Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

[Chaz7R]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

Thanks for all the insight guys. Reading this i can tell with age ive lost some of my youthfull adventurous spirit (i.e. stupidity) because i wouldnt even consider the danger till i was in it. I think someday I probally will have the floating camper my wife likes. but im not quite ready to give up the wakeboarding and sandbar weekends with my friends yet. And since i cant afford multiple boats or the 35' luxury liner that would be ideal for these trips. I might as well wait a couple more seasons for the transition. Although it does seem to get more attractive every season and its not totally out of the question when she bugs me about it lol

 

[southkogs]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

What about rentin' one for a weekend trip?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

or buy my fuel and I'll cart you all over the great lakes

 

[Bluepike]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

Before you give up, let me tell you about a guy I know. His first boat was a 23 foot cuddy and he used to take it up to Georgian bay from where he was docked near the Lake Erie islands. I know another who goes to Leamington every year in his 23 footer.

If you let the lake scare you, you'll never get out. You just have to respect it and pick your days. You can always do overnight trips with a group or a buddy boat for addded safety.

There is nothing in the world like getting up in the morning and having that first cup of coffee while watching the sun go up from the cockpit of your boat.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

There is nothing in the world like getting up in the morning and having that first cup of coffee while watching the sun go up from the cockpit of your boat.

I can attest to that. Before children, my wife and I did some over-nighting on the Great Lakes for as much as 10 days on our 17' Winner & 80 HP Merc OB with full camper stern curtain. You sure appreciate a closed bow style after having 6" of green water roll over the deck and up the windshield. You can do it in a small boat, but it's much better with a little more room than we had. See picture of my wife swimming near our anchorage in North Georgian Bay circa 1978. Nowadays, you'll need a proper head c/w pumpout fitting if you boat in Ontario waters. Portable toilets aren't legal here. See http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/debs-obs-quick-quick_visitor-1610.htm#f

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

I think your on the right track to start.

You don't need as big a boat as some have suggested because they seem to be thinking about big cruisers, which are not at all like a performance boat.

 

[hungupthespikes]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

Like most on here, 23 is a little small for the trips your planning. At 26 1/2 I'm good for 3 footers at cruise speeds, most 23's around when I've been out, have problems with a 3 foot chop. The newer 27's will take 4 footers were I'm at the dock.

Twins are a BIG plus, but I've only been towed once, (starter), and the weather was getting to be a concern, 3 foot rollers by the time we hit safe harbor.

View attachment 129158

With full canvas your fine for a weekend at the islands, with just a go fast.

Like the other posters:
27+ with twins is the ticket.
25-26 single will do it.
23 and you'll have twofootitus in a month.:facepalm:

huts

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

With twins you have to remember that your power hydraulic steering will only work of one of the motors. The pump will commonly be on the starboard motor (not a firm rule), so if you can't run your starboard motor even in neutral because of whatever happen you won't have power steering.

Also for smokes idea of having a prop that will plane your boat with one engine, you'll need two, the motor are counter-rotating. Although you could run the other side in reverse so it would side forward I wouldn't beat on my drive like that.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

I'd want somethin' just a bit longer than the Edmond Fitzgerald, and even then I'd be gettin' off the water if the wind whipped up!

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

With twins you have to remember that your power hydraulic steering will only work of one of the motors. The pump will commonly be on the starboard motor (not a firm rule), so if you can't run your starboard motor even in neutral because of whatever happen you won't have power steering.

Also for smokes idea of having a prop that will plane your boat with one engine, you'll need two, the motor are counter-rotating. Although you could run the other side in reverse so it would side forward I wouldn't beat on my drive like that.

Motors are not counter rotating. If it's a inboard its done in the transmission. Both motors turn the same direction. If it's a i/o both motors turn the same direction.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

there actually ARE some engines that run in opposite rotations and a few I/O's that are counter rotating but quite a few that aren't.... In the case of an inboard or V drive only a small handful of people would even consider changing a prop under the boat to limp home.

I CAN say that running an alpha in reverse gear to go forward for any distance at over idle will trash it but there are some drives that it wouldn't hurt..... sooooooooo you would need to know your gear and you MIGHT need two props although a very large number of the twin I/O cruisers out there have two standard rotation alpha's on them.

Limping home without power steering is tiring but not a big deal. BTDT.... docking or putting it on the trailer without it is tough but being minus an engine makes it rough anyhow..... at the point that we limp home on one engine from 20 miles out, tho we are more concerned with not dying than comfort and ease of docking.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

there actually ARE some engines that run in opposite rotations and a few I/O's that are counter rotating but quite a few that aren't.... In the case of an inboard or V drive only a small handful of people would even consider changing a prop under the boat to limp home.

I CAN say that running an alpha in reverse gear to go forward for any distance at over idle will trash it but there are some drives that it wouldn't hurt..... sooooooooo you would need to know your gear and you MIGHT need two props although a very large number of the twin I/O cruisers out there have two standard rotation alpha's on them.

