose sight of land". How far you go has more to do with what can you handle when something goes wrong bc eventually, IT WILL GO BAD, REAL BAD. Anyone who fishes a long time has a story where something crazy happens. Accidently run over the anchor line the minute a storm comes up so you can't free the line. Battery goes dead. Cotter pin comes off and prop goes off. Electrical equipment goes bad. Etc.

Here's a rule I have lived by and it's always got me home. Don't go further than you can see land unless you have one of two things. 1) two engines or 2) "buddy boat" within sight.

I've seen boats go down faster than guys can say hold on much bigger than yours. I've seen beams on 85' boats BREAK hitting a wave "just wrong" in a squall and the boat beginning to FLOOD.

Water is a POWERFUL thing and you'll be shocked how a single wave can sink a boat in seconds. All it takes is for you to get in a squall and "stall" and that stern gets overtaken.

I don't want to scare ya, but no one who dies on the water planned it that way. Yeah, there's plenty of us who go out hundreds if not thousands of times not obeying those two rules above and live to tell about it. However, it only takes ONCE to cost you your life when this could be avoided. My grandfather was an engineer for Ford and was also a dentist who took GREAT care of that 25' hydrasport and we went EVERY weekend 30 miles out and I can remember at least 6 times over the years that we ended up coming back on a single engine due to some freak thing happening. That's 6 times where had we been in a single engine boat  things could've gone HORRIBLY wrong. 

Trust me, no one wants to tow you in 20 miles on a flat calm day. In any kind of chop, it's not even possible by most recreational craft you'll have pass you.

With my boat now, 18' sea pro, 90 HP 4 stroke merc, I enjoy fishing the bay, outside the pass here in Mobile and the short rigs. If it's calm, I'll link up with another boat and head out, but not alone. Have I done it? yeah, I ran over 200 miles in a two day trip on a 17' cape horn once, but I swore I'd never do it again after watching things go from GLASS to CRAP so fast death is still looking for us.

The one poster was right about Mobile Bay. When I was in the Rodeo this weekend, I was the ONLY boat at the DI bridge Friday night when hell broke loose about midnight. We were only in 14' of water and when that storm hit, we had 2-3' waves mixed with a WICKED current. Fish that bridge and you'll be surprised how many anchors you "catch" from people who couldn't get free fast enough when a storm came up and they had to cut loose or risk slamming into the pilings or taking a wave due to the anchor getting them "screwed up".

Earn your experience points in the bay here and then find someone to "buddy" with if you want to go offshore in your boat. No fish is worth risking life and limb over...


----------



## aroundthehorn (Aug 29, 2010)

Those USF guys weren't good boaters, imho.


----------



## Catchin Hell (Oct 9, 2007)

Tips:

-Always recheck the weather right before you leave the dock
-The longer you fish, the better your chances for running into crap weather
-Never use more than 1/3 of your gas for the run out, you may need the extra 1/3 tank on the way back if the weather gets ugly
-Take plenty of water and sunscreen
-check and recheck your emergency supplies
-make sure you have coastal life vests on board and wear them when under way
-remember, your boat is more likely to flip than sink, so keep that life vest handy if you're not going to wear it while fishing
-get some type of boat towing insurance (cost me $800 for a jump 20 mi offshore once)


----------



## Ruger7mmmag (Jun 3, 2011)

aroundthehorn said:


> Those USF guys weren't good boaters, imho.


They were like most "average" recreational fisherman. Thought they could get out, beat any storm in etc. From what I remember, they were fishing, storm comes up and they couldn't get the anchor unstuck and very quickly that pulled the nose down and they were swamped. All happened very quickly and could've happened to alot of people. Horrible story how they hung on forever and finally he had to let his buddy "go" when he passed in his arms. 

Needless to say, when I saw how far out they were in that size boat with a single engine, I shook my head as that's just asking for trouble. Any single engine boat out far from land with no buddy boat is rolling the dice as the ocean can be very unforgiving.


----------



## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

> The east coast guys pray for 2-3ft days and here we moan about them. Perspective I guess.


But they usually have a longer wave period time. While the boat still goes up and down it's not like a bucking horse.


This brings up another subject that I've seen mentioned in the past.

A spare bilge pump that you can hook up. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to have. What I will say is that if you have read most of these posts and how fast things can happen. You don't have time to hook it up. It needs to be ON and running in a Nano second. 

My point is have back up's hard wired and plumbed. Every time we hear of a boat going down. The subject of a High Water alarm comes up. Does YOUR boat have one?

This was a general statement for everyone, not really directed at the original poster. I know his boat doesn't. In fact I would take a wager that he probably only has one bilge pump.


