WHAT KIND OF CONDITIONS ARE SAFE FOR A 20 CC?

2005SC20 · #1 04-23-2006, 02:48 PM

Just wondering what conditions some of you have encountered in a 20 CC? My boat is a new 20 CC with a 150 Merc (2 stroke)... Seems like the sea conditions here in South Texas tend to be 3 to 5 with a bit of wind driven surface chop most of the time. Having not ventured out of the lagoon and into the Gulf yet, I was wondering what other's have encountered offshore before quoting a line from Jaws..."we're going to need a bigger boat"...

Jon2002 · #2 04-23-2006, 04:55 PM

The boat can probably take more than you can...just pick your days and wait for high pressure!

Ikan Besar · #3 04-23-2006, 07:13 PM

distance between waves is more critical than actual wave height. if they are spaced wrong, 3' can be rather jarring. if they are far apart, swell height isn't too much a factor (10' in SoCal is a lot nicer than 4' in Southeast Florida).

Jon G · #4 04-24-2006, 07:00 PM

The boat will handle more then I can whats safe and what the boat can do are two differant things. Worst I have had is from Nantucket to Allen harbor about 22 miles in November in 20knt. Winds right in my face the whole way. Took me 40 minutes to get there in near flat conditions in the morning and two hours later the afternoon forcast turned on me bad! wind never shifted and picked up fast. It took me an hour and forty minutes to get back making about 15-16knts. Honest six footers steep close together, worst(best) ride I have ever taken. Puking up saltwater at the dock was a sure sign of a good ride! My hands never left the wheel or throttle the for the first hour till I got a little closer back to home. I would rather be out in the Ocean in ten foot swells than the tight crap that comes up in Nantucket sound and Buzzards bay when the wind is up and and the tide is wrong. Been fishing in Cape Cod bay before and the smallest boat besides me fishing is a 30 footer I though it was a little rough but not bad where were all the small boats I wondered? I met my nieghbor at the dock one day after he and his buddy both in 23 Seacraft I/O's came back from a mid week tuna trip in 25knt winds and a 77 mile one way ride right in to it, There were only two trailers in the parking lot that day both belonged to Seacrafts. I think Safe has more to do with the level of comfort the operator has running the boat in adverse conditions. These boats are very capable in bad conditions if run accordingly. Another windy saturday morning I put my boat in at the ramp and made my way out through Chatham inlet in really nasty breakers and realized that the fishing would be no fun so I snuck back in and at the ramp is a guy with a Bayliner and his fishing rods and he says "how is it out there" I told him "might as well not even put his boat in the water its rough out" he says "but you made it out and back?" and before I could say anything an old timer that was working one his boat at the dock says "Yeah but thats a SeaCraft" I tried not to laugh when the guy didn't understand but it was tough. When I bought my engine the guy that owned the marina summed it up best as he looked at my boat "these things are legendary"

rockdoc · #5 04-24-2006, 10:40 PM

great post Jon G. "yeah, but that's a SeaCraft" !!

Bayliner- now that's one brand we don't see much out here on Nantucket, even in the summer.

rockdoc

Bigshrimpin · #6 04-26-2006, 06:35 PM

The previous owner of my 20 was caught on film 60miles offshore at Guide Seamount while fishing for albacore in 20knt winds. It's a real short clip . . . hooked on fishing the golden gate Vol 3.

Jon G · #7 04-26-2006, 06:37 PM

That's what I'm talking about!!!

CapeBoater1 · #8 04-26-2006, 08:51 PM

It's all about what your comfortable with. Besides, it's not much fun fishing when your pitching back and forth and your wire is getting tangled or your getting soaked. It would probably be a day better spent at the local pub talking about all the fish you would have caught!

oceanwarrior20 · #9 05-06-2006, 07:35 PM

I live in Hawaii and 4-6 ft seas with 10-15 knots wind is average on our side.
Been out in seas 8-10 ft and been comfortable with it.
Will not hesitate to turn back if I feel uncomfortable with the sea conditions.
Have ridden other boats and really appreciate the SeaCraft hull design in rough seas.
As a side note,I have had the "we,re gonna need a bigger boat" moment once in my career.
THAT was when we had a Pacific Blue Marlin alongside my 20
SeaCraft and the Marlin was three-quarters the length of the boat.
The Marlin weighed 1,190 pounds,was 14 ft.long,and had an 8 ft. girth.
I DON`T reccomend going after such a fish on a 20 ft.Seacraft but it was a once in lifetime catch and IS possible on a small boat!

oceanwarrior