180 MILES ROUND TRIP IN THIS ?

[RUSTYNTABATHA]

TWO OF MY FISHIN BUDDYS THAT ARE AS MENTAL AS I AM DID ABOUT 90 MILES ONE WAY THIS PAST THURSDAY. ITS ( 18'4" ). HAD TO PUT THE SIZE DUE TO ERRORS MADE BY OTHER BOATS MISTAKING IT FOR 17 ON THE VHF WITH TERMS NEAR THE SIZE OF CRAZY AND IDIOTS. ALTHOUGH IT WAS THE SMALLEST BOAT AT THE RAM POWELL AND THE PATRONOUS FLOATING PLATFORMS; THEY CAUGHT MORE AND LARGER TUNA THAN MOST OF THE BOATS THERE 1 100#,1 90 #, 1 65 #, 1 35 # BIG EYE YELLOW FINS ONLY THE 35 FIT IN THE FISH BOX THE OTHERS HAD TO GO IN THE BODY BAG. I HAD TO STAY HOME AND DO HONEY DUE'S TO MAKE UP FOR PREVIOUS WEEKS OF FISHING.

[Miles Offshore]

Pretty work !!!!!!! my comfort range is around 60/70 miles offshore on pretty days- much over that and in a 16 boat boat is nuts!!!!!!!!! (LOL J/K) nice job again- thems some nice tuners -craig

[Ikan Besar]

90 miles out in an 18'........they've got more nerve than I do [img]/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Ed]

Jeez....and I always thought CSICKNICK was a little nutty for running 40 miles out in his 20' Seafari. However, I am glad to hear that the trip was successful and that they got home safely.

Wasn't there a story in Saltwater Sportsman a few years back about a guy in San Diego who ran a 19 Mako out about a 100 miles? I still can't believe that the magazine published that story.

[oldbluesplayer]

All I got to say is that those new motors must get a hell of a lot better gas mileage than my old Johnson 115, that or they're carrying 55 gal drums full of gas for a reserve !!!

When I run from Sandwich to P-Town, out to the SWC of Stellwagen, troll around for a couple hours, and cruise back, I'm adding up to about 60 miles, and am down to 1/4 tank when I return to the launch site - this year I've carried a 6 gal reserve tank aboard, next year I think there will be a second one, if I start chasin Charlie for serious (hell with the "if", I'm accumulating gear as we speak !!!)

balls to the walls, boys !!!

Bill

[cSickNick]

Jeez....and I always thought CSICKNICK was a little nutty for running 40 miles out in his 20' Seafari.

See, it is all relative .... i feel normal now ...

[jorgeinmiami]

When I was young and fearlees or stupid me and a buddy went to Bimini on my 17 Checkmate that had a 200 Johnson.

On the way there it was plate smooth made it from Miami in 40 mins running almost flat out most of the way.

But on the way back it was a different story.
Just to say that we both put on life jackets and stayed behind a buddy's 46 Bertram the whole way

[RUSTYNTABATHA]

The boat holds 65 gal. and they carried 20 gal. above deck. My buddy topped the tank off after return. They burrned about 65 gal. total. The trips in the 18 are planned around the weather. if there is not a two day window there's no trip. We leave @1-2 pm and return the following day depending on the fish. They came back @ 6 am this trip because they caught their limit by 2 am. I'm hoping the weather will co-operate for another trip before the end of the year. I didn't get any pictures of the fish duy to backing in to my wife's bmw (ouch!) in the driveway about 30 min. after the pic i posted. i spent the rest of the day on the phone with the ins.co.

[nestorpr]

When I was a teenager in Puerto Rico my elder brother and I used to go marlin fishing about 35-40 miles out on a new 1973 18' trihull Orlando Clipper bowrider with a '73 115 hp Evinrude and a 6 hp kicker. We learned to fish on her and she had 18 gals. built in and 2 6-gal portables, 15' outriggers, a VHF radio and a compass, that was all so we navigated by charts, magnetic bearing and dead reckoning. We were both graduates of the CG Auxiliary Seamanship school so that helped a lot! We caught about 7 blue marlin on her, the largest weighed 418 lbs (we boated it on a larger boat of course) and won 3 fishing tournaments, always being the smallest boat in the fleet. We also caught countless dolphin, tuna, wahoo, mackerel, etc. We were also very careful with the weather and kept a close watch on those sudden storms that blew in from the West. We later upgraded to a 1970 Bertram 25 with flybridge and twin Mercruiser 165's but we always remember those first fishing experiences with fondness, always being the underdog but usually coming out on top.

I agree, as long as you're careful, do your homework, know your equipment and keep it shipshape, you can perform wonders in small boats.

[RUSTYNTABATHA]

i miss the monkey boat class in alot of the big tourneys they use to have. i like seeing working guys fish in the tourn. along side the guys that have deep pockets. it made for good fun and you never new what was coming in next.