Limitations of Class A boats?

EStack

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jan 28, 2010
Messages
47
Got a 14ft tri hull. Was wondering what the limits were? I know not deep sea, but the gulf is pretty quiet unless theres a storm. So I was thinking 1-2 miles out if I have my GPS already installed then thats IF I'm even brave to go that far out in the 14ft lol. For the most part I'm just going to hit lakes, but once a year I would love to go to the gulf and get out in the ocean. This is after I know my boat. Like maybe two years from now that way it gives me a year to get familiar with my boat and know my engines limits, etc.

Was wondering what everyone has done with their Class A. I regret selling my Class 1. :( But hey if I love boating I'll sell this boat to my mom and buy a bigger boat. The one I'm restoring now was my Pawpaws before he died so it means a lot to me.
 

JoLin

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
5,146
Re: Limitations of Class A boats?

Got a 14ft tri hull. Was wondering what the limits were? I know not deep sea, but the gulf is pretty quiet unless theres a storm. So I was thinking 1-2 miles out if I have my GPS already installed then thats IF I'm even brave to go that far out in the 14ft lol. For the most part I'm just going to hit lakes, but once a year I would love to go to the gulf and get out in the ocean. This is after I know my boat. Like maybe two years from now that way it gives me a year to get familiar with my boat and know my engines limits, etc.

Was wondering what everyone has done with their Class A. I regret selling my Class 1. :( But hey if I love boating I'll sell this boat to my mom and buy a bigger boat. The one I'm restoring now was my Pawpaws before he died so it means a lot to me.

Guess you'd be okay in dead calm, daylight, within sight of land. Keep a real close eye on weather and waves, tho.

More to the point, what the heck is a Class 1, or a Class A? Never heard that terminology applied to a boat before. You've piqued my curiosity there, young fella :)
 

EStack

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jan 28, 2010
Messages
47
Re: Limitations of Class A boats?

Guess you'd be okay in dead calm, daylight, within sight of land. Keep a real close eye on weather and waves, tho.

More to the point, what the heck is a Class 1, or a Class A? Never heard that terminology applied to a boat before. You've piqued my curiosity there, young fella :)

The length of your boat determines the class. In my state we have regulations per class of a boat. Equipment wise and PPE.
 

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: Limitations of Class A boats?

It's not so much a matter of how far out you go as how far to get back inside to sheltered water. IOW if you go out of an inlet into the ocean on a calm day, stay 1000 yards offshore and head 20 miles down the beach, you may as well be 20 miles out to sea if weather kicks up. You can drown in 10' of water just as fast as 100'.

Also you need to know what your inlet is like if the weather picks up. They can get real dicey real fast, much worse than open sea. And different on different tides. Know your inlet well before you do anything (and a 14' boat is better inside anyway.)

When I was young and stupid I ran 14' wooden boats with 9.9's through a very treacherous ocean inlet just to jump the waves. It can be done; I'm here to say. The Lord looks out for fools and drunkards.
 
Top