offshore capable boat?

i have a 1997 palm beach whitecap 200 center console. it has a v hull. just the hull itself weighs 1800lbs. i have a 1980 mercury black max 200hp on it right now. im guessing the fuel tank is about 40 gallons. i want to take this boat offshore fishing but i dont know if i can, being the fuel tank is so small. i know these old motors arent the most fuel efficient, but at cruising speed, 4200rpm, the mileage doesnt vary that much from motor to motor. i'll be going about 40 miles offshore, so about 80 miles total. would i need to have other gas tanks on the boat or what? or do i need a different boat entirely with a bigger gas tank? thanks

Re: offshore capable boat?

Using the 1/3 out, 1/3 back and 1/3 in reserve theory, you have nowhere near enough fuel for that run. Figure at best you?re looking at 2 miles to the gallon. For a similar run I carry 92 gallons of fuel. Have a 54 gallon tank reserve tank but rarely ever need it for that distance.

Re: offshore capable boat?

That boat is too small to go out 40 miles, unless it is a lake, IMHO. What water are you using it? Off Florida or some other Atlantic Ocean spot? I would recommend you stay within visual range of the coast.

If you do go out beyond visual (-15Mi), triple check the weather, and make sure your life insurance is paid up, the kids are out of high school, and your wife has a boyfriend.

Re: offshore capable boat?

around here people take boats that size offshore but only on the perfect day and with other boats. But not 40 miles. On this forum, "offshore" means different things to different people in different parts of the country and time of year.

as for your range; first, don't guess your fuel capacity--look at the plate on the tank (remove the deck plate over the sending unit.)

never rely on your dashboard fuel guage as being accurate, other than all the way full and all the way empty. Learn by experimenting what 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4 really means.

remember that a 25% increase in spead can double your fuel consumption. Find the charts for your boat and motor to get an idea of consumption at various speeds. Compare GPH to MPG.

Carry a 5 gallon reserve can. And a syphon. And Sea Tow's phone number. And a VHF.

Remember to add the distance from the dock to the ocean inlet to your distance. x2.

Remember that current and wind greatly affects your consumption. That's part of the 1/3 reserve rule.

Factor in the gas you use when you get there--will you be trolling? drifting? That's part of the 1/3 reserve rule too, but it really should be your first 1/3.

Live by the 1/3 rule above.

Re: offshore capable boat?

Chris1956 said:

That boat is too small to go out 40 miles, unless it is a lake, IMHO. What water are you using it? Off Florida or some other Atlantic Ocean spot? I would recommend you stay within visual range of the coast.

If you do go out beyond visual (-15Mi), triple check the weather, and make sure your life insurance is paid up, the kids are out of high school, and your wife has a boyfriend.

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Really? That isn't fair to try to scare someone into thinking they are going to die if they go offshore. I had a 20' Center Console Angler and have been offshore 35+ miles more times than I can count. The determining factor will be the weather and your ability in determing the capabilities of you and the vessel. The 1/3 rule is correct as is knowing the true size of the fuel tank that you have. You also need to realize that tanks don't feed fuel from the bottom (usually). That means when you may run out of gas prior to the needle showing empty. If you can't find the guide plate on the tank, measure HxLxW (in inches) of the tank and divide by 231= gallon capacity.

Visual range is usually 8-10 miles, depending on the weather and topography of the coastline. Once you deterine all of the specifics of your boat and have verified the days weather, start venturing off shore. While in the learning stages, maintain visual contact with other boats and file a float plan with family or friends so they know where you plan to be and what time you plan to get back. A spare 5 gallon can on board couldn't hurt. Get a good GPS if you don't have one. They can help you find your way back easily if you're drift fishing and wind up farther away that you had planned.

Re: offshore capable boat?

I've seen more boats go down at the dock than in the ocean. Have fuel will travel. Maybe look into a bladder tank for extra fuel. I doubt you can travel 80 miles on 40 gallons.

On second thought......ye....get another boat!

Good Luck!

Re: offshore capable boat?

Chris1956 said:

That boat is too small to go out 40 miles, unless it is a lake, IMHO.

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There are only like 4 lakes in the entire world that you can be 40 miles OFFSHORE. Those lakes are just as scary and dangerous as the ocean.

Re: offshore capable boat?

