How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

We got a 15 foot v nosed skiff on the water this year...we take it out on the Chesapeake bay, Ive had it everywhere from CHincoteague to Hoopers Island, to Sandy point.
I dont mind rocking a bit out there...2 to 3 footers were our limit as far as whether we would go out or not...The boat handled those well enough as small as it is. OF course the larger waves crop up on days like those...and we've been caught out there when they were pushing 4 feet.

There have been times where I was pretty scared...fishings out the window, and Im using all my energy to steer into waves so that I dont get swamped! Generally, we were not too far from port...so we just would always high tail it back in when things get too bad.. Had the rear of the boat get down and take a gulp of water a couple of times...

Soooo that brings me to my question...We are planning to buy another boat in a few weeks. I want to go up a notch or two...We are getting something older, used...Cant make up my mind between a center console or a cabin cruiser....something in the 19 to 26 foot range.

So given that I dont mind rocking, I dont get seasick...how big is big enough to be able to flat out IGNORE 3 or 4 foot waves? Has alot to do with the hull shape I know...a deep V will do better than a flat bottom, etc...

I will give up hope of making it out into the atlantic until the boat after this one maybe Heh heh, but I just want something I can be confindent that if I AM 10 mile sout, and 4 footers crop up, I can make it back in...

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

2stroke1971 said:

So given that I dont mind rocking, I dont get seasick...how big is big enough to be able to flat out IGNORE 3 or 4 foot waves? Has alot to do with the hull shape I know...a deep V will do better than a flat bottom, etc...

I will give up hope of making it out into the atlantic until the boat after this one maybe Heh heh, but I just want something I can be confindent that if I AM 10 mile sout, and 4 footers crop up, I can make it back in...

Click to expand...

Three weeks ago we had a guy die in 1' waves do to hypothermia.

The other day a tide change turned a light 2' chop into something that you couldn't even stand up in.

At 3' it's very uncomfortable for non-mariners to be out. I'll fish 3' seas if the fish are here and I have an experienced crew. Otherwise I'll stay in port and drink brown bottles for the day.

At 4' most of the charters (40'+ boats) are not leaving the dock.

Bottom line, there are days when you can't have a big enough boat.

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

dingbat said:

Three weeks ago we had a guy die in 1' waves do to hypothermia.

The other day a tide change turned a light 2' chop into something that you couldn't even stand up in.

At 3' it's very uncomfortable for non-mariners to be out. I'll fish 3' if the fish are here and I have an experianced crew. Otherwise I'll stay in port and drink brown bottles for the day.

At 4' most of the charters (40'+ boats) are not leaving the dock.

Bottom line, there are days when you can't have a big enough boat.

Click to expand...

Well said. Remember Dirty Harry. ("A man's got to know his limitations...")

A 15 ft skif is great for fishing, but it's no craft to take on mother nature in...

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

I wouldn't "ignore" 4 footers on a 30 footer... you can plow through them but you gotta always watch em

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

There's good info in this thread 2stroke 1971- listen to what they say.
Often it's not the size of the wave but the frequency and period that make it uncomfortable or dangerous. Opposing forces can make 3' seas VERY rough- even in a large boat.
Read my story about a day on the lower Chesapeake- post #9:
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=364291
The bottom line- always respect mother nature, know when to stay in port, and be prepared for the worst.

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

also size isn't the end all answer to big waves.... a pro can play all day in 20 foot surf on a 10' jetski but commercial ships have gone down in less

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

My 40' Jersey Dawn is about right, at 17 tons I don't worry about being caught out until I hear 25 knots....

Bill

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

We have a 27 foot searay cabin cruiser. Coming around turkey point sometimes we get knocked around pretty good and there only 2 foot waves.

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

Yeah... points well taken I assure you, I know a bad day is a bad day, my buddy at work has a 33 footer, and he's as wary of the weather as I am.

So, sure, if I get a bigger boat, I will still be mindful of the weather, but all else being equal...lets say I take the worst few times Ive had out in my little skiff, the couple of times where I was questioning my sanity, and really thought I might be swimming for it...Ive got to think I may have not been sweating it so much in a 26 footer with a deep V hull. Would I have still come into port? Probably, I just wouldnt have been so scared about it.

Right now, the beauty of my little boat is that I can come home after work, hook it up, drive down to the bay and go fishing for a few hours, load it up, drive it back home and Im done...easy in, easy out..can run the thing all day on $15

So on the other side... I dont want to wind up with something larger, harder to transport, more expensive to run and all that, that wont really extend my range, or add to my safety...theres got to be a happy medium somewhere between a 15 foot skiff, and a 40 foot trawler..thats what Im aiming for!

