Greg,
Actually I don't see a whole lot of pontoons on Lake Saint Clair [the
sixth Great Lake :-)]. I'm sure there's some, but I see a whole lot more
around Ft. Myers Beach in Florida. Probably see more pontoons around here
on inland lakes.
Paul

"Greg" wrote in message
...

The best reason not to is that it was never made for that
type of water.

Don't confuse the Gulf with the ocean. If someone is simply going a few
miles
offshore they are not going to see the pounding waves you see in the ocean
unless there is a storm nearby. In most places in Fla the water will still
be
30' deep or so. You can get in a lot more trouble in the great lakes and I
don't see people saying you can't run a pontoon there.
Weather is always a factor on the water, no matter where you run.

I see a whole lot more
around Ft. Myers Beach in Florida.

It is the perfect boat if you hang out in the bays but there are still plenty
of guys who run out to the artificial reefs in them.
I am not talking about sailing to CanCun or Key West. I assumed we were just
talking about a short ride a few miles out in the gulf on a calm winter day.

As some one who grew up on the Gulf (Treasure Island, Maderia Beach, