[Animal Chris]

From the 3rd Coast, up until a few years ago, I would make 10-12 trips a year out to the East Breaks, departing from Port O'Connor, TX or Port Aransas, TX, for a day of billfishing in my 23 SF w/ twin 140 Johnsons and a FloScan. Normally, we would leave the docks in the early hours, fish all day and come back, hopefully, before it got dark. As far as execution, here was the usual plan:

1) I would file a float plan and leave a copy at the tackle store by the loading ramp. I was able to get the owner to put up a board (I supplied it) where anyone could post a copy of their FP and, when they returned, remove it from the board and check in with person behind the counter (open 24 hours). I would also leave a copy at the desk where I was staying. The managers were really good about that and they also monitored their VHF. If we knew of a boat going out, we would always try to contact them before leaving the dock and also while out on the water.
2) No gumby suits, because the water wasn’t that cold, but Type 1 PFD with whistle, small mirror, reflective strips and nightlights. I would also attach a cyalume stick as a back up. I also had a possibles bag with rain gear, hand held flares (in addition to my primary flare gun) waterproof VHF, signaling Mirror, rope, distress flag, flashlight, etc. I didn’t carry an epirb until the last couple of years when they went down in size. I also had a couple of Ziploc bags of green dye (non toxic, used in my business) that would put a chartreuse looking cloud in the water in a second
3) Like you, I have a 100 and a 50 gallon tank. No over nighters, but the trip was 56 miles (each way) from Port O’Connor and 65 miles (each way) from Port Aransas. In all the trips we made, we never ran short of fuel, but then again, I never got crazy with the throttle. We never carried any additional gas cans or a bladder. I had a bad experience on another boat and swore I would never do it on mine.
4) Before each days trip, we always topped off everything, fuel, water, ice, drinking water, food, etc. We also had a supply of replacement parts, tape, hoses, clamps, tie wraps and what ever we could think of that might fit in my parts box. I also had a well stocked tool kit.
5) On one particular trip, on the way back in my hydraulic steering hose developed a pin leak down below the deck. I couldn’t get to it to clamp it off and it quickly leaked all the steering fluid out. I ended up jury rigging my flying gaff pole to one of the engines and used it as a tiller. When I got back to the dock, I got with my local machinist and he built me a bracket that I could bolt to my engine connector rod. The other end had a receptacle where I could stick the flying gaff pole and use it as a tiller. It took about 10 minutes to put in place and worked great.

I hope this might help you out.

Tight lines, AC