danman141 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Just new to this but was hoping for some info on 12 mile and the shelf.I have just bought a 5.2m haines signature and was wondering what kind of wind speeds,directions and swell size i should be looking out for before i go out to these places ,any info would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barreduo Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Hey mate too much to say to get you safely off shore if you have never been before. Do a post and get some people with offshore experience to show you a thing or too. the sea takes no prisoners. Happy to show you a thing or two when the competion season is over.(3 weeks) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brickman Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 i have a 5 meter cuddy cabin and go wide when ever i can hears how it has to be for me to go wide wind speed 10kn or under swell 1.5 meters with a pulse over 12 seconds no chance off the above increasing and clear skys the last place i wont to be in bad weather is wide you need all the safty gear and log on and off with the coast gard if you have never been wide start in close and work your way out over several trips it has taken me two years to get out to the shelf and i need to take extra fuel to get back in no fish is worth your life so if your not shore do'nt go for example last monday was supose to be 10kn wind 18second pulse and 1.5 meter swell but as we got to the heads it was 20kn wind and a 6 second pulse we stayed inside and as dawn broke the day really turned to shit i would glad we did'nt head out so be carfull and stay safe cheers gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
On Strike Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I'm with Brickman, Baby steps first. If your new to boating you first need to work out your own ability to handle your boat then you need to work out your boats ability to handle various conditions. I started with trips to the heads before heading further a field to say Long Reef or the close reefs to Sydney. When you have it all sussed then you can enjoy your day more than worrying about what might happen. You should also go with another vessel when ever you can when heading offshore, especially in a boat your size, or if you cant find someone to go with head to areas where others will be eg FADs and known marks. The fish are always going to be there so take your time and learn your abilities. It will be so much more enjoyable. On Strike Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danman141 Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 Thanks for the posts boys,thinking of heading to long reef and starting to get a feel for things that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjbink Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Your boat is not really shelf capable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentstik Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Your boat is not really shelf capable. Why not ?????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjbink Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Why not ?????????? Too small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentstik Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Seen plenty of smaller boats out on the shelf and even further Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentstik Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 What would you consider to be the right size boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjbink Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 What would you consider to be the right size boat. Given where talking about Sydney and the shelf is 18 to 20 miles out I would think 6m and up. Especially so in winter with the dangerous and unpredictable nature of the prevalent westerly winds. PS: just because you see a lot of small boats out that far doesn't mean it's a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentstik Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 If you do your home work understand weather charts and are sensible you should have no problems heading out that far, have been out to browns many of times chasing tuna in winter and have had no problems, but must stress have studied the weather charts in great detail and ticked all the boxes and doubled checked everything right up to the last moment.I Know of a 5.6 mt boat that heads out to Heatons ,thats 3 times the distance of the shelf. Boats are not designed to sink or capsize, its the person behind the wheel just like cars are not designed to wrap themselves around telegraph poles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjbink Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 (edited) If you do your home work understand weather charts and are sensible you should have no problems heading out that far, have been out to browns many of times chasing tuna in winter and have had no problems, but must stress have studied the weather charts in great detail and ticked all the boxes and doubled checked everything right up to the last moment.I Know of a 5.6 mt boat that heads out to Heatons ,thats 3 times the distance of the shelf. Boats are not designed to sink or capsize, its the person behind the wheel just like cars are not designed to wrap themselves around telegraph poles The trouble is that these westerly winds are unpredictable and you can't totally rely on the forecast. They can change from light to 30 or 40 knots without warning. Yes you may get away with it for quite a while, but one day you won't. I have know of gameboats that have struggled to get back when caught out in such conditions. PS: even with a 25 knot westerly a boat that size will be struggling to get back from the shelf. Edited May 1, 2011 by billfisher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentstik Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 The trouble is that these westerly winds are unpredictable and you can't totally rely on the forecast. They can change from light to 30 or 40 knots without warning. Yes you may get away with it for quite a while, but one day you won't. I have know of gameboats that have struggled to get back when caught out in such conditions. PS: even with a 25 knot westerly a boat that size will be struggling to get back from the shelf. Billfisher but like I said if you had read the weather chart you would have seen that westly coming. Some of the skippers in big boats sometimes think they can go out in any weather conditions because they are in BIG BOATS. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjbink Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Billfisher but like I said if you had read the weather chart you would have seen that westly coming. Some of the skippers in big boats sometimes think they can go out in any weather conditions because they are in BIG BOATS. Cheers You seem to be missing the point that these strong westerlies aren't always predicted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentstik Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 You seem to be missing the point that these strong westerlies aren't always predicted. We wil have to agree to disagree as I don't want to get into a slanging match. Cheers Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr magoo Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 We wil have to agree to disagree as I don't want to get into a slanging match. Cheers Buddy silvo you talk of seeing little boats wide offshore ,i was down jb and there was a little tiller steered tinnie with outriggers on the canyon,4.5 metres would of pulled it up for sure probably closer to 4,2 i thought gee small boat especially with a tiller steer an hour later troll past and there swiming a nice black good acheivement,i thought go the lads as for the topic of this post it comes down to gaining experiance bit by bit and then pushing your boundries todays boats and motors are very good generally better then there skippers,by that i mean its the human that causing things to go wrong generally,to fast,badly weighted,no fuel, poor maintainence,,and mainly lack of comensense,or at times bad judgment and sometimes bad luck i too fish very wide in a small boat 5.8 most people i know have at one time or another come home in treacherous seas with howling winds,its part of what i love to do,just take it one wave at a time as for what is good for you in your 5.2 only you can make that call,what your comfortable with till you gain experiance in your boat so you know how it reacts etc etc under 10 knots is a good start,swell size aint that important unless its blowing,the sea size is the one that makes you uncomfortable,under 1mt and im cheering cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjred Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I have a 4.7m Stegcraft sportfisher and have lost count on how many times I've been beyond the shelf. Have even been out as far as 60km a couple of times. I have all the safety gear and keep my boat well maintained (but shit can always happen). I've seen a 8m boat get towed in from 300fath. I've been towed in, luckily from only 13km out with a sheared water pump impella (it was brand new). The big thing is reading the weather charts. If there is the slightest chance of some sort of change I won't risk it. Generally, after there has been a change, from west to south and it's on it's way back to the east and north, then I'll look at it. You don't have to be beyond the shelf to get into trouble if the wind comes up. I fished the Banks regularly back in the 70's and 80's in my Seafarer V-Sea and got caught in a couple of filthy westerly winds. Very lucky to still be here. But that was me being stupid and taking risks when I knew there was an imminent change in the weather due! I was lucky to learn from those experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentstik Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 The big thing is reading the weather charts. If there is the slightest chance of some sort of change I won't risk it. Thank you thats exactly what I am talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjbink Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 (edited) There is always at least a slight chance of a light westerly becoming a strong one - no matter what the 'charts' say. Edited May 2, 2011 by billfisher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant 1874 Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 No matter what the weather charts say they can be wrong sometimes & the westerlies are the worst ones to be out at the shelf in, ther is no fish worth risking your life for. But if you constantly watch the wind charts you should be fine. Cheers Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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