Is my 18ft Tom Sawyer deep V an ocean going vessel?

[firepro86]

Hi I have a 1971 Tom Sawyer, I believe its a run about. It has a closed bow and seats 6. It has a Chevy inline V6 with what I am told is an Alpha 1 drive. I've had the boat for about 6 months and have done the basic maintenance to the boat, oil change, outdrive service etc. I have had it out on some of the major lakes here in Southern California without a problem. I however have a trip coming up to catalina island off the So Cal coast (about 20miles) that has me wondering if I should take my own boat to save a little dough since the only ferry that crosses the channel charges $70 a person round trip and has a very limited schedule.. The boat has a deep V, and a pretty high free board and has tackled the choppy conditions at Lake Mead and Lake Powell without a problem. I guess my questions are what is the gph or how would I figure that out. I have a 28 gallon tank and I can usually get a couple days on the lake/river pulling a tube and cruising before I have to fill up. Does anybody have any knowledge or experience with Tom Sawyer boats? I haven't been able tp find anything about them on the web and am kinda in the dark. My local platinum mercruiser dealer laughed at me when I went into their shop with questions. And also does anybody have any input on this being a reliable inner coastal vessel? I can post some pictures of the boat if that would help, just let me know. Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Don S]

Re: Is my 18ft Tom Sawyer deep V an ocean going vessel?

I am closing your other thread that was moved to this forum, and have deleted a duplicate. Please do not keep posting the same thing more than one time.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Is my 18ft Tom Sawyer deep V an ocean going vessel?

That brand, Tri-Sonic and at least one other (Cobalt?) shared a very similar hull design, if not the same set of molds.

I never had one but am familiar with them and have seen them on big water. They take it well. If you know what you are doing and the weather is in your favor, I wouldn't have a problem with it at all. Besides a successful boating trip like that is more fun than an ole ferry ride. Get her up on plane and add 5 or so miles to your "just on plane" speed, kick back and relax. you'll make good headway, have a soft ride, conserve fuel, and not overpower your equipment. Depending on the water of course, taking ground swells at an angle rather than head on can make for a pleasant ride, especially if you are going faster than the crest to crest timing.

HTH,

Mark

 

[Solittle]

Re: Is my 18ft Tom Sawyer deep V an ocean going vessel?

Taking a 40 year old boat out in a lake is one thing but going 20 miles out in open water is another. While you may start out in relatively calm water the ocean can get nasty in a hurry. If you do choose to go make sure that you go with another boat with an experienced mariner aboard - - and make sure you have the full compliment of Coast Guard equipment aboard.

You asked if this were a reliable coastal vessel - simple answer is no. However having said that if the maintenance were top notch and on a calm day I would stick my nose out for a short run. Your call.

 

[TomB985]

Re: Is my 18ft Tom Sawyer deep V an ocean going vessel?

I've not done this on the pacific ocean, but my family and I used to make trips like this on Lake Erie with our 18-foot Starcraft bowrider. If done properly with all required equipment and the weather looked calm I wouldn't have a problem going that far out. Just remember that cell phones may not work that far out, and you will need an alternate method of communication should trouble occur.

 

[oops!]

Re: Is my 18ft Tom Sawyer deep V an ocean going vessel?

even a cork is an ocean going vessel......few things here...

1. DO NOT VENTURE MORE THAN ONE MILE FROM SHORE WITHOUT A MARINE RADIO.

2. weather is very unpredictable. make sure you know the forecast and they are expecting several calm days in a row with a steady barometer reading.

3 take an experinced boat captain....in large water...your boat will hold....but one wrong move and you are fish bait.

4.one trick ....is to follow a commercial boat, like a ferry or get several boaters that are going to the island as well. then go in a group.

5. if i may quote JB. "the ocean has no forgiveness for the unprepared"

6 20 miles, is not far....i boat it on a lake every day. if the ocean is flat calm...no sweat...if it bucks up.....it will kill you.

 

[jeepnsam]

Re: Is my 18ft Tom Sawyer deep V an ocean going vessel?

launching from Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa or Newport Beach which is directly west of the island is best for small boats.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Is my 18ft Tom Sawyer deep V an ocean going vessel?

Back in the '60's I regularly went offshore from Gulfport, MS. to Ship and Cat islands, approx 10 miles offshore in a 13' Taylor craft with a 22 hp Scott Atwater that was over 10 years old. The boat had a semi V hull with a fore deck, windshield and a lot of flare in the bow...that lot of flare made it the perfect boat for it's size to handle large waves when they occurred.

I knew my boat, what it could do and it's capabilities. I was a responsible grown man with 2 kids and doing my service to my country in the military. Had a compass but nothing else.....never had a problem where I felt challenged. Only thing was, in the afternoons, squalls would come up with heavy rain and lightening. We would be out in the islands. A pain, but not life threatening. 15 minutes of intense weather and all was calm. Waves weren't a problem because we were on the leeward side of the island and it took the heat. As far as the transgression waves, out and back to port, the bow flare, and knowing my boat, and how to use it, took care of that.

The biggest problem I ever had was one day I hooked "something", never saw it, battled it for over 45 minutes with my companion and I taking turns wearing each other out trying to do something with this "thing". Sometimes it would charge the boat, other times it would strip off 45 lb test braided line so fast that you had to chase it with the boat.....never saw what it was....line broke where the cork was mounted...where they cut off a piece of plastic with a saw to make the inner liner in the cork. A real bummer. We already had several sand sharks that hung off the gunwale on both sides at the transom. Figure this was a sizeable shark or a manta ray. Figured shark as didn't figure a ray could accelerate like it did.

Again, know your equipment, know what it can do, watch the weather!!!!!

My 2c.

Mark

P.S. If I would have had a boat like you are mentioning, and had I had the money for both...boat and fishing trip, in addition to my responsibilities to my family ($300 per month military pay, for a family of 4 didn't go very far but we made it and still had fun) I would have gone to Chandelier Island on a regular basis....that Island is South East of the Mississippi River (delta) below NOLA and about 25 miles from Gulfport. Fishing out there WAS superb but I only got the fish stories, never made it out....but lots did and never heard of a tragedy.

 

[Water logged]

Re: Is my 18ft Tom Sawyer deep V an ocean going vessel?

launching from Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa or Newport Beach which is directly west of the island is best for small boats.

Directly West of the island is Hawaii. I think you meant the island is directly West of Costa Mesa and Newport Bch.

Glenn

 

[firepro86]

Re: Is my 18ft Tom Sawyer deep V an ocean going vessel?

The boqt has been a great boat and handles superbly in the chop about 5miles out. We took it out yesterday to do a dry run, and it stayed pretty dry. We left about mid day. It was very calm, we got about 5miles out, fished a little and then came back when the wind started to pick up. I have a SPOT, fish finder, vhf radio with dsc, flare kit, gps, compass and charts. I also have a vessel assist membership.
So Orange county would a better launch than San Pedro or Long Beach? Where are the launches at in O.C?