Yeah she is a trooper. We were supposed to go to the Tice's get together the following day. But I ended up going solo. She was back out the following weekend. This past Sept. we launched in the Highlands and went up the Hudson to Kingston NY. It was a nice long trip and no waves. So all I have to do is plan inland trips from now on

First trip offshore-got caught offshore and ran as soon as it started picking up--but in 30 minutes it can really build fast..button down the hatchs and hang on...40 knot winds--a sharp 5 to 6' and when I hit the"hole in the wall" to get between the shore and tatoosh island--with the swell, wind chop and swell--I will swear we went through( no shizit) some 10'rs--not pleasant at all--probably ate green water 8 to 10 times--glad I had the enclosure. Be calm and work the throttle.

pretty regular offshore is 4 to 5' with 1' chop--but the inshore is a cake walk at 1 to2'.

The trim tabs made a huge diff in smoothing out the ride, but still use the motor a lot depending on the chop on top of the swell, this is where you are glad the steering cable went in the garbage for hyd steering.

Now that's Hard Core Fishing
Hopefully those days are few or you will need a bigger V. But being a fisherman you will be ready to go :pray2:again.

Imagine if there was a swell the day you and I were coming back.......following the commercial boat knocking the 3'-5's down for us. That would have been fun.

Just how it is off the nw coast--once and awhile we get like a 1' swell @ 14 secs and no chop--those days are cherished dearly. Swells--more about timing and direction than size.

picture below is a cherished day--right on the beach.

Here on the east coast it's not too bad........we tend to draw the line when waves get to about 50 feet, under that's fishable.

Then you are sick and crazy mofo's---sometimes I think I am nutts--Now I know u guys are!:oh:

Last trip to the dentist I was missing a filling. Wonder how that happened?!?!?
:fam:

I just bought a cheap 1986 20' fisherman center console to learn boating. We have a lake house on Sandusky Bay. I've gotten good at sailing and charting etc. So the bay was like glass and my Mom came out with me. She wanted to go by Cedar Point. Lake Erie is a shallow unforgiving death trap of lake. Especially when you follow the channel from the bay out into the main lake. I get into the channel and about a good 2' chop is waiting for me combined with the wake of the other boats near me which about swamps this thing if you catch it sideways. The Jet Express passed in front of me and we were stuck. You can't duck out of the channel left or right because it goes from 26' deep to 2' deep in about 100yds. We slam over that and the swell picks up. We have nasty chop from all directions between 3-5 feet. We made a beeline for the place we dock our other boat but the waves were behind us. My mom was white knuckle holding the rails and cleats crying while I got us in. Once we were there everything was cool. I don't care how well these Vees are built, 20' on the lake gets really sketchy REALLY quick. I wouldn't trust it to go to Put-In-Bay, Kellys, or Peele.

I think you missed the point. The V got you home. There's a LOT of boats out there that wouldn't have. No one likes to get into those situations, but when I do, I thank God that my V is under my feet.