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

for safety on rough water you want a swamp proof deck and a wide light stable boat with an upswept bow... unless you get big enough to be on more than one wave at a time I just don't think bigger is that much better..... a 15 foot whaler will take really big water with a skilled hand on the tiller and my 28 footer could go down in the same water with one bad mistake

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

I'm in a 27 ft deep v with self bailing decks. I find 3 footers to be just too much work to stay out in but I feel no rush to get off the water either. It's kind of funny to watch everone haul butt when the weather starts to pick up a little however I've seen some scary stuff as the smaller boats are headed in. I would never put anything less than 20 a footer in big water. But as you have said your skills and tolerance go a long way towards what works for you.

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

There is a magic forumula for figuring out how much boat is needed to maximize time/enjoyment in different environments.

There are boats of a certain size that get the most use. They are big enough to handle a variety of conditions that are most frequently presented to the boater, yet small enough to manage day in and out, so they are always ready to go and easy to deal with, even in short bursts without major hassle.

So... say that you determine a bigger boat is for you, because the seas get a little bigger than you are comfortable with in your current boat... Well, don't be surprised when you do less boating. Yes, maybe going a touch bigger and to a slightly different hull might be the trick, but just be careful you don't jump up to a boat that is big enough to take the fun out of the quick docking, easy trailering or low maintenance (including fuel and fuel budget).

I put in five times as many prep hours now for half the actual use hours I used to get before. I used to have a 2-stroke Evinrude 150 on a 18' open-bow Chaparral, and all I did was use and enjoy it. Now, I am pushing 27' of boat, with an I/O and I do less boating. Some is in the Chessie, so I can really, really appreciate the concern, and I do think bigger is better, but watch how far up you step in size, so your experiences are better/safer, but not so much up in size that you actually boat less than before.

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

I had my hands full with 3-4' this year off of Turkey point. Took a few over the bow.

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

Yes Esp turkey point. Last year coming around turkey point i blew my outdrive. When you have no power i was getting knocked around and pushed around pretty good

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

Philster, thats exactly what I am worried about.....getting out there less...

Oh my...

I think it makes the case to keep my little skiff even if I do buy a larger one....If I do find the big one is too costly to take out twice a week, then I can run the little skiff when Im too broke to fill up the big one...like guitars and motorcycles I guess...cant have too many of them!

I dunno. Gives me a lot to think about...but Ive heard it from enough people...bigger does not equal better...so I suppose I should shift focus onto just what makes a good boat in choppy water...so maybe I will wind up with something that really works for me.

THanks for the input!

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

Your 15' V is too small for those conditions. But since you seem to like to test rough water in a small boat, you need a Carolina Skiff, perhaps a 19'. Very stable; can't sink and not likely to flip; High sides; the bow doesn't bury. Very bumpy ride, though.
Easy to trailer and launch single handed; maintenance free hull. You can run a relatively small motor on it b/c it is so flat and light.
I have a 19' carolina skiff about 14 years old with a 50 and use it in waters identical to Chincoteague--marshes, flats, bays, inlet and outside. It's not pretty but it works.
It will probably save your life.

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

Well this is an older post, but I thought Id revisit it since I just actually did buy a bigger boat.
Its certainly not a fishing boat, and Im on the fence about that, but the kids and wife love it. Its an old Bayliner, a Capri. 19 ft cabin cruiser. Its got the Volvo 4 cylinder and volvo outdrive. Neat lines...I dunno...its pretty heavy, more to keep after for sure....
I will say this, I am NOT getting rid of my skiff if I can manage to store it...
Like I said, I dunno how the old capri will work for us, but if all else fails, I will just sell it and buy another one!
Either way Im gonna put it in the water as soon as my paperwork is done so I can start ironing the thing out. It runs, but theres always something that needs doing Im sure....

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

2stroke - I have a similar Capri with a vp4, and I consider it marginal for the
bay at 2 footers. The Capri is ideal for inland lakes, and the vp4 moves it
surprisingly well with superb gas mileage.

By size (length) alone, I would think that 23' or more is much better suited
for an open water bay. I have seen surprise storms pop up out of nowhere in
20 minutes time that were not forecast. Always be watchful, as some of the
guys say, no boat is right in the wrong conditions.



Happy boating!

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

good luck with the new boat.

i would have suggested a deep v offshore style center console, 20-25ft would be small enough to be easy to handle and big enough to be comfortable in bigger seas.

Re: How big is big enough? Chesapeake bay...

I was leaning towards a center console.... I think as a comparison, the capri might do a little better than the old 15 footer, Im gonna play it safe and stay close to ports like Ive been doing so far. Especially until I get the feel for the boat, and honestly get some spares together to have out there. .. I havent ever went miles out to fish or anything like I know alot of people do, but who knows...ah my.
My choices were a bit limited anyway, Im a working man, no credit...by CHOICE mind you, but seriously Im a cash only person and theres not much of that to go around!

Im going to BABY the motor also, no flat out for me. I made that mistake with my old Johnson outboard, (max throttle whenever conditions allowed) and screwed up the lower unit.
I can say this, some of my children who showed no interest in boating on the old skiff are chomping at the bit to hop on the Bayliner!