Small Boat - Hudson Canyon

[Basspond]

Originally Posted by mboy

Which would MAYBE get you safely one way to the Canyon from MI.

You sure about that? 3.0+ mpg in nice weather (yes, you wouldn't ever take a 21 to the canyon regardless but...) 270 miles...

I fished the chicken in it, from the navesink (run all the way around the hook and back) trolled all day, etc. burned 55 gal.

[Farmer Andy]

Bryan, we used to run my buddy's Mako 20' from Ocean City, Md to the Baltimore and Wilmington canyons 5 or 6 trips/season. This was a single engine boat - he was fairly meticulous in ensuring the engine was perfect running order and we always took up to 20 gallons of extra fuel as well as 10 to 15 gallons of fresh water (preferably frozen). Lots of good advice on this thread including an EPIRB.

The trick was watching the weather and waiting for that day when we were sure there would be no winds greater than 5-10 kts. As long as all those criteria were satisfied, it was smooth sailing.

Good luck, the tuna are only around here for a few months!

[Gr8ful Fish]

Football Tuna:

As you can see there are 2 very different thoughts about your intended plan; you have received some excellent points from both camps. IMHO, just like a lot of other things in life, there are two sides to every story ... And, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.

The reason for the dichotomy in opinions is that just like when hiking or hunting, some guys go into the woods in trucks or aboard fancy ATV's loaded with all kinds of gear, supplies and equipment while others head out with only their weapon, a backpack, a tent and their boots. Without any other details, one would expect that the person with the truck or ATV would be the better prepared, since they have more things. However, the truth of the matter is that the knowledge, experience, ability, and skills of the individual in either case is going to be far more important than any items, gadgets, electronic devices, or safety gear when it comes to getting back home safely.

I personally would rather be aboard a small, well-maintained boat with a smart, cautious and experienced Skipper than be aboard a multimillion dollar sportfisher that is being piloted by someone who is reckless, inexperienced or prone to bad judgement.

There is no doubt that fishing for big fish offshore with a small boat can be a lot of fun. Showing up back at the docks with tunas, mahi, wahoo, sharks, etc. aboard a small boat gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment that you simply can't get aboard a vessel two or more times the size of yours. You also feel much more "in touch" with your surroundings when you are fishing in small boat versus fishing aboard a floating house with motors. However, when/if something unexpectedly turns bad, the fun can quickly be replaced with terror and danger.

I say go if you are supremely confident about your boat, your redundant safety gear, your abilities, and MOST IMPORTANTLY the weather. If any or all of the above have even the slightest bit of uncertainty don't even think about it!

Remember, in the event of an unexpected serious emergency, you may not only be risking the lives of yourself and your crew, but also the lives of any others that may find themselves in the unfortunate position of needing to try to help or rescue you.

- Gr8ful


P.S. My brother runs twin Opti 135's on his boat, so I am very familiar with that particular motor's excellent fuel economy. However, you should definitely be more conservative regarding your anticipated fuel burn as on this type of trip, you will likely be carrying more fuel, ice, gear, equipment
(and hopefully fish) than you typically carry. All of this extra weight/drag will significantly increase your fuel burn.