Noob Question on Offshore Venture

[bgreene]

You***8217;d need a weather window of high pressure nearly stationary over mid Atlantic / Cape area, low T storm risk, plus no big offshore storms generating a swell.
This typically happens 1-3x per year when a row boat could be offshore .

However, reality of most conditions in that area, strong tides, currents, fog risk, etc and I wouldnt. I have a 96 V21/ 200 HO / trim tabs, curtains and it***8217;s good all around bay and coastal ocean rig. Its not a boat for 4 foot + seas, nasty inlets, etc......
I run my boat up and down the Jersey coast to around 10 -20 miles offshore max

So short answer is possible but risky.
That area better offshore with bigger rig, true deep V, lots of fuel capacity, radar etc etc .....

[pjbrownva]

First boat. New to boating. Going off shore is not a good plan. I'm considering trying off-shore, but I have more experience... although I'm still learning.

I've also been slowingly outfitting my boat. I have plans/ am in the process if some major refits, including 2 batteries, moving batteries forward and under passenger seat, rewiring *everything*, using marine wire and heat-shrink butt connector with a ratcheting crimper made for those connectors, adding new switch panels with weatherized circuit breakers, plus adding a fuse panel inside the cabin area with automotive style fuses, pre-printed labels, a cover that screws on to the panel, and LED lights that illuminate when a fuse is blown. I'm not certain, but I *think* if your battery is mounted on the floor in the bilge area, if your boat really fills up with salt water, you *might* have big problem. Salt water can conduct, and if your batteries are fully immersed in the salt water, I'm not sure how well your electrical system with function. If the engine stalls, and you're bilge pumps can't run, you're toast... in fact, wihout power, your marine radios won't work either.

I don't know if a properly installed battery box would help or not. They aren't completely sealed... they have vents, so I assume that they would eventually let the salt water in, but I don't know if that's true, or how quickly. Moreover... is your battery in a battery box, is it secured, is the lid on it, and is the strap tightened?

That's part of why I'm planning to relocate my battery and add a 2nd... so that they are are more easily accessible and in a location where it would take MUCH more water before they became fully immersed.

What about your bilge pump. Does it work? Do you have *two* of them connected and both working? I'm serious about that. You want two bilge pumps, in case one fails in a situation where you've taken on water.... and the smaller the boat the *bigger* the pump... it's simple... you can't hold as much water as a larger boat before you get in serious trouble, so if you take on water somehow, you want to get it out *now*.

I have 2 VHF radios, and 2 antennas -- although VHF range can run from 5 miles to 20 miles... and varies (I *could* be much more to reach a shore station mounted very high... but you can't count on it for off-shore)... so I've added a HF / MF marine band and ham band radio (still need to install)... and got the appropriate marine station, marine radio operator and HAM General class licenses... so once I have this installed and working, I can reach stations from hundreds to thousands of miles away.

I've added a radar tower... I'm in the process of selecting my radar... I've gotten a mustang auto-inflatable life vest --- it's one that I'll actually wear.

You get the idea. If you go off shore, you need experience (I'm gaining it... but I *have* been a fresh water boater for 40+ years), you need to check the weather. You need equipment. You need to make sure your boat is in good shape and ready, and **you want a buddy in another boat to go with you**.

Some people carry satellite phones (expensive). Some people look at 2 way devices like delorme in-touch devices. Personal locator beacons are a good investment. For $400 or so, if you have a true emergency, you can summon help, and the beacon will update searchers on your position.

In short, the prospect of finding yourself stranded 30, 40, 50 miles or more off shore should give you pause.

The prospect of ending up drifting in the ocean that far out, could very well be fatal... even with lots of preparation. Hypothermia is a real risk, so even if you are eventually rescued it could be too late.

Do your homework, and I would say *don't* go off shore this season or next. Learn, prepare, add trim tabs (in my opinion... if it gets rough you really do NEED them)... I've been out in 4-5 foot seas, and without the trim tabs, she would have pounded like crazy, and it would have been hard to make much headway. Pounding isn't just uncomfortable, it can also shake things loose, break things, crack your hull, etc.

Hopefully this post has given you some good things to consider. I can't say if / when or how far I'll go offshore myself, but it is a hope of mine, and I'm enjoying the process of upgrading and outfitting my boat in case I do.

Lastly, I'm not sure where you live, but on the east coast, near Cape Hatteras, NC and near Ft. Lauderdale, FL or Miami FL, you can get to true blue water MUCH closer to shore than at other parts of the east coast. Still... it's not to be taken lightly.... and I have *no* local knowledge or experience, but I know that their are dangers and much to learn.

Look for youtube videos on "haul over inlet".... for example, and you can see i) How big many of the boats are that go through that inlet.... 30 to 40 footers are common -- and also ii) how many boats get into trouble.... especially some of the smaller ones.


One last anecdote to give you pause. I was near VA beach last year, in the new-to-me V20. I was in back waters that were protected, but the tides still run strong.

Suddenly, my boat stalled and wouldn't re-start. There were many boats around, so someone immediately offered me a tow.

Given the tides, I was drifting quickly... so I really didn't have much time before I could have been in trouble... like drifting over some very shallow parts of the water in the middle, where I probably would have run aground.... so I took the tow, figuring that with those types of tides, it wasn't the time trouble shoot.

The group towed me to a fuel dock near by. I began to trouble shoot... after about 30 minutes, I discovered that the fuel hose had come disconnected from the motor. I guess, given that it is at least 18 years old, that the force of the spring that secures it came loose. Still.... if that had failed while I was going out of the main inlet, it could have ended *very* badly. The currents are *strong* and with no propulsion, you can easily be grounded, bang into the concrete bridge pilings, forced on rocks, etc.

So I've purchased new connectors, and will replace the fuel hose too while I'm at it.

I also read that it's good to have an anchor at the ready that can be easily deployed for just these types of situations. I've gotten a rocna anchor, and am working on adding a bow pulpit and bow roller.... plus I have about 15 feet of anchor chain.... the idea is that the anchor will be stored on the roller, ready to deploy quickly in case it's needed.

Now, if you're off shore... maybe it'll be so deep that it would be hard or impractical to anchor... or maybe not... but at least if you get into shallower water and their are dangers, you might just save yourself by having that anchor set up and ready to deploy quickly.

There is a lot to think about. Look at some navigation charts, and look at *all* of the wrecks that are shown. Each one of those is probably someone who had trouble and sank. Who knows if souls were lost... but you should let that give you some pause.

Don't be scared, but don't be unprepared either. Learn. Gain experience. Maybe even take some classes offered by the local power squadron. Offshore is no joke, and even inshore can be perilous.

Be safe and have fun!

[bgreene]

Replies have you selling the V and buying a 60 foot sportfishing boat ?

[SkunkBoat]

to Block island from where?

its only 12 miles from point judith inlet to great salt pond.

a seaworthy v20 in good weather with a seaworthy captain would have no problem with that

do you have a seaworthy v20 and are you a seaworthy captain?

if so then all you need is the right weather for a round trip.

[pjbrownva]

Originally Posted by SkunkBoat

to Block island from where?

its only 12 miles from point judith inlet to great salt pond.

a seaworthy v20 in good weather with a seaworthy captain would have no problem with that

do you have a seaworthy v20 and are you a seaworthy captain?

if so then all you need is the right weather for a round trip.

I'm not familiar with the area.

I agree that a 12 mile trip is very doable... as you say, as long as the boat and the captain are seaworthy, and the weather cooperates.

Last summer, I took my maiden voyage on Fish Beware from Plymouth harbor to Race Point, to Province town and back to plymouth. It was about 60 miles round trip, but I stopped to refuel in Provincetown - only because the boat was new to me, so I had no experience with fuel burn or accuracy of the fuel gauge.

Brave or dumb... I don't know, but it was summer, and those waters are fairly regularly travelled, so felt I could summon help if needed.

O.P. Make sure you have a marine VHF radio and it works... a full sized one, not just a hand held.

A good GPS with chart plotter too.... I'm assuming you have one.

Since you said you're a newbie, are you familiar with channel markers, what they mean, how to find them on your GPS and/or charts, and also at night?

