C
coastalfisher
True enough! But unfortunately I don't like planning things out that far, more of a day before kinda planner and really want the freedom of my own boat. ?found out years ago the money spent on boats could buy a lot of guided trips
Owning a boat is not about a balance sheet of economic satisfaction. Owning a boat is about doing your own thing. If it were about economics, just go to the store buy your fish. There is something about making your own weights, tying your own mooching rigs, running your own boat, learning how to catch the various species of fish that holds it's own rewards. When you run your own boat you are the one responsible for the out comes. When you go with a guide, he is the one who is responsible for a successful trip. I have nothing against guides and if one just fishes once in a while it may be a good way to go. But if you are a hard core fishing addict and enjoy the intrinsic value a of do it your self life style, then by all means buy a boat.
As for the 16' Hewescraft in the ocean I'll be honestly blunt in my opinion. No way. Two reasons one the open bow and two the stern well. Sure on a calm flat day one might be able to get by, but one can not guarantee the ocean will stay flat. Then there is the problem of crossing a bar to get into the ocean and also the return. Just my opinion but an open bow boat on a ocean bar can place one in jeopardy if a wave should happen to fill that bow. The water forces the bow down and the stern up. With the stern up one losses not only propulsion, but also steerage. This creates a situation for disaster. The stern well is a problem for a following sea or a wave coming in on the stern. This is the reason most newer ocean boat have the offshore bracket.
I know of three capsizings that have occurred with open bow boat on ocean bars in Oregon. Two of those capsizings were operated by professional fishing guides. One cost a mans life. The third was a member of this forum and he along with his two passengers lost their lives on the bar at Bandon.
One can roll the dice and come up a winner, but it does not always work out that way. I fish the ocean, but only with an offshore boat. That boat has a six man life raft, radar, AIS system, epirb, three vhf radios, and all the safety gear.
This was a good question "but how about near shore ocean fishing?" The most dangerous part of ocean fishing is crossing the bar, no matter the size of your craft.
Hi I’m new here. I was just wondering did you buy a boat?Hi all, brand new to the forum. I've been living in south west Oregon for about 4 years now and have been fishing from shore and small aluminum boats and kayaks since I moved here. I finally made the decision to purchase a larger boat and just want some experienced opinions on my size and style I want to go with. I am currently looking at a 16' 2010 hewescraft aluminum, with a 2002 60hp main and 5hp kicker. I'm sure that boat will do well in all the lakes and rivers around SW Oregon, but how about near shore ocean fishing? Any body have any experience with smaller crafts like this going out to catch rock fish and bottom fish? I've only been out on charters and my kayak. Any advice or suggestions are much appreciated! Thanks
No, I didn't. After a lot of research and asking myself if I really needed a boat, I decided that I just don't commit enough time to fishing to justify buying a 20k boat. Maybe in the future I will buy a smaller more easily manageable boat. But right now my kayak and aluminum boats will work fine.Hi I’m new here. I was just wondering did you buy a boat?
For what it is worth I have spent a lot of years fishing the rivers and bay in a 14' open river boat with a little 9.9 hp kicker around Coos Bay. Even took it out in the big blue a couple of times on blue bird calm days. You can have some pretty good adventures in those little aluminum boats.