Roughest conditions you faced in the V ?

[CDAWWGG]

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.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by CDAWWGG

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.

[bradford]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

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.

I agree, plus a lot has to do with the experience of the skipper and boat handling skills. The V20s are a GREAT mass production boat.

[Pipe_Dream]

Topic always reminds me of this photo (not mine!).

It's a 20-foot boat. Respect what open water can do and be smart.

[bradford]

Awesome picture Pipe Dream!!

Would hate to see the landing though.

[chart]

the tower on her looks interesting wonder how it holds up to the pounding.

[RidgeRunner]

I once ran out of Gentleman Jack and I was hours away from the boat landing. Those were some of the toughest conditions I ever want to encounter.

Seriously, I just went 28 miles out into the Atlantic trolling up dolphin. The weather was perfect for our 20 and 21 footers. However, mine is best used in lakes, streams and rivers. It is a 20' 6" boat that handles great.

"IT IS NOT A MAGIC CARPET" - Sir Reelapeelin

[jamesbalog]

Originally Posted by CDAWWGG

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 run mine on Erie in a hell of a lot worse than 2' chop. the boat can take it, you just need to know how to operate it.....

lake Erie is a very unforgiving lake though, it goes from a nice 2' chop to dow right nasty very quickly...

PIB and Kelleys are very short runs from catawba and marblehead less than 5 miles.

we plan on running our v20 from lorain to kelleys this weekend if the weather forecast changes which is roughly 25 miles each way...we usually run to the weather buoy walleye fishing several times a summer which is just shy of 20 miles

myMy point is the boat is plenty to handle Erie... just know what you can handle and know the weather forecasts

[bgreene]

Originally Posted by jamesbalog

I run mine on Erie in a hell of a lot worse than 2' chop. the boat can take it, you just need to know how to operate it.....

lake Erie is a very unforgiving lake though, it goes from a nice 2' chop to dow right nasty very quickly...

PIB and Kelleys are very short runs from catawba and marblehead less than 5 miles.

we plan on running our v20 from lorain to kelleys this weekend if the weather forecast changes which is roughly 25 miles each way...we usually run to the weather buoy walleye fishing several times a summer which is just shy of 20 miles

myMy point is the boat is plenty to handle Erie... just know what you can handle and know the weather forecasts

I've seen Erie with short, steep 6' waves crashing continually for days.
That is one rough lake !!! Can smash, destroy, sink most any small boat.

[jamesbalog]

Here is a picture of some big erie waves that was shared on ohio game fishing this past weekend . Ive only been out in waves close to that once on erie... dont wannt do it again

its not fun not being able to see over the waves when they are coming every few seconds, from sometimes different directions and constantly breaking.