Those are definitely some of the basics.... but if you feel comfortable, I wouldn't sweat a 12 mile ride.... that's not what I think of as "off shore".

[pjbrownva]

Originally Posted by bgreene

Replies have you selling the V and buying a 60 foot sportfishing boat ?

As soon as I find that $500K in cash that I buried in my backyard!


i know it's there somewhere... I'll just have to keep digging! :-)

[bgreene]

Originally Posted by pjbrownva

As soon as I find that $500K in cash that I buried in my backyard!


i know it's there somewhere... I'll just have to keep digging! :-)

Been digging and planting in my yard havent found the cash yet either :)

[pjbrownva]

I guess we lost the OP.

O.P. -- hopefully these replies are helpful!

[pjbrownva]

So, for anyone interested in my paranoia about boat batteries getting submerged in salt water, I found this thread on a another forum.

https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating...saltwater.html

Based on that, it sounds like you don't want your batteries to get wet, especially with salt water, but if you have them in a battery box, with the cover on and use the strap to secure the cover, I think you should be OK, even if you were to say... stuff the bow and take on a lot of water sea water.

It sounds like your batteries should still function well enough that you can run the engine and your bilge pumps.

That's great news to me. I may reconsider my plans to relocate my batteries towards the bow. The weight transfer would be good, but the long battery runs to the motor are a concern, as is the cost of good wiring.

Just an FYI for anyone who was concerned, like me.

It seems that salt water on the top of your battery will cause it to discharge, but it sounds like it won't conduct soooo quickly as to rapidly and violently discharge the battery the same way you would get if you shorted the two terminals together with a thick battery cable.

[ashokrags]

Originally Posted by pjbrownva

I guess we lost the OP.

O.P. -- hopefully these replies are helpful!

No you didn't lose me. Just have a couple of tykes 5 & 3 that makes responding not too easy
First of all, I think all these responses and suggestions were really gratifying!!! This is a great community.


I will try to work my way through all those great responses and suggestions,so this might be a long post:

1. The plan was to go to Block island which is about 9 miles from Point Judith @skunkboat. I live near Jamestown which is about 10 miles north on the Bay, so i would probably refuel anyways at Point Judith just to be safe. I do know a couple of experienced folks, my neighbors, who have been out to block Island, usually in about 25+ foot boats.
2. As safety first, I think I would probably have them come with me for two or three trips. They are really nice and have said they will. One is a captain who transports boats for the rich folks.
3. I guess I would want to clarify first and Foremost what i mean by offshore and this will also probably highlight my "noobiness" :) .. Don't plan on going out very far .. just enough so that I am on open water just for the experience. Would like the experience of riding the swells, I am not sure if I am getting that in the bay.
4. @bgreene I am looking at a second one perhaps 25ft ( at the risk of getting killed by the wife) maybe in a few years. But the V20 is such a good size for both the bay and we go to a lake in upstate New york and its trailerable by my Honda Pilot, so i don't have to drop another 15K for a pickup.
5. I am not sure if this makes sense, I enjoy driving a boat, almost like driving on a winding road, there's an aspect of timing to it that i really enjoy.
6. @bgreene and @pjbrownva.. regarding seaworthyness I am not quite sure, it hasn't sunk yet :) .. its a 1990 V20.. The guy who sold it to me said they used to fish out of Martha's vineyard and the Elizabethen Islands out of Westport MA.
7. @pjbrownva ... you really provided some good insights on safety and the equipment etc. I have some of them in the works and some i had not thought of such as dual bilge pumps, batteries etc. I need to work more on my radio stuff for sure

Also thanks to the suggestions from the others. @pjbrownva I have been trolling the haulover inlet videos all through the winter and to me the striking part is that its the captain not the boat that matters ( there is that one guy with the 23ft whaler or something who makes it look easy).


To me I would like to get into some blue water as well, in addition to running around the bay with the kids and obviously I have tons to learn and hope to keep doing it for the future.



@pjbrownva and @bgreene you menetioned 4-5ft seas.. even 4-5 swells with a long period... Are those doable in a V20 with trim tabs? I am thinking of getting the electric ones?