----------



## dockmaster (Sep 27, 2007)

before you decide how far out you can go, you should get VERY familiar with your boat. That's before you leave the dock. Grab a few beers and go thru your boat while its on the trailer. Besides how it operates, I mean the different systems on your boat. How is the bait tank plumbed, are the hose clamps properly installed? Were do those hoses go, Whats behind those little 6" deck covers? Look up under the console and make sure the wiring is properly banded up and secured, so when your pounding the waves, the wiring doesn't pop a terminal loose and oh shit, just happened to be my radio.. Battery terminal connection secured properly (i shit can any wingnut), with the positive terminal covered so it wont spark? How is your fuel system plumbed?. Are the hoses going to chafe on anything, if so they need protection. Are all your thru hull fittings double clamped and tight? Where are they are they easily accessible and working properly? could you close them in and emergency (If there never operated the chances of being froze are great)
Theres a lot of stuff behind fiberglass that can go wrong. Besides all that, figure if the shit hits the fan, your on your own for an hour or more unless somone else is close. After a careear in the CG, I've never found that big arm that comes outta the sky and snatches you out of the water while your screaming into the radio. In fact never met a person that could walk on water either!!
Have fun be safe and prepared.
BillD


----------



## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

High flow bilge pumps are a must.

And if the vessel is in peril, your time is better spent getting your crew and supplies ready to ditch rather than trying to find the "+" on the submerged battery with your alligator clips...

Brent


----------



## gator7_5 (Oct 4, 2007)

Ruger7mmmag said:


> They were like most "average" recreational fisherman. Thought they could get out, beat any storm in etc. From what I remember, they were fishing, storm comes up and they couldn't get the anchor unstuck and very quickly that pulled the nose down and they were swamped. All happened very quickly and could've happened to alot of people. Horrible story how they hung on forever and finally he had to let his buddy "go" when he passed in his arms.
> 
> Needless to say, when I saw how far out they were in that size boat with a single engine, I shook my head as that's just asking for trouble. Any single engine boat out far from land with no buddy boat is rolling the dice as the ocean can be very unforgiving.


 
I thought that they tied the anchor off to the stern cleat. Thats a recipe for diaster. It cost 2 lives at the Russian Freighter a few years ago.


----------



## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

Another way an anchor will swamp you is to get a little lax and tie off to a deck cleat rather than the bow eye.

Brent


----------



## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

hogdogs said:


> Another way an anchor will swamp you is to get a little lax and tie off to a deck cleat rather than the bow eye.
> 
> Brent


I'm more concerned with how NOT to sink my boat, lol.
Thanks though for the post.
Tight lines


----------



## aroundthehorn (Aug 29, 2010)

Ruger7mmmag said:


> They were like most "average" recreational fisherman. Thought they could get out, beat any storm in etc. From what I remember, they were fishing, storm comes up and they couldn't get the anchor unstuck and very quickly that pulled the nose down and they were swamped. All happened very quickly and could've happened to alot of people. Horrible story how they hung on forever and finally he had to let his buddy "go" when he passed in his arms.
> 
> Needless to say, when I saw how far out they were in that size boat with a single engine, I shook my head as that's just asking for trouble. Any single engine boat out far from land with no buddy boat is rolling the dice as the ocean can be very unforgiving.


They anchored from the stern and tried to use the throttle to pull the anchor out, if I recall correctly. Agree with you entirely, though, they had no business doing that.

They could have spent a couple hundred bucks on safety equipment and been more cautious and they would still be alive.


----------



## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

> Are all your thru hull fittings double clamped and tight?


Tight yes, but double clamping is no.

Here is why. 99% of thruhull fittings have enough room to slip the hose on and space for one clamp. If you install a 2nd clamp behind it it will overlap the end of the fitting. This causes the hose to get cut on the end of the fitting on the inside.

Double clamping on fuel fill hoses is possible due to the length of the neck, but most barbed fittings that the actual fuel lines slide on in the 1/4in,5/16in and 3/8in sizes only have the space for one clamp.

Oh and I can't say this enough as I see it again and again. That plastic segmented hose that is sold as bilge hose is JUNK! Get it off your boat. I've seen it after 1 1/2yrs split cross ways along the segments. Then when the pump kicks on it just cycles the water around the bilge and never pumps overboard, because it's leaking at that split.


----------



## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

Any thru hull fitting below the water line needs a HIGH QUALITY seacock of some sort. I was literally amazed to learn that many factory/dealer installed bait wells do not have this as standard gear.

Another thing I have begun doing is to scribe the lens on my pressure gauge of fire extinguishers. My mark is in line with the gauge needle. I can verify if it has changed trip to trip. 

My mark is made with the unit at a fairly cool temp... If the needle falls below my mark, I remove it from the vessel and put it online in the house as "first grab" near fireplace, stove, furnace room and utility room.

Before you call me a "worry wart", keep in mind I do not buy full coverage insurance for anything and I only carry liability on my rides. A few extra precautions cost me far less than the premiums to insurance firms.

Brent


----------



## Kingfish514 (Jan 21, 2009)

X-Shark said:


> Tight yes, but double clamping is no.
> 
> Here is why. 99% of thruhull fittings have enough room to slip the hose on and space for one clamp. If you install a 2nd clamp behind it it will overlap the end of the fitting. This causes the hose to get cut on the end of the fitting on the inside.
> 
> ...


I think any surveyor on here might disagree with you about the double claps, just about every survey report I have read (hundreds of them) has called for double clampping anything that is below the water line.


----------

