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Random Quote: If we're going fishing for flying fish, shouldn;t we be in a plane instead of a boat?
What is the smallest boat you would take to the canyons ,( Hudson, Spencer, Toms etc. ) I run a 28 ft. cat. I heard that Tred Barta use to go in a small center-console years ago. Is this true?
on his show he showed pictures from the 80's or 70's him in a 20 foot center console mako i think. had to tie his boat so it won't sink at the dock and then cut the lines with the engine wond up so he wouldn't take on water. guys down the dock from me a few years use to go in their 22 foot mako with a bow dodger. no to top no protection nothing like that. thats pretty ballsy.
23' Key West with twin Suzuki 140's with 140 gal gas tank, full electronics , spares of most everything including backup VHF radio, full ditch bag, and 6 man life raft. We run the to the Baltimore Canyon when conditions allow - we pick our days carefully, and make a final decision on the water, on the way out. Realize that NOAA doesn't always get it right, and conditions can change in a hurry. The key is to pick your days and stay on top of the weather.
We can fish all day and run back in on 70 gals of gas, we have done this trip about 6 times this year. When the weather is not good you don't go out, or don't go out as far, and be prepared to head in early. It's good to have a plan, but in a small boat you have less margin for error, hence you have to be flexible and willing to adjust to the conditions.
The boat was new in 2005 and everything is well maintained, but it's still risky and we know it.
__________________ Strike 3
Key West 23CC
w/ twin Suzuki 140's
What is the smallest boat you would take to the canyons ,( Hudson, Spencer, Toms etc. ) I run a 28 ft. cat. I heard that Tred Barta use to go in a small center-console years ago. Is this true?
A two person kayak, with a miner's hat on the head of the rear person. The miners hat would have a green light mounted on the right side, and a red light mounted on the left side of the hat. On the rear of the miner's hat there would be a white light. The person in the rear of the kayak would carry a gel battery in a back pack for electric power. When trolling, the person in the front position of the kayak would hold the fishing rod, and the person in the rear would paddle backwards. When a fish was hooked, the person in the rear would stop paddling, and the fish would pull the kayak till it was tired. This boat package is as small as you can get, and it is environmentally friendly.
Took my 20' CC to the norfolk canyon about 2 months ago. Definatly not a regular thing to do, but the water was flat glass all day long. Experienced crew, all the right equipment and a buddy boat too!
Go to http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/s/o...ster/index.htm and read a story about two friends of mine that took a homemade wood boat to the Hudson. I was their two days before and boated a 72 inch Bfin and couple of 100 pound yellows. I lost a hugh giant at the boat; but I dont thinkl we could have boated it anyway. I was too beat up to thake them in my boat so they took Dave's little 22 foot wood boat. If you google Tolman skiffs you also read an article about these guys getting a 330 pound Mako.
24'10" Cape Horn w/ twin 200HPDIs, T-Top, 3 sided enclosure, Radar, redundant VHF and GPS, 258Gal fuel capacity, Fuel Economy: 2.12mpg (statute miles per gal measured on last trip w/ SNOTTY conditions on the return), 31-33kt cruise at 4000RPM in modest seas, 4 Oversized Batts in 3 banks. Chicken, Hudson, Toms. 1 "unplanned" overnighter. TG_190
What is the smallest boat you would take to the canyons ,( Hudson, Spencer, Toms etc. ) I run a 28 ft. cat. I heard that Tred Barta use to go in a small center-console years ago. Is this true?
A two person kayak, with a miner's hat on the head of the rear person. The miners hat would have a green light mounted on the right side, and a red light mounted on the left side of the hat. On the rear of the miner's hat there would be a white light. The person in the rear of the kayak would carry a gel battery in a back pack for electric power. When trolling, the person in the front position of the kayak would hold the fishing rod, and the person in the rear would paddle backwards. When a fish was hooked, the person in the rear would stop paddling, and the fish would pull the kayak till it was tired. This boat package is as small as you can get, and it is environmentally friendly.
I fish out of OC MD and Poorman's is like 53 mi out and Baltimore is almost 60. Current boat is 26' and I'm looking to upgrade to a 30'-32' for those times when I want to overnight/stay longer. Love my boat, but 150 gal. isn't gonna keep me out very long. Longest trip so far is 63 out (left dock at 4 am), troll for the day, and come back by 6 pm using 118 gallons. That's my limit. Like everyone says "watch the weather". Some days though the hotdog/hambone/jackspot is hot and that's 20 to 35 mi out.
For you guys who do overnighters without a genset, how do you manage battery life? Are you running your electronics all night long from one bank? Do you keep an engine idling?
Electrionics on 1 battery.
LED deck lighting, (2) 6 volt floods attached to the hard top. When fighting a fish we turn on the boats 2 other 55w flood lights.
Never had an issue in the morning, if we did just switch to the spare battery #2.
smallest boat to the canyons 
