Outside Fishing

[rexy]

Hi does anybody take a 4mtr boat outside fishing in good conditions and how far out do you venture . I have a 3.95m allycraft vision. What do you think of taking it out in 1mtr swell. tightlines Stephen

[wannabefisho]

Hi does anybody take a 4mtr boat outside fishing in good conditions and how far out do you venture . I have a 3.95m allycraft vision. What do you think of taking it out in 1mtr swell. tightlines Stephen

I wouldnt be taking a 3.95m tinnie offshore, but around the heads would be OK on a nice calm day- plenty of Bonnies, Trevs, taylor, sambo's and if ya lucky you might get a Kingie amongst the general bread'n'butter species.

Me and one of my mates tried to get out past the heads in a similar sized boat in a 1m swell and it was really uncomfortable + you have to navigate not only the swells, but also the other boat traffic... dead flat maybe... but I wouldnt recommend it... I reckon to get offshore even just past the heads a 5m is the MINIMUM I'd be taking out even on a good day, its just not worth risking the boaty and your own life, it dont take much for the swell to rise dramatically and then its too late once you are out there, you either race the front in... or risk being caught in the middle of it... either way your stuffed if it happens...

[rickb]

Hi does anybody take a 4mtr boat outside fishing in good conditions and how far out do you venture . I have a 3.95m allycraft vision. What do you think of taking it out in 1mtr swell. tightlines Stephen

Hi Rexy,

What wannabe just told you is spot on.

Take notice of that and you won't get into trouble.

I know you have a boat and itching to get out.

But antyhing under 5mtr and you only asking for trouble

it's just not worth it..

[Guest Aussie007]

i take my Allycraft 3.75m tinny out around the heads of botany bay,pittwater,port hacking and open ocean at wollongong all on good days i was out at wollongong the other weekend in 1.5-2m swell 10secs apart felt a little uncomfy i would say anything under 1.2m is ok swell is ok swell with a lot of chop isnt it gets abit hair raising your tinny is a little longer,wider,deeper than mine so it would feel more comfortable i do try to pick good days and i do get a good feel for the swell and chop on my way to the heads thats when i make the descision weather to go farther or not also the amount of people on board plays a big part in my tinny 1 person on the above day felt good 2 people would have been a lot worse 3 people i wouldnt have even tried and the boat is rated for 4 people in calm waters

[novice]

I'm paranoid about going outside, and I've got a 6.4m F/G boat.....I might take my pants off and put on one of the wifes skirts

[Catchin Jack]

I've got a 4.8m Bar Raider and I take it outside, it all depends on the weather, swells and your confidence in your boat and in yourself being able to handle the conditions you're in safely.

[Guest Aussie007]

I'm paranoid about going outside, and I've got a 6.4m F/G boat.....I might take my pants off and put on one of the wifes skirts

i use to be like that i had a 5.6m swiftcraft i would not for the life of me go outside i sold that boat than one day went out to botany with a mate he headed strait out on a good day i was a bit cautious but seen there was nothing to worry about so now i go out there in my tinny and alone

[nsaykali]

i have a 4.8M stacer baymaster,(aluminium) have take it to the peak, fished outside port haching a fair few times, couple of times in 2m swell.

just have to take your time and read the waves.

i also am registered with the marine rescue and log on/off with them anytime i fish outside the heads.

also have an epirb onboard

dont forget all the other gear flares/v sheet/2L or water per person/maps of area that you also need when you head offshore

[mr475]

We take our 4.75m Quintrex runabout outside when the weather is OK. We have been out in choppy water and it is just plain uncomfortable even though the boat can handle it. As an example, we have been over the bar at Forster with a 2+ metre swell running, but the sea was glassy and smooth and the swell was long. If the seas were 1m we would not even consider going as it is not relaxing being thrown around the boat and having to hang on. Get used to what your boat can do and how you handle various conditions. A choppy Botany Bay can be scarier than a trip offshore.

Listen to the experienced guys.

[Guest Aussie007]

A choppy Botany Bay can be scarier than a trip offshore.

few years ago we were out in the bay 9-10pm on the way out the water was like glass fished for an hour or two before a 90kph southerly hit this wasnt on the forecast untill after we left and the wind whipped up in a matter of 5mins or less on the trip back in was a nightmare in a old pongrass 14ft with 3 adults and a 25hp that wouldnt plane the boat took us somewhere around 40mins to travel back from the drums to the port boat ramp with waves crashing onto the top back of the boat i made the call for us to put on the life jackets it was that serious lucky one of the port botany tug boat drivers was watching us he later came around into the car park to make sure we were ok 6.5m boats were out there as well getting tossed around it was scary

[lancer]

The size of the boat is important going outside but also the configuration and experience, in that I regularly run offshore a few miles to chase flatties and have taken my 4.3 Webster Twinfisher to Montague Island and across the bar at South West Rocks and Narooma.

It feels very stable outside and trolls straight and true in seas up to two metres. After two metres its time to come in as its to uncomfortable.

I also was lucky to learn from experienced skippers who taught you how to cross bars, trim boats properly, drive the boat in heavy seas.

These lessons are more valuable than just working out who goes to sea in a certain size boat as I have seen guys get into trouble in a Bertram 25 in seas that were only one - two metre but tried to cross a bar at the wrong time of the tide and got smashed.