The name is appropriate since it is a Small Craft Advisory. The key point being it's an advisory. Everyone's boat and situation is different. I've been out sailing in a 24' "small craft" in 8' waves for fun and practice. That was on a (racing) sailboat with an experienced skipper and crew, however, and not recommended for casual boaters. In fact, that's one big adjustment I personally have to be aware of. For most of my boating life small craft advisories didn't mean much other than make sure the crew was experienced. Up until recently, my boating experience was predominately sailing though.
A small craft warning is just that, a warning. A warning that the winds are ?expected? to exceed 22 knots sometime in a given time period. It?s up to the individual Captains to access the local conditions and make the decision to go or not. I will not even get into the accuracy of these so-called forecasts.
For me, the wind speed in itself is not the limiting factor in my decision to go or not. I will fish a 22 kt. West wind under a "small craft advisory" in a heartbeat. I?ll avoid fishing a 18 kt. South wind, which doesn?t qualify as a ?small craft advisory?, like the plague unless I?m forced too.
I do not fear for my life in either situation. I?m worried about being able to get out of bed the next morning. My body does not take the beating as well as it used to.
NOAA has no definition of small craft, the term is used to describe the wind and wave heights....differs from area to area....next is gale warning, storm warning, and hurricane warning.
A few decades ago it was a "small craft warning", then they changed it to a "small craft advisory", either way, I went out in them DOZENS of times, in 14" rowboats with 20hp outboards and sometimes in even smaller boats. HOWEVER I knew what I was doing, if someone has any concerns, then they really should stay off the water.
It may depend on what area you boat in. When I hear small craft advisories for the Channel Islands in So Cal. I do not go out! I have been out there when there are no advisories and it can get hairy.
the guys saying "i go out in small craft advisories all the time" crack me up. if the waves are 5ft or more and its windy you are not going to have much fun in a sub 35' boat, no matter how experienced you are.
sometimes the forecast is not very accurate and its only 2-3 when they were forcasting 5-7... and on those days i have even "been out in a small craft advisory" lol
I have been out several times in small craft advisory. I had a blast. although I was in my parents 55 foot blue water sail boat sailing on the gulf is a blast!!!
+1 on this thought. I've heard "small craft" described as 60' and under in the ocean. I was out on a 48 Ocean SS in a small craft advisory and it scared the...you get the idea. I've also been out on the bay in a small craft advisory. Although my boat got tossed around that sportfish would not have. At least not nearly as much.
the guys saying "i go out in small craft advisories all the time" crack me up. if the waves are 5ft or more and its windy you are not going to have much fun in a sub 35' boat, no matter how experienced you are.
sometimes the forecast is not very accurate and its only 2-3 when they were forcasting 5-7... and on those days i have even "been out in a small craft advisory" lol
Not everybody goes out in boat to ride around in circles and have "fun", some people actually USE their boats for fishing, hunting whatever. If you are actually using your boat, the fishing and duck hunting is often better with the wind, so those people that can't have fun in a boat, if there are some waves,"crack me up"!lol