Fireman431 said:

Really? That isn't fair to try to scare someone into thinking they are going to die if they go offshore. I had a 20' Center Console Angler and have been offshore 35+ miles more times than I can count. The determining factor will be the weather and your ability in determing the capabilities of you and the vessel.QUOTE]

Fireman, the OP sounds like a newbie, and you sound like an old timer. I don't disagree that with plenty of experience under your belt, something like that is do-able.

However, 40 miles is a long way from home in a 20'er when the weather kicks up. 'I' wouldn't do it.

My .02

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Re: offshore capable boat?

I have spend 40+years boating. 20+ years on the bay and ocean. I have been 2-3 miles off shore more times than I can count, in my 21 footer. It has gotton snotty lots of times, and had I been 10+ miles offshore, it would have been treacherous to get back. I was once 15 miles offshore in a 35 footer. 8 foot waves blew up real quick, but the boat was up to it, so we did survive. Don't try that in a 21 footer.

Fireman, I am please that you have survived so many trips of 35+ mi in a 20 footer. It is clearly your right to risk it.

The horizon is about 13 miles under normal visibility, BTW.

Re: offshore capable boat?

Chris1956 said:

The horizon is about 13 miles under normal visibility, BTW.

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You must be awful tall

Distance to the horizon in nautical miles = 1.17 times the square root of your height of eye

(6' tall standing on a deck 24" above the water line) 2.85 x 1.17 = 3.3 miles

Re: offshore capable boat?

Dingbat is correct when determining distance to horizon, but that is for land topography. I found that 8-10 miles is about the limit when identifying tall structures (condo, lighthouse, etc). I don't know anyone that can discern 13+ miles off shre, but I'm not going to doubt him. I can't see thru his eyes.

I have also been 3 miles offshore and had the weather take a turn for the worse, but that is why I mentioned knowing the weather forecast and determining the capabilities of you and your boat. Hopefully, he has an experienced friend that can show him the ropes (lines?). I am, by no means, telling him to get in his boat and go 40 miles off shore. I am saying to learn all he can and be prepared and then begin his ventures carefully, increasing more each time until he becomes comfortable. 40 miles out in the ocean is no differenct than a small lake if the weather is on your side. Anyone who attempts to get to the Gulfstream without triplechecking everything is asking for trouble.

Heck, I read stories about people taking SeaDoo's to the Bahamas. Anything is doable if prepared well enough in advance.

Re: offshore capable boat?

The ocean is as mean and unpredictable as a woman on her menstrual cycle. I have been out in the bay getting battered by a 2-3' chop only to turn the hook and the ocean is laying like glass. Conversely I've seen the bay look like a lake only to get a mile offshore into 5-7' ground swells. The ocean changes mile to mile, day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute. If you continuously take a 40 mile trip offshore in a 20' boat you will, assuredly, undoubtedly, without question eventually encounter conditions that will scare you to death. It will not be a question of "can you handle it", but rather "will you handle it". You will also be responsible for your entire crew, so you better be damn sure you are the type that can handle "pucker" situations knowledgeably and without panic. That's my 2 cents.

edit:

To add to the above, you better not even consider it without bringing an Epirb, ship to shore radio, and a decent life raft along with your life vests.

Re: offshore capable boat?

I had been trying to answer the OPs question myself lately as I am most definitely a newbie. My 19 ft center console has a 60 gallon tank, and using the 1/3 rule I came up with 30 miles as my maximum distance for going off shore. Of course its 15 miles just to get to open ocean, so I'm really limited to 15 out from there. At least there is a decent fishing spot 15-16 miles out, but I'm going to work my way up to that a little at a time. I was about a mile out on Saturday without issue, and since I paid up for US Boat Tow a month ago I might feel a little safer going out on a calm day, but I don't want to push my luck either.

Re: offshore capable boat?

RotaryRacer said:

There are only like 4 lakes in the entire world that you can be 40 miles OFFSHORE. Those lakes are just as scary and dangerous as the ocean.

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Yes, I've often wondered how many "salties" lie at the bottom of Great Lakes after thinking, "Hell, it's just a lake. How bad can it get?"

Grouse

Re: offshore capable boat?

folks, you need to also remember that the fuel you use to go 30 miles on glass at 30 mph might be say 15 gallons...... in 10' waves and rain (low visibility) at 6 mph constantly on and off the throttle you might use 3 times the fuel as often you can't go directly where you want to. Sea tow is great if your engine simply won't start but it will be of no value if you are capsized and swimming for a couple hours waiting on a tow that you can't call because your radio is under water with your boat.

I have never been more than a mile from shore on the saltwater.... I have been over 20 miles from shore on lake eerie.

What these experienced guys are trying to tell you is that all your uneventful little trips where you work up your courage mean exactly NOTHING the day that you find yourself in a battle for your life....

My first such battle was in a john almand 23 with a flybridge... we were at peelee point which is canada. It is the narrowest passage across lake eerie at 43 miles.... we had some nasty storms rolling in from two directions and decided to make the 1 hour run for the usa... well halfway home the fuel filter had all it could take and our top speed went from 43 mph to about 8 mph. We were then unable to outrun the storms and had waves of 4-6' coming from 2 directions with some higher. That trip took about 8 hours and 6 of those were in the dark. The waves were crashing over the bow and occasionally the side seemed like they would break the windshield or capsize/swamp us each time..... at times we had 6 inches of water on the deck and the bilge pumps ran non stop... gps wouldn't get a signal and the compass was nearly worthless because we couldn't maintain a heading..... when we finally made land we were 60 miles off course.... that means that with only 20 miles to shore we traveled at LEAST 60 or 70 to FIND it.... we used about 18 gallon to get there and nearly exhausted the other 42 getting back.

Now eerie is a shallow lake and considered more dangerous than the ocean by some because waves are much closer together BUT that was just an example of how my terrifying experience 15 years ago helped me understand how quickly things can get deadly

Re: offshore capable boat?

Home Cookin' said:

remember that a 25% increase in speed can double your fuel consumption. Find the charts for your boat and motor to get an idea of consumption at various speeds. Compare GPH to MPG.

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I've done a lot of fuel flow calculations and measurements; once cleanly on-plane, there aren't any situations where a 25% increase in speed will double the fuel consumption. A 25% increase in speed requires a 56% increase in power which would require a 56% increase (maybe slightly more or less) increase in fuel flow. When you factor in 56% more fuel with 25% more speed, the fuel mileage only goes down 20%. Testing bears this out. However, there are situations where a 25% DECREASE in speed could easily double your fuel consumption. In my boat, if I drop from barely on-plane (16 MPH) to maximum plowing speed (12 MPH) my fuel consumption (in MPG) drops from 2 MPG to 1 MPG.

Re: offshore capable boat?

according to my boat's testing from Yamaha (which I did not have in front of me; I was speaking generally) if I increase from 4000 to 5000 rpm, my spead increases from 31 to 41 mph (about 1/3 increase) and my GPH consumption goes from 8.8 to 14.6--pretty close to doubling. My MPG drops from 3.57 to 2.83. I understand there is a countervailing factor that b/c you get there faster, you use less fuel, to some degree, b/c you aren't running as long. But since the topic is covering a distance and, hopefully, back home, with a limited amount of fuel available, that there are wide variables involved as speed varies.

Re: offshore capable boat?

Chris1956 said:

That boat is too small to go out 40 miles, unless it is a lake, IMHO. What water are you using it? Off Florida or some other Atlantic Ocean spot? I would recommend you stay within visual range of the coast.

If you do go out beyond visual (-15Mi), triple check the weather, and make sure your life insurance is paid up, the kids are out of high school, and your wife has a boyfriend.

Click to expand...

i think this is the best answer to his question

Re: offshore capable boat?

Home Cookin' said:

according to my boat's testing from Yamaha (which I did not have in front of me; I was speaking generally) if I increase from 4000 to 5000 rpm, my spead increases from 31 to 41 mph (about 1/3 increase) and my GPH consumption goes from 8.8 to 14.6--pretty close to doubling. My MPG drops from 3.57 to 2.83. I understand there is a countervailing factor that b/c you get there faster, you use less fuel, to some degree, b/c you aren't running as long. But since the topic is covering a distance and, hopefully, back home, with a limited amount of fuel available, that there are wide variables involved as speed varies.

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Gotcha, just wanted to show that going slower can actually use a lot more gas.

BTW, My calculations show you should be using 15.4 GPH at 41 MPH, so if the real world result is 14.6, you're doing well. That said, is there any possibility you are under or over propped? I've often wondered how that would affect fuel economy at cruise.

Re: offshore capable boat?

BTW - Celphones are useless after a couple of miles out into the ocean, VHF is good for 5mi out or so, depending on the height of the antenna and power of the set. So if you are 15mi or so offshore, you cannot call SeaTow, unless you find someone (or perhaps two boats)inshore of you to relay the call for you.

If you are offshore by yourself, and it starts blowing, and everyone else has already gone in, and you have an issue, you are on your own....