Off Shore Boating

Presentation said:
Go get a brochure for the biggest, most expensive Harley Davidson you can find. Leave it sitting out; say on top of the toilet under the Kleenex box. :cool:

When she asks you what this is all about say you are thinking of getting a chopper or a bigger boat.

She will beg you to get the boat. :thumbsup:
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Or if she is like my wife you'll get both! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
Goblue...no, don't think 3 foot seas are bad...I think 6-8 foot seas are bad. The 3' waves mentioned on Winnipesaukee have no troughs between them, so it's slamming from the creast of one to another instead of going down between each one. And yes....off the coast of NH.

Presentationrentals...yup...all set, am a card carrier. It's the law in NH. :thumbsup: Have been for quite a while, along with a couple other coast guard courses.

You know...I probably should explain myself a little bit better... I'm not trying to get people all fired up and shaking their heads. I too do not wish to be a statistic for the coast guard. I'm not a novice who has their first boat and looking to do something completley stupid, that is why I have asked of others experience being out beyond the sight of land on the ocean in not nesessarily a smaller boat, but ANY boat.

I know that hyperthermia can set in in just minutes and render someone helpless and know the weather can change in a heatbeat when the broadcasts are stating calm winds and seas as everything goes crazy around you.

I'm looking for "I was out on a nice day and wind, waves, etc came up etc, etc.)"

ruf1967...yup...grew up on the water, both fresh and salt, clamming, deepsea fishing etc, etc. And I agree...20' is pushing it. And I agree..real calm weather, it doesn't happen often!!!!

Half Off...lol..with mine..it would be one or the other...too many toys means nothing would be getting done around the house!
 
When I purchased my boat last year a good friend of mine at work got to talking. He and all his parents family would meet yearly in NJ for a family vacation. His Dad had a 16' outboard boat, bowrider, that they would take out into the Atlantic ever year to fish, usually out of sight of land. I thought he was crazy. But that's all they ever had, and were very experienced with that setup and area.

Last year his Dad finally moved up to a 21' Four Winns bowrider and they again did the same trip.

I (again) thought they were crazy, but....they know their limitations (the guys a PhD), and I know mine. I'm a (now) second year boater with a 18' boat; you won't catch me out there yet. Heck, we already want to go bigger just to go out into the Potomac River!!

Good luck and have a great time among the whales. :smt001
 
No you are not Crazy! :grin: You need to do it. It will give the Coasties some practice. They don't have anything better to do. :wink:

I believe they have a volunteer list. It's pretty simple, sign up to go out 25 miles, lose your main engine, cell phone does not work that far away and the battery goes dead in your hand held VHF. What fun! :smt038
 
In case you guys missed it that is Richard's sense of humor. Please do not take him seriously :smt018

Wesley
 
:smt021 Wesley!!! Darn it, I was looking forward to seeing a special report on CNN with Lou Dobbs about the dummies that went out 25 miles and got lost! Man you really know how to ruin a boring Sunday night of Television... :smt089
 
either that or the joy of having county process server knock on your door to deliver the summons when some fool takes you seriously.............that is, if he makes it home and is able to file the suit.
 
No you are not Crazy! You need to do it. It will give the Coasties some practice. They don't have anything better to do.
I believe they have a volunteer list. It's pretty simple, sign up to go out 25 miles, lose your main engine, cell phone does not work that far away and the battery goes dead in your hand held VHF. What fun.

Wesley!!! Darn it, I was looking forward to seeing a special report on CNN with Lou Dobbs about the dummies that went out 25 miles and got lost! Man you really know how to ruin a boring Sunday night of Television...
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THAT from a moderator? :smt038
wow...I'm in the wrong place.
 
One thing I would like to know from the folks who are advising not to go so far out in a small boat..............what is an exceptable "minimum" size and type of boat?

For example, would a boat like my single engine 260DA be big enough and safe enough?
 
Dave S said:
One thing I would like to know from the folks who are advising not to go so far out in a small boat..............what is an exceptable "minimum" size and type of boat?

For example, would a boat like my single engine 260DA be big enough and safe enough?
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NMMA has classifications for this.

A - ‘Ocean’
B - ‘Offshore’
C - ‘Inshore’
D - ‘Sheltered waters’

Hang on. I’ll see if I can find it.
 
A. OCEAN: Designed for extended voyages where conditions may exceed wind force 8
(Beaufort scale) and significant wave heights of 4 m and above but excluding abnormal
conditions, and vessels largely self-sufficient.
(note: generally accepted as greater then 50 miles offshore)

B: OFFSHORE: Designed for offshore voyages where conditions up to, and including, wind
force 8 and significant wave heights up to, and including, 4 m may be experienced.
(note: generally accepted as 3 - 50 miles offshore)

C: INSHORE: Designed for voyages in coastal waters, large bays, estuaries, lakes and rivers
where conditions up to, and including, wind force 6 and significant wave heights up to,
and including, 2 m may be experienced.
(note: generally accepted as less then 3 miles offshore)

D: SHELTERED WATERS: Designed for voyages on sheltered coastal waters, small bays,
small lakes, rivers and canals when conditions up to, and including, wind force 4 and
significant wave heights up to, and including, 0,3 m may be experienced, with
occasional waves of 0,5 m maximum height, for example from passing vessels.
(note: sheltered coastal and inland waters)

Craft in each Category must be designed and constructed to withstand these parameters in
respect of stability, buoyancy, and other relevant essential requirements listed in Annex I, and
to have good handling characteristics.

NOTE: The Design category parameters are intended to define the physical conditions that
might arise in any category for design evaluation, and are not intended for limiting the use of
the recreational craft in any geographical areas of operation, after it has been put into service.
The physical conditions shall be determined from the maximum wind strength and wave
profiles, where wave profiles are consistent with waves generated by wind blowing at the
maximum stated strength for a prolonged period, subject to limits of the implied fetch and the
maximum stated wave heights, and excluding abnormal factors such as sudden change in
depth or tidal races.

For category D, allowance should be made for waves of passing vessels up to a maximum wave height of 0,5 m.

For category A, unlimited conditions apply as they reflect that a vessel engaged on a long
voyage might incur any conditions and should be designed accordingly, excluding abnormal
weather conditions e.g. hurricane

http://www.nmma.org/certification/local/downloads/documents/2006_RSG_Guidelines.pdf
 
Dave S said:
That's all well and good but how does one know which boats fit into those categories?
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Dave,

The 260 Sundancer is rated B. It is in your owners manual and also is stamped on the builders plate. Start heading offshore mate :wink:
 
Dave S said:
That's all well and good but how does one know which boats fit into those categories?
Click to expand...

If the boat is NMMA, and Sea Ray’s are, they must be classified.

I looked on the website www.searay.com and can’t find where Sea-Ray lists this.

Can anyone help?
 
Yes, B is correct

http://www.searay.com/Archives_Manu..._manuals/2006_260_SUNDANCER/260 Sundancer.pdf

Its almost 10 Meg.

Go to page 1.8

"Your 260 Sundancer is Design Category B"

B. Offshore Maximum wind speed: 40 knots (46 mph)
Maximum wave height: 4 meters (13 feet)
Boat can be used offshore, but not for extended ocean voyages.

Note: This is for a 2006 260DA. I do not know this is the case for older 260DA's.

PS: 13 foot waves? :huh: OMG!
 
A 2005 260DA is rated the same as a 2007 (probably 2006) 185 Sport... That seems crazy. Although so does taking a 185 out in 6.5 foot waves.... Of course there is a nice disclaimer that goes along with these ratings...

"The wind speed and wave height does NOT mean that you or your passengers can survive if your boat is exposed to these conditions"

Not that's comforting :smt017
 
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