SportFishing and Charters Forum - Single Engine - Offshore Concerns

Headed to Marathon in a few weeks for some fishing. I'm bringing my Pursuit 2470 with a single 250 outboard. It's very well maintained. Any concerns going 20-25 miles offshore?

I am assuming many others do it. What safety equipment do you have on board. Any other precautions?

I run 60 - 100 miles out in NJ.. Basic safety with Epirb, VHF and a liferaft.

Nope...not in good weather...lots of small boats out there on a good day...keep your lookout for summertime T'storms.

All the routine required safety equipment...I carry plenty of smokes, dye marker, & flares...+VHF w/DSC...MMSI registered...and tow insurance!

You should be fine! Make sure you have all your stuff together though! Life Jackets, Fire ex, Flares, VHF, Throwable, Whistles and plenty of beverages!! Do you have Sea Tow or Tow Boat US? If not it is worth it! Good Luck!

There are a lot of "single engine offshore" threads that have run on this board. Do a search and you will be rewarded with a lot of information for the effort.

You have forgotten one thing...Have a blast, that is by far one of my favorite places (the keys). Plan on spending a lot of time in the boat (snorkeling, fishing, boating, beaching and drinking)..

Go for it :thumbsup: . There are so many boats in that area that there should be no concern if you have your s**t together. ;) Watch the Wx and maybe have a float plan filed with your hotel / condo. etc. and you will have the time of your life. Go get'em. The Hun :tht_rulez:

I routinely take "Oh Kay" 40-50 miles offshore, and on the right days 75-80 miles. I have unlimited towing, epirb, sat phone, handheld backup VHF & GPS, more type 1's than crew, flares etc. in a well equiped ditch bag, and a Winslow 6-man on order.

Not in marathon but I was 35 out in my 228 grady today out of destin and my only regret was not going farther. I ran into a big weed line at 26 miles and wasted way too much time chasing peanut dolphin and barely keeper snapper to go after what I really want which is my first wahoo. When I questioned myself running offshore with a single I was bashed by a few but then it was pointed out by many that most engine problems while offshore in a well maintained engine are fuel related which affects 4 engines the same as one in most cases and most head boats out of Hatteras(possibly the most dangerous inlet on the east coast) are single screws so if they are comfortable running a single screw with an engine they are comfortable with then so am i with an engine I'm comfortable with. It kills me how many people I run into that are comfortable and all for running 5 to 10 miles out in the middle of the night but they are freaked about running 30 or 40 out in the morning of a calm day. Go out and have a great time and catch bigger fish than I did today!

this is not exactly good advice.
we go 30miles and more out on a single 25hp yammy and a soft top 19footer
no EPIRB no radio... only couple of ipods and loads of beer :) and yes PFD's
no problems so far :grin: