Min safe size offshore?
06-24-2020, 05:30 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Min safe size offshore?
I want to take my Scarab 33AVS to Catalina island from New Port, my first question is ...is 33' enough boat to venture out offshore safely? Is there any advice for a new to offshore guy in regards to making the trip? I have years of boating experience on small bodies of fresh water. I have no experience at all offshore. Thanks in advance.
06-24-2020, 06:41 PM
#2
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Nobody knows your boat better than you do. I can't attest to the west coast but I've been fishing offshore of the northeast in 25 foot center console about 60-70 miles . Pick and choose your days Is the best advice I could give .
06-24-2020, 06:45 PM
#3
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A 33 is big enough just watch the weather and pick and choose your days also a good gps and vhf radio I don’t know if cell phones will work that far out,and make sure you have Towboat or Seatow,also try to hook up with someone who has made that run before.
06-24-2020, 06:45 PM
#4
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Channel Islands, So. Cal.
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First - 33 Scarab is PLENTY big. Used to do it all the time in my 24' Baja Outlaw.
Second - Download the "windy" app on your phone to get spot on wind expectations. Download the surf-forcast.com app or website to get spot on swell size, timing, direction and weather.
Third - do you have a GPS? Get the destination set and use it. If not, get the correct compass heading.
Fourth - If you are doing a day trip, check the wind and swell for the afternoon and I'd suggest leaving early and coming back around 12.30 or so. Swell picks up in the afternoon and it can be a nightmare. But those two apps above will help you with that. Back in the day, we just rolled the dice.
Fifth - You may want to consider leaving from Long Beach. You're basically going nearly directly into the swell from Newport. If there's a swell it'll make for a lot of air. From Long Beach you quarter it a bit more.
Other than that, have fun. It really is not a bad run in the right conditions and I bet Catalina will be awesome right now with no tourists really.
I enjoy running over. A lot of fun. Feels like a different world over there.
Second - Download the "windy" app on your phone to get spot on wind expectations. Download the surf-forcast.com app or website to get spot on swell size, timing, direction and weather.
Third - do you have a GPS? Get the destination set and use it. If not, get the correct compass heading.
Fourth - If you are doing a day trip, check the wind and swell for the afternoon and I'd suggest leaving early and coming back around 12.30 or so. Swell picks up in the afternoon and it can be a nightmare. But those two apps above will help you with that. Back in the day, we just rolled the dice.
Fifth - You may want to consider leaving from Long Beach. You're basically going nearly directly into the swell from Newport. If there's a swell it'll make for a lot of air. From Long Beach you quarter it a bit more.
Other than that, have fun. It really is not a bad run in the right conditions and I bet Catalina will be awesome right now with no tourists really.
I enjoy running over. A lot of fun. Feels like a different world over there.
The following 5 users liked this post by thisistank:
bulletbob (06-25-2020), dykstra (06-26-2020), Griff (06-25-2020), H20 Toie (06-24-2020), larslindroth (06-25-2020)
