Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

[saltymino]

My wife and I are going to be new boat owners soon. We have picked out a 1701C Century (17'- 90HP yamaha). Our question is, would this be an okay boat to take offshore say 2-6 miles? The reason we looked at this boat is because it is within our price range (great deal for a 2007), comes with a warranty, and is something that my wife feels she could handle. However, we are planning on doing lake, bay area, offshore (not to far) fishing and cruising. Does this boat sound like it will handle offshore? If anyone could help.....

Thank you,
saltymino

 

[KCook]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

6 miles off is certainly doable. Given care, safe as well. However, comfort is a head game. Being as I am a wus I would want at least a 19 footer for that run. Does this dealer (or any other dealer) also have larger used boats? It would be really nice to find a dealer who would be willing to give you outside demo runs in different size boats.

Kelly Cook

 

[saltymino]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

We did take the 1701c out for a demo and it handled 1-2' waves nicely! It was a very smooth ride. I agree safety first, I do not think that I would choose to go out when the water is rough anyway. However my concern would be, going out when it was nice and then it turns bad and we have to get back. We have got a lead on a 20' century in our price range, but it is used. NO WARRANTY! It looks great and says that there has been a lot of work done to it so it runs excel. Our problem is buying a boat that works for a few months and then starts having problems. 150HP not cheap.... and again there may not be any problems down the road. If it was not for the warranty I would deff. go with the 20'. It is also a 1997 with a 98 150 yamaha.

 

[KCook]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

Sorry I wasn't clear. The smaller CC models can "handle" waves, to an extent. When I said comfort was a "head game", I meant your feeling of security for the given situation. The more miles I have to gaze across to see the shoreline, the bigger the boat I want under me to feel confident. Hard feeling to describe until you experience being surrounded by a whole lot of water. And it definitely varies greatly from one boater to another.

A professional surveyor can check out any used boat for you. In some cases the surveyor doesn't check motors in much depth, a marine tech can do that. Or, if you're satisfied with the boat, just pay to have the motor checked. Usually money well spent.

But it sounds like you have slim pickings for used boats. Use both your local papers and the big national online listings.

Kelly

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

Salty, I boat on a bay that has inlets to the ocean. My neighbor had a 17 Proline CC with a 120HP Force. I always thought it a bit small for the ocean, however it was great for the bay. A 19 footer is a better choice for the ocean, due to its greater weight and freeboard.

For the ocasional foray into the ocean in the summer, you are probably OK. I do not think I would go out 6 miles however. I like to fish until November, so I want a bit heavier boat. it helps me feel more secure.

 

[saltymino]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

Thank you,

The info helps a lot. We will ponder our choices. If anything because of the warranty and being orig. owners we will prob. take the 1701c. If we decide we are up for more boat a cpl years from now, we can always upgrade. This way it gives us a chance to learn boating.
Also, about that other boat in (FL)- there was a lot of work done to it, new carbs, starter, battery wires and harness, things like that. This tends to go with what I have heard about buying boats from the coastal areas. The salty air and such starts to wear on parts. Being new boaters we think that we would be better off getting something that might not have problems. Not saying this boat does, but the chances are higher than a new non salty area boat (if that makes sense). Not the way the wife and I want to start off our boating exper.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

on the right day i'd go in a 12' with a 15 hp. on the wrong day you couldn't get me there in a 60'. i have an 18' Center console, and run 7 miles to the reef in the FL Keys, but conditions are always 1st priority. also having the right equipment on board.

 

[KCook]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

If price is a factor, Century is not one of the cheapest builders out there. You may be able to buy a little bigger model from brands like C-hawk, Hydra-Sports, Maritime Skiff, Panga Marine, Polar, Sea Chaser, Sea Fox, or Trophy.

Kelly

 

[mike176]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

would not take a 17 offshore at all unless it was the gulf and then i would not go out more then 2 miles. The weather can go bad way to fast in the summer and the wind is to strong in the winter. GPS and VHF is a must, when you can't see land its easy to get turned around and the VHF atlest gives you a chance of geting help if you have truble. A 17 is great for lake, rivers, and the flats.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

Your attitude is almost as important as the length of the boat you are in. Besides having fun you need to get a weather forecast before you drop the boat in the water. And while you are out you need to do a visual scan of the horizon from time to time looking for the nasties.

Some years ago we were putzing in our 19'er accross Biscayne Bay headed for Elliot Key and the sky started to look nasty. I did a 180 and put the boat back on the trailer - - just in time. The following day there was a story in the Herald about three fisherman who lost their lives in a 15'er three miles off shore. I bet their minds were on catching fish rather than safety.

Having said that there are times I will go off shore in our present 23'er that I would never do in a 17'er.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

Agree with tasha's daddy. I had a 13 ft glass boat with a 22 Scott Atwater and every chance I got I went to Cat Island from Gulfport MS, a distance of 10 miles. The trips were south and the wind was usually out of the south but in the mornings it was usually calm with a smooth roll to the small waves so going out was a piece of cake.

In the afternoon the wind was always up (still out of the south.....now I'm headed north) and that was ok too as the boat had a big flare on the bow and even though I didn't have much horsepower, it was enough to set up on the waves and "ride the pony" home.

I fished the leeward (north) side of the island and the only time I would get concerned was when squalls came through; not the squall per.se, but the lightening that always accompanied them.

No boat length would have been big enough then.

Mark

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Is a Century 1701C okay for offshore???

My previous boat was a 17' CC and I did venture offshore a few times in the Gulf of Mexico. There were a couple of times that coming in was pretty rough and I really wished I had more boat! My current boat is an 18'6" center console that is much larger than the 17'er and it can certainly handle bigger water; even still, it can get pretty rough if the seas really kick up. The additional weight and HP certainly help in making you feel more secure.

An additional factor to consider is the fuel capacity; if you're going 6 miles offshore, you need to make sure you have plenty of fuel to get there and back. My current boat holds 55 gallons, the 17' boat only held 18 gallons.​