How rough will you go in the ocean?

[imstillatwork]

I have a 18ft 70hp, and I've only been i the ocean a few times. How rough will you guys go out for fun (not commercial) and with what boat?<br /><br />Kevin

 

[bayman]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

I'm not fond of rough water. But if I was and could afford it I'd probably opt for a Glacier Bay cat with twins on the stern:<br /> http://www.glacierbaycats.com/records.html

 

[tommays]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

not very on and 18 ft power boat i take my 20 ft out to block island and other places but i really pick my weather and i NEVER go in and out of most inlets there really dangerous in a small boat<br /><br />i have done tons of stuff on big sailboats 24ft and up that i would not even think about doing on a power boat the same size<br /><br />its way to easy to get a LOT of water in a small power boat or capsize it in the ocean <br /><br />tommays

 

[DangerDan]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

I try to stay away from anythin rougher than 4 footers. I fish Lake Mi. and it can kick up from time to time. I have a 23' Slickcraft built in the West Central Lake Mi. area and handles the lake great. On one occaision it was in 10' seas but not on purpose. I really don't think it's worth beating the crud out of my gear to fish in 3 to 5's

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

I've been in 30 to 35 foot breaking waves and 75 knot winds in one of these. About 40 miles off the coast of Monterey towing a 65' sailboat with a broken mast back to the harbor. No sweat. <br /><br />

 

[imstillatwork]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

niiiice. thats gotta be hard to walk around like that.<br /><br />I try to stick to under 3 foot. I'm not as experienced as most of you probably. <br /><br />Anyone familiar with the Port of Brookings, Oregon? I know there are a few here from southern oregon. I've heard it's relativly safe compared to others.<br /><br />I haven't yet had the boat out more than about a mile so far.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

Depends on time between swells, wind conditions, ect.. Seen a few days where if I could get out the inlet the 10'+ swells would'nt be much of a problem.... uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuppppppp-dddddooooowwwwnnnnnnn..... <br /><br />Generally speaking 3 to 5 is about my max comfort and fishability level in my 21'... Anything over 6', it gets pretty wet, you start wishing you'd installed larger scuppers and pumps, and the pucker factor definately doubles...

 

[dingbat]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

I run a 22' boat and it all depends on how good the fishing is and the wave period. Our best fishing in November - January and we fish a lot of white water (right on the ede of the surf line)at this time which is even more of a problem than the 35-50 mile runs we make in the summer.

 

[RichP1269]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

Often take my FIL's 23 foot Marlin Chinook out to the Farrallon Islands and Cordell Banks, 20 to 30 miles offshore from San Francisco. 3 to 5 foot is fishable and comfortable. <br />Biggest problem is the first mile out from the Golden Gate Bridge. This area is called the Potatoe Patch and can get pretty rough. I've been through there at times when you drop into the bottom of a swell, the only way to see sky is to look straight up.

 

[Harry_Pluta]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

For fun I am willing to go on Lake Michigan with 3-4' swells in a 16' Perception sea kayak, does that count?

 

[baja power]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

ill go around 6 footers but ive been out in 8's on erie

 

[brother chris]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

I have a 16' with a 55hp Rude on it. <br />I have gone out in the ocean about 3-5miles, but that is my limit. I have to have someone with me who I trust, who can be my safeguard if something happens. <br />Seems like everytime I go out, I have to take care of any and everyone on my boat. <br />When I get into swells and there are waves within those swells, it is time to go back. <br />Up a swell, I can see the land, down the swell, I all I see is water all around. <br />It gets pretty freaky when there are nice big rolling waves from a ocean liner that come within a swell I am in. <br />Imagine going down in a 20' swell that is about 100' wide and long. Then seeing a 4' wave coming at you while you are at the bottom of the swell. <br />You jump the wave(going 3/4 throttle), and while in the air, you see land, just for a moment, then...SLAM, your boat hits the water and then there is another 4' wave coming right at you. <br />Then you are between swells(which means you are on top of the swell), and another 4'-6' wave comes at you and you jump that wave, which sends you flying in the air about 15', because you are now descending upon the swell you were just on top. <br />You look around and see land 5 miles behind you. You turn your head forward and see nothing but whitecaps and more swells. Then you see HUGE sailboats and cruisers coming right your way throwing wake that is twice the size of your boat. <br />I think it is time to go back closer to shore.

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

Hey that sounds like fun Brother Chris!(bear in mind I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie here)<br /><br />The height of the waves doesn't bother me too much-its the length of the wave. 4' wind-against tide chop is too much for my 16' boat and I'll start to head in, but 8' swells don't bother me unless they turn into whitecaps. It just means I keep an eye on the tide times and weather reports for any impending change.<br /><br />I once crossed the English channel (63 miles,Cherbourg to Poole) with my father in a 30' sailboat in gale force 8 blowing 10-11 close hauled. It was 12 hours of hell but at no point did it feel unsafe-just very noisy and very uncomfortable.

 

[Sublime]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

Adrenaline junkie too. As far as how far out, I've been 2-3 miles in my 16' with 45hp. The most humbling part for me is shooting the mouth/channel of the Merrimack river. I pay very close attention to the tide. At slack tide I'll shoot out and have about 45 min. to one hour to gat back through the mouth. "They say" the Merrimack river inlet is the worst to navigate on the east coast? A couple of times I've over-stayed my welcome in the ocean. Finally get through 4-10 footers and large boat traffic wakes at the mouth and wheeewww!! Check my shorts!

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

Brown trousers next time, Sublime.<br /><br />Plenty of big catch tales to be told here! I reckon some boaters are like fishermen!<br /><br />If you can only see the sky by looking straight up, how big and how close would the swells have to be, huh? Probably reach out and touch two swells at once! Even Moses couldn't do that!<br /><br />Me? -Sea boating only - so I listen to seamen, go away and think, and take some of their tales with a pinch of salt.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

I fish with a friend alot on a 29ft WACuddy. Our limit is about six to eight foot seas/roughwater.<br /><br />But we have fished winter weather in 15/16 foot rolling seas in much more comfort than the 6-8ft.

 

[mikekreft1]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

I have an 18' w/150 hp, I will not go into lake erie if the forecast is 3-5 or greater. In a boat that small if I have to worry to much about sinking than having fun than I would rather go to an inland lake that day.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

A stock Super Nova 19 would win the inboard division in the 1970 Miami- Key Largo race. 54 miles each way. Even though it has been proven it can handle it (the reason they won was the water was very rough and the other larger, faster boats couldn't take the beating).I don't have any plans on ever going out that far. I will stay in my little bay.

 

[JRJ]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

Brookings is the safest bar to cross in Oregon. I don't go out of Eureka if small craft warnings are posted.

 

[imstillatwork]

Re: How rough will you go in the ocean?

I've watched 20-30 ft fishing boats just struggling to get back in at Eureka during a storm. It is really wide and nasty out there on the jetty. Seems like there is no protection at all, the big waves just roll right in the bay.<br /><br />We used to surf north jetty sometimes.