[Mark I]

IMO.

50-60 miles each way is a bit far to be ranging in a Silverton. It is a decent, inexpensive boat delivering alot for the money but it is not a heavily built offshore boat. Eggs of that vintage are good boats but there are a few years where rot can be an issue as they used alot of wood. Surveys are essential.

Lots of 41 Vikings around due to a long production run. Diesels over gas for sure on anything 35 feet and up. Consider cruising speed and fuel burn when thinking about regular offshore trips.

Good advice here about surfing Yachtworld and National Liquidators. Get out and crawl around in a few models. The search can be fun.

My .02

[lots2learn]

Going to just bring this thread back up since it is still pertaining to the same general questions.

I spent some time on a 30 Grady White over the weekend. It was a cuddy style nice boat but not a sportfisher. (I did admire many of the sportfisher’s in the marina especially a 60’-80’ Hatterras that was there).

Anyway I heard from a few people on this trip claiming passengers could not ride in the salon on a sportfisher. Is this true?

The whole thought was on the family trips (near shore or Bay) when kids were tired and mom was hot they could relax into the Salon area for the ride or while fishing.

If this is not the case I would need to find something with a lot more sitting capacity on the bridge etc. or an entirely different style boat.

My thoughts are this is probably not true because that would be a lot of wasted space, but then the sea sickness thing comes into mind about not being able to see the waves etc.. May cause one to become sea sick easier.

I would be interested in hearing how your guest travel in the sportfishers especially anyone with children.

[NYCAP123]

The cabin on any boat is suseptable to filling with carbon monoxide if the salon door is open and proper venilation is not provided. That's more likely to happen on that GW than on a 40'SF as the 40 is likely airconditioned or has a hatch high enough to open without taking in the seas. Sea sickness is another story. When it comes the cabin is not the place to be. So the short story is that those people ar wrong.
On several boats I've captained the kids spend the entire trip in the cabin watching TV or playing video games.

[Mark I]

To add to what NYCAP has said, what they are referring to is the "station wagon effect". Without a hatch open for ventilation and with a rear salon door open, exhaust will be sucked back toward the boat and potentially into the cabin. Side and underwater exhaust reduces this issue and proper ventilation eliminates it.

Carbon monoxide detectors are a must in any case.

I never saw it as an issue on my gas or diesel convertibles.

[Manny]

That is completely false. My sons(and even me sometimes) go to the salon to watch TV or just sit around while we're on a long 2-4 hour trip, and my wife spends the time in the side master. It's perfectly fine to be inside while navigating in a SF.

As for recommendations, I'd recommend Bertrams made in the 80's. They were among the best boats at the time(and I would know, I've owned 2)

[jhartog]

Another boat not often mentioned that was heavily built and offered a lot for the money is a Trojan Express cruiser 10.8 meter or 11 meter. Large cockpits for fishing, sizable and comfortable [express type] cabins. I had an 11 m with 454 gas that cruised at 16 kts (downhill), but some also had diesels. I'd think about getting comfortable coastal-wise well before thinking about taking the family 40-60 m offshore.

[lots2learn]

Glad to hear those rumors wrong I figured this much but wanted to clarify.

I have been looking at the boat models metioned still several months away just getting basic research done. As for taking the family out I would limit this to our bay system and nearshore maybe 10-12 mile trips at the most and that would be after I was very comfortable with her. In all honesty it would probably be several months before I would even take her 50-60 miles offshore until I got all the bugs worked out. The price of boat I'm looking into will need to be gone thru top to bottom before I would venture into our deep gulf with her.

Thanks for all the info everyone.

[NYCAP123]

50-60 miles is a LONG way offshore. We have the canyon up here. DK if you have any reason to go that far. Get plenty of experience before trying. Keep in mind those 4 football players last year, 3 of whom died, in the gulf off Florida. Good luck.

[bglz42]

NYCAP, the gulf is a little different. If you plan to do any fishing at all, you do have to venture offshore a ways. We're on a coastal plain here that extends out quite almost 60 miles. I do agree about running her in Galveston Bay/Clear Lake for a while before any longer trips. Besides, there's LOTS to see in our humble bay!


Lots2learn, South Shore Harbour is hosting a big in water boat show in Sept. Lot's of different styles of boats to crawl around on. Don't miss it.