Limping home without power steering is tiring but not a big deal. BTDT.... docking or putting it on the trailer without it is tough but being minus an engine makes it rough anyhow..... at the point that we limp home on one engine from 20 miles out, tho we are more concerned with not dying than comfort and ease of docking.

Right on with your statement.Most counter rotating engines are in performance boats. Alot of the I/O's have counter rotating props( Duo )

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

yeah the C/R (two props on one drive) setup adds a whole new level of complexity and takes a spare prop from $100 to what? $700? UGH... lucky for me I can't afford that "new" stuff LOL

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

Well first we should probably limit the discussion to i/o's seeing how that's the type of boat the the op is asking about.

Twin i/o props rotate in different directions, your probably right it would be in the drive not the motor, I never put much thought into it. That doesn't mean anything though because that facts are that the props turn in opposite directions. The turn in on each other.

Now I know this from one really humorous moment at the ramp when we put the boat in reverse and it moved forward! Oohh, after the props came back from getting freshened up, the helpful sea captain that put the props back on didn't look at them.:facepalm:

So there we were fixing to join 30 other offshore boats to run 60 miles to St Augustine with the florida power boat club. Props spinning outward Mercury XR Racing drives in reverse.

Now I can tell you for a known fact to me that you can run an XR drive at 80 mph for about an hour in reverse and not hurt it. A lessor drive probably wouldn't last. Personally if it was mine I wouldn't do it.

Again lets remember what kind of boat we're talking about.

As for steering-

We're discussing a hydraulic ram system turn outdrives. Just losing your ability to run your pump shouldn't completely stop your ability to steer, just make it a whole lot harder. I'm not completely sure on that maybe others will offer input. Either way it's something you need to know. So that's why I mentioned it.

I do know though how unreal hard it is to drive such a boat if you lose hydraulic pressure. You'd think it was easy but what happens/ happened to me was the drives flopped over like I was steering hard port and stayed there, both of the ruddering me to port. So port motors running hard in forward, starboard in reverse still heading to port. Not fun, but glad it happened after the inlet.

Boat shown here-
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=450655

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

yeah the C/R (two props on one drive) setup adds a whole new level of complexity and takes a spare prop from $100 to what? $700? UGH... lucky for me I can't afford that "new" stuff LOL

Oh and $700 aint nothing for a performance prop.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

I'd want somethin' just a bit longer than the Edmond Fitzgerald, and even then I'd be gettin' off the water if the wind whipped up!

My thought exactly thinking about the size of that ore boat and the boats being discussed here. But the only time I was on Lake Erie was over it at about 35k ft. and I was amazed at how big it really is.....it just kept going and going and going.

Mark

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

Oh and $700 aint nothing for a performance prop.

$700.00 doesn't buy you a performance prop. Volvo Duo F5 props are $750 a peice and there are two to a set.Yes it is hard to steer when a pump goes out. Almost like the old cars before power steering.On the Volvo's Duo prop, you can't put them on wrong. The shaft has two different spline sizes

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

Not ALL twin I/O's turn opposite to each other.... as I said a great many are set up with two identical alpha's both turning right. In fact most of the twins I've been on are not counter rotating..... If we're to "remember what kind of boat we're talking about." the O/P didn't specify I/O, he only said trailerable cuddy under 25' BUT he also said big enough to regularly cross 50 miles of open water.... Contradictory requirements

....6 mile trip down the detroit river then a 40-50 mile shot across lake erie. My musts are boat must be small enough for trailering 160 miles to cabin occasionally so less than 26' is realistic need power (speed) 454ci or above....... So do you think a 23' cuddy is big enough to handle that kind of trip safely?

So, for his original question, in case we didn't answer, NO a "23' cuddy" is NOT "big enough to handle that kind of trip safely"

As for steering, I lost my power steering belt last fall, my buddy's 120 lb wife was at the helm and had no trouble steering but she did complain a couple times that the steering was "stiff" .... I didn't pay much attention to her complaint as she had never driven a boat before and we were just cruising in the river.... When I took over to dock the boat I couldn't spin the wheel with one finger like normal... the effort needed was about the same as driving a big lawn mower or small tractor without power steering.... annoying but not a big deal.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

Smoke on the water- anybody with twins that don't counter rotate are jury rigged! I don't know what else to say either your mistaken or ???

Plain and simple, man twins counter rotate, twin outboards do, twin inboards do and twin i/o's do.

I've never seen or heard of such a thing as one without couture rotation.

A boat would handle horribly if they weren't. The prop torque would be incredible at speed and it would be greatly less efficient. Lower speeds and greater fuel consumption, yeah!

As for you figuring out what kind of boat he's asking about- all I can do is suggest you read the opening post (fully) once again, because he's looking at a Baja not a giant condo like you own. Which makes your steering info moot to doesn't it? Since your setup is nothing like he's asking about huh?

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Size boat needed for overnight destinations on Geat Lakes

Plenty of old lap strakes running around with same rotation. Cheaper rebuilds ? possibly.

Somebody would need to do a lot of archive searches to prove all came as counters from the factories.