What size boat?

[T.Scott]

Here's what bouncing around in my head right now. Sell my 2003 14.5' center console Shoalwater for something to take me to the offshore rigs. If I limit myself to only going when we have a high pressure system over the gulf and 2-3 seas, what's the smallest size boat I can get away with? 18'? 21? I'll also post on the boat section, but since I hunt the gulf out of Port O. and Port A., I am interested in my home peeps thoughts.
scott

[MichaelBaranows]

I have a 24' and starting to think about getting something bigger. Personally I wouldn't want anything smaller that 21'. I went fishing in a 18' whaler two summers ago and it was very crowded. If you are only freediving then 18' might be OK. But if anyone us on tank then you are going to need more room cause space gets limited fast.

[T.Scott]

It'd be for freediving. How did you like that 18' whaler? I've read some good things about them. I think I'll come out close to even for one 20 years old.

[MichaelBaranows]

All Whaler I have been on have been great boats. 18' is just not much room. I suggest you go to thehulltruth.com cause they can give you alot of information.

[los mentirosos]

I'm running a 25' wellcraft. It's about as small as I'd want to go out 30 miles or so in. Even if you go out in 2 to 3 it can turn into 4 to 5 pretty fast. For some other folks, I guess anything that floats is good enough. We had a guy last summer show up at 787 with a bay boat. Maybe 20' or so with about 1' of freeboard. Probably a much better captian than myself.

[MichaelBaranows]

I have had people in 16' flatbottom come up to rigs 20 miles offshore. I had a guy a few years ago come up and wanted to know which way it was to Sargent. When I told him the compass heading he wanted to know which way that was cause he didn't have a compass or GPS. At the time we where about 28 miles from Sargent.

So there will be people offshore in all kinds of boats when the weather is nice.

[Capt.Gene]

One Idea here would be to select a boat that would allow you to come home at reasonable speeds if rough conditions cut short your trip.
You're not likley to head offshore in 6' seas, but you stand a good chance of coming home in 6 footers some day. It happens.
Ride on a small cat hull sometime. Something like a Twin Vee20 or 22 with twin outboards.
You can do everything with these smaller cat hulls that the mono hull guys with 23-25' foot boats do. Except maybe sleep in a cabin.

[Dallasdiver]

Hey Scott

I wonder if the STFA would be interested in a community bought boat for the club? Sure would make it easier for the expenses. I noticed the Kevlacat has a bid on it, so it looks like it will be gone for sure.

Ken

[adriangarz1206]

I think that is a great idea Ken, I'm currently looking at our first option, I will let you guys know.


C

[Louis Rossignol]

23' is about the smallest you want for rig diving. Make sure you get a boat with a closed in transom. Like an outboard on a bracket, I almost sank my 23' Make several times because of waves washing over the stern. Since I got my Dusky 23, I don't have that problem at all. I never worry about sinking anymore.

[T.Scott]

Louis - what's a closed transom?

Ken - that's an option. The more people I talk to the more people say "don't do it" they say it's cheapier to charter - which is right.
I've already got my Shoalwater on Craigslist. Any you guys need a shallow water bay boat?

[rigdvr]

bill crawford has an 18 whaler and we go bluewater, lumps during the winter, and everywhere else. Ive come back several inches shorter after some of the trips and Bill is one heck of an experienced outdoorsman and we know and respect our and the oats limitations. Many wahoo have slid over the gunnels of that rig.

[Southern Cross]

From 15' to 35'...I've seen center console boats in all kinds of condition. Some are held together with duct tape, others you can hit with a sledge and barely scratch.

Any boat that is well maintained can provide safe boating. There are 2 things to remember that will get you home safe every time.

Power...if you can maintain power you maintain control, and can get out of most situations. 2 engines means 2 sources of power. Power also means BATTERY. Dead batteries can put you in trouble quick.

Bilge...KEEP A CLEAN BILGE. People overlook this. If your bilge stays clean and dry, the boat will float. I check my bilge every hour to make sure I am clean and dry. 2 Bilge pumps are much better than 1.

I have fished offshore in the northern gulf on many different center console boats. The most bang for your buck is going to be a Twin Vee Catamaran. Lots of space and easy ride, even on the smaller ones. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable past 10 miles offshore in less than a 20' boat. If you go out in calm weather, you can cover 10 miles quickly if you see big weather coming. Two guys I fish/dive with just got a 26' Twin vee and it is a ton of boat for the price they paid. Trailers easy and fishes hard.

Shop hard, there are great deals on boats out there.
Maintain the boat, and know when to put the throttles down and head for the house.

Good luck.

[T.Scott]

Thanks Southern Cross. That's really good advise.
scott

[ROBERTO REYES]

T.scott, awesome avatar buddy.
Bill Crawford goes out in his 18 bw,
but you have to make sure to read the weather
right, and then be lucky they got it right.
Still, it can be done.

[JLittle44]

This is a great thread. Not to hijak, but rather to expand, why don't we see more RIBs? It seems that two small twins can power this thing, and I like that. Euros, the military and law enforcement use them. This thing has storage all over the place and looks like a nice V ride. Have any of you ever been in one?

[T.Scott]

COOOLLLL. Is that yours? What is it?

[JLittle44]

No, it's not. I've just been trying to keep an eye out for used ones. Check this out:

http://www.ribcraftusa.com/rec/rec190.htm

[ROBERTO REYES]

I love RIB boats, I feel very safe on them, like everything in life you
have trade off, downs are, limited inside space, pontooms ocupy lots of it,
and of course, you have to be carefull not to punture it (check pics), they are very expensive, and they change volume with temp.
But, its al worth it, they handle incredible, they are very deep vee, and once
in plane the pontoms are out of the water and they fly, if you stop, those big
pontoms will make your boat really stable and you can load them up in a way
you cant any other boat its size and most times double its size, Coast Guard will
rate a 17 feet RIb for 12 people, try that with any other boat, weight capacity is
really incredibly.
There are many brands out there, shy away from pvc materials and avoid zodiac.
There are so many out there, big time in Europe and other places, the Sa brands are awesome.

http://boatdesign.net/directory/Powerboats_V-hull/RIBS/
http://makoinflatablesusa.com/
http://www.h4inflatables.com/
http://www.ribcraft.co.uk/
http://www.ribquest.com/
http://www.polarisboats.com/
http://www.xtremeballisticinflatables.com/HullDesign.html
http://www.hyseasinflatableboats.com/

[ROBERTO REYES]

I guess they are not used as dinguis for nothing:

[MichaelBaranows]

I think the reason that aren't very many along the Texas Gulf Coast is that we have long runs and space is important.

[JLittle44]

Can you exand upon this? Hypalon sounds like the way to go, and the brands that have the super-beefed up rub rails, I would consider neccessary diving around rigs. Why would you avoid Zodiac?

Thanks for the links. This will keep me busy for quite some time.

There are many brands out there, shy away from pvc materials and avoid zodiac.