Taking 17 ft boat offshore question

[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]

Originally Posted by jimmythegreek

...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.

Originally Posted by Walleyed

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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.