Taking 17 ft boat offshore question

[klark2008]

Recently got a 1994 17 ft proline center console. Has a 115 2 stroke johnson. My question is hiw far offshore do you think is managable on the average day. Have a 30 gallon gas tank. Im interested in all opinions

[shrimpman steve]

Had my 19 cc to the shark river reef. 18 miles out. It was a perfect day. I have run to the rockaway reef a few times. Scotland, the rocks, the rattle snake. It depends on weather and the condition of your boat and your seamanship.

Start out close, gain experience and venture as far as you are comfortable.

Have your pfd's and all other safety equipment ready to go.

[Man Workin]

I started out with a smaller boat myself. You can go as far as your gas tank will
let you, just don't get caught in bad weather. Wind makes waves, if you feel it kicking up get safe, don't rely on the forecast.

[Capt. Debbie]

As pointed out, familiarize yourself with the boat and fuel consumption. And watch VRO oil consumption too. Run the boat and note the times, speeds and distances then fill up. DO this a few times to get a comfort zone. Like running at 3800rpm cruise doing 28 knots and burn 6 gallons per hour. That works out to roughly 28/6 or 4.5 mpg at 3800 under THOSE SEA CONDITIONS & LOADING IN THE BOAT. The Uppercase indicates that will change the mpg you figure on.

Motor have sweet spots that give best MPG's. They public a curve. Most O/B's around 3500 to 3800 rpms max efficiency.

Use the motor tilt not the trim tabs( if you have them) to trim the boat. Trim tabs are parasitic and work by adding or removing drag. While trimming the O/B is way more efficient directing thrust. Trim it right and you may be a few 100 more rpms without touching the throttle. watch the GPS speed react. Too much up trim and the speed will drop. Ideally on plane . . . the boat ride about 5 degrees bow up and the O/B cavitation plate is parallel to the surface.



Rule of thirds on fuel range. 1/3 of tank out. 1/3 of tank back. 1/3 of tank just in case. Get towing insurance. (PM me...... I can get you a free trial membership for 60 days unlimited coverage).

Get a good VHF setup. Get a hi gain antenna to boost weaker reception and have you antenna as high as practical to bost your range. Remember this gadget may save your life. This is not where to save your money.

My guess on that boat and motor is about 4-5 mpg on cruise 3500-4000 rpm's

Weather is always a factor. Of course know wind direction and speed. Direction can tell you in you're in a lee and it's a lot worse than you see dockside. Also an outgoing tide and a wind blowing it back in create waves with no backs. You drop off the wave top HARD.

Experience carries day. And sooner or later you will be in the crap. Read up on the theories and be ready to use it in real life when you need it. And don't be afraid to go slow when you need to. Too many operators will feel the need for speed in tight quarters or running in the slop. You need enough for control. The rest is convenience.

Remember fortune favors the prepared. Your good preps and caution minimize your ever skills being tested.

And on visitors, if it's on the edge of bad conditions DON'T GO. If it turns crappy these people will never come back again. Lessons I learned.





Recently got a 1994 17 ft proline center console. Has a 115 2 stroke johnson. My question is hiw far offshore do you think is managable on the average day. Have a 30 gallon gas tank. Im interested in all opinions

[Flygaff]

17 feet may get you out near the mud buoy area on a good day. I would not venture out much further. ALWAYS watch the weather. I had my old 23 center out to the chicken many times. eventually you will get caught in weather as I did. keep cool and follow a plan and you will be fine. safety is everything in a small boat. keep one radio on the weather at all times. good luck and stay safe

[Walleyed]

Recently got a 1994 17 ft proline center console. Has a 115 2 stroke johnson. My question is hiw far offshore do you think is managable on the average day. Have a 30 gallon gas tank. Im interested in all opinions

You haven't stated your starting point. If you're coming from Keyport, Sandy Hook Reef maybe as far as you want to go, given your relatively small gas tank.

As Capt. Frank stated, you really need to find out what your fuel consumption rates are, then you'll have some idea how far you want to travel. There's plenty of great fishing within 5 miles of the Jersey Shore, so don't be feeling that you're missing out because you can't reach the canyons.

Don't forget safety equipment...VHF marine radio, flares, PFD's.

And get towing insurance....you'll only need it once to be glad you spent the money.

[klark2008]

You haven't stated your starting point. If you're coming from Keyport, Sandy Hook Reef maybe as far as you want to go, given your relatively small gas tank.

As Capt. Frank stated, you really need to find out what your fuel consumption rates are, then you'll have some idea how far you want to travel. There's plenty of great fishing within 5 miles of the Jersey Shore, so don't be feeling that you're missing out because you can't reach the canyons.

Don't forget safety equipment...VHF marine radio, flares, PFD's.

And get towing insurance....you'll only need it once to be glad you spent the money.
thanks for the info. honestly I would probably be either the atlantic highlands or shark river. maybe barnegat. most likely highlands or shark river as the fishing at barnegat seems to not be producing much lately for us.

[klark2008]

I appreciate every ones help I will certainly keep it in my mind. I am definitely going to learn the boat and get a feel for it before I leave the bay. We fished highlands and shark river a lot past 2 years but we never went through inlet. how good is fishing out side of shark river inlet?

[shrimpman steve]

Must be careful at the inlet. It can be fine when you leave and QUITE NASTY by the time you get back. I mean real nasty.

[Man Workin]

Steve and all above are right, if you are out there and get in trouble you can also follow a larger vessel in by traveling behind them. You would have to get ok with captain but most wouldn't mind if you were in a bad spot. Just something you can do in jam.

[jimmythegreek]

all the above advice is very good, the other thing you must consider is the main engine. definitely put some hours on it in the bay or in close and see how it runs, starts, etc. Keep some basic tools onboard and get an extra set of plugs and the right socket for them in case you foul. Keep an extra spark plug wire, and any other basic hand tools and clamps for an emergency repair on the water. also keep an extra length of rope for your anchor in case you break down and are in deeper water than usual so you dont drift into no mans land while waiting for a tow. as capt frank said learn your sweet spot cruising wise and what the boat will do in some snot. I would actually purposely take it out one day when you know it will be snotty so you are comfortable with the ride/trim and what angle to hit rollers for least amount of wetness, you dont rly wanna learn that being caught out in it. you can always use a small portable tank for emergency, a 5 gallon can get you back, alot of the bigger boats that go offshore use bladder and saddle tanks but you wont have the room for that. theres plenty of good fishing close to shore, you can even get bluefins in the fall everything is available when timed right

[Walleyed]

...the other thing you must consider is the main engine. definitely put some hours on it in the bay or in close and see how it runs, starts, etc. Keep some basic tools onboard and get an extra set of plugs and the right socket for them in case you foul. Keep an extra spark plug wire, and any other basic hand tools and clamps for an emergency repair on the water.

Jimmy's statement made me think of what I carry, other than USCG mandated items...

I have my "bitch bag" filled with a full set of metric and SAE sockets, end wrenches and hex keys, screwdrivers, torx drivers, various pliers, vice grips, multimeter, sparkplug socket, wire crimps, butt connectors, terminal connects - spade & ring. A spare impeller for the sea water pump, sparkplugs, spare prop, extra Racor fuel filter element, extra quart of motor oil, a gallon of pre-mix antifreeze, full assortment of buss fuses and last, but not least, a spare bilge pump.

2 VHF (one DSC, w/ built-in GPS) radios, with separate antennas. 4 discrete GPS devices: (2 combo chartplotter/sonar, plus my iPad running Navionics and iNavx and my iPhone).

I'm sure there's other stuff packed away too. I've had some bad luck in the past and I've found out that parts and supplies that are sitting at home in my garage don't help when I'm drifting in a channel, there's a barge coming my way and the engine won't start. (happened last year, lug on the engine ground cable decided to get flaky while sitting in Sandy Hook channel).

Call me paranoid, but short of some sort of catastrophic failure, I can fix most things that can go wrong on my boat while I'm still floating.

And this is all for a guy who is rarely more than 10 miles out and never more than 20. And yes...I do have towing insurance too.

Key take-away: Think ahead to what you might need. Having a 6" piece of wire and 2 butt connectors in your garage at home doesn't help when you need it right now.

[Capt. Debbie]

Over time your boat accumulates several hundred pounds of spare parts and tools not to mention fishing gear.

Changing an O/B's water pump on open water is a bit much for many. A dead battery is more likely. Or out of gas.

Preventive maintenance costs more (like a new battery at year 3) , but it will keep you out of the unexpected.

Good fortune does favor those that are prepared.

And USCG's are minimums. VHF radios are not required on recreation vessels under 20 meters(66Ft). a good thing to have one very good one set up right.

Jimmy's statement made me think of what I carry, other than USCG manda
ted items...

I have my "bitch bag" filled with a full set of metric and SAE sockets, end wrenches and hex keys, screwdrivers, torx drivers, various pliers, vice grips, multimeter, sparkplug socket, wire crimps, butt connectors, terminal connects - spade & ring. A spare impeller for the sea water pump, sparkplugs, spare prop, extra Racor fuel filter element, extra quart of motor oil, a gallon of pre-mix antifreeze, full assortment of buss fuses and last, but not least, a spare bilge pump.

2 VHF (one DSC, w/ built-in GPS) radios, with separate antennas. 4 discrete GPS devices: (2 combo chartplotter/sonar, plus my iPad running Navionics and iNavx and my iPhone).

I'm sure there's other stuff packed away too. I've had some bad luck in the past and I've found out that parts and supplies that are sitting at home in my garage don't help when I'm drifting in a channel, there's a barge coming my way and the engine won't start. (happened last year, lug on the engine ground cable decided to get flaky while sitting in Sandy Hook channel).

Call me paranoid, but short of some sort of catastrophic failure, I can fix most things that can go wrong on my boat while I'm still floating.

And this is all for a guy who is rarely more than 10 miles out and never more than 20. And yes...I do have towing insurance too.

Key take-away: Think ahead to what you might need. Having a 6" piece of wire and 2 butt connectors in your garage at home doesn't help when you need it right now.

[Mako1]

I would have a difficult time enjoying being out on the water if I had to be concerned about, "if I'm too far out", or "how far can I go", or basically just the long list of "what if scenarios"?

Maybe it's just me, but as I got older I developed more respect for mother nature.

[hammer4reel]

you really need to know your fuel burn at most of your operating speeds.
what is going to limit you most is a only having a 30 gallon gas tank.
I think at cruising speeds your going to get around 3mpg .


so using the rule 1/3 out , 1/3 back, 1/3 reserved for rougher seas. It knocks you down to a 60 mile round trip.

Then knock that down to 2/3 due to the usually running the boat around or trolling from spot to spot, takes you to 40 miles round trip , or approx 20 miles from port

But you will definetly have to pick your days.

[Charlie B]

One other thing to consider is going out with a buddy boat and staying within sight of each other. Safety in numbers...Charlie

[Walleyed]

I would have a difficult time enjoying being out on the water if I had to be concerned about, "if I'm too far out", or "how far can I go", or basically just the long list of "what if scenarios"?

Maybe it's just me, but as I got older I developed more respect for mother nature.

For me it comes from flight training...there are old pilots and there are bold pilots, no such thing as an old, bold pilot.

I don't obsess over what can go wrong, I'm simply prepared to handle it when it does.