[lots2learn]

Originally Posted by bglz42

NYCAP, the gulf is a little different. If you plan to do any fishing at all, you do have to venture offshore a ways. We're on a coastal plain here that extends out quite almost 60 miles. I do agree about running her in Galveston Bay/Clear Lake for a while before any longer trips. Besides, there's LOTS to see in our humble bay!


Lots2learn, South Shore Harbour is hosting a big in water boat show in Sept. Lot's of different styles of boats to crawl around on. Don't miss it.

Perfect I 'll see what I can find on it and plan on attending.

[lots2learn]

Originally Posted by NYCAP123

50-60 miles is a LONG way offshore. We have the canyon up here. DK if you have any reason to go that far. Get plenty of experience before trying. Keep in mind those 4 football players last year, 3 of whom died, in the gulf off Florida. Good luck.

Yes it is a long way. We did 80 NM on Saturday on the Grady White and only got to 300' water after 65 NM

As a side not we currently have a 24' boat missing with 3 passengers been missing since Saturday in some of the same area I was at. CG has been searching with no luck yet. So I am being introduced to just how dangerous it can be during this research.

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by lots2learn

Yes it is a long way. We did 80 NM on Saturday on the Grady White and only got to 300' water after 65 NM

As a side not we currently have a 24' boat missing with 3 passengers been missing since Saturday in some of the same area I was at. CG has been searching with no luck yet. So I am being introduced to just how dangerous it can be during this research.

Unless they were carrying spare tanks, most 24' boats have a cruise speed range of about 7 hours. That's about 140 nm. Subtract the emergency 1/3 (rule of 1/3's) leaves a range of 93nm. Divided by 2 (there and back) means that boat should be no further than 46.5 nm from their home dock (not just off shore) minus however long they intend to be fishing. That's a long way of saying that, unless they were carrying a good bit of extra fuel, they had no business being out that far. Some boats just don't belong in the deep water.

[lots2learn]

Another fishing forum I visit has a 33 page 328 response thread on the topic. Very sad for us fisherman in Houston. The boat they were on apparently was a catarman hull may have had a larger fuel cell, not sure.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guar...st/2009/08/24/

[NYCAP123]

My neighbor and his buds went out to the canyon last week from Moriches, NY in his 23' Contender. They spent 3 days and 2 nights sloshing around in 6' nasty seas and got skunked. If the white's or the big tuna were there (and not laughing at them) they'd probably still be out there. Fishermen are crazy and lucky. We'll all keep a good thought for your neighbors. There's still time.

[Mike Hall]

Originally Posted by lots2learn

Hi All,

I’ve been reading and searching all day for the information but have had limited results. I am starting the very ground work of looking into a purchase of a sportfisher 33-40’ for next summer. Main uses will be gulf fishing 40-60nm, general cruising, and occasional overnight trips. I have a family of 6 and realize that this may be tight quarters on the overnighters but we manage in smaller motor homes now so I think this will be a good size to start. I may be on the wrong forum but cannot find anything close to the information I am looking for. I am not looking into a newer model 1m boat. More like one of the $30K older 80’s Silverton’s or Egg Harbors.

Now that you have a little background here are some questions I have.

1. Where can one find information on the styles trawlers, sportfisher, sedans etc to verify what I actually want is a sportfisher?

2. Where do I find information on these older model boats to verify they are built well?

3. Is acceptable to post in this forum it seems most of you have invested much more money than I plan on for the initial purchase.

I appreciate all the help and responses in advance.

Hi and welcome to offshore fishing. I fish out of Port Aransas in the Gulf, and have much the same conditions you do. I am a retired Airline Pilot and have spent my entire career considering risk factors and management thereof. My first offshore boat was a 25' Grady White Sailfish with outboards, which was capable of safely running 50 miles out ON A NICE DAY and returning home with adequate fuel reserves. Another consideration is that the offshore environment can be a hazardous one, you are a long way from home, there is very little help out there, and communication to rescue is hard. The concept is one of redundancy. Anything can and will break, so make sure you have at least 2 of the vital items to get you home..ie..engines, nav sets, etc. Carrry battery powered backups for comm and nav in case of loss of electrics..$30K for an offshore budget will buy a pretty old boat, and in the salt air, subsystems and electronics typically last about 10 years max and need replacement..fairly expensive..It can be done, but spend the time and effort to research this well before pulling the trigger..good luck and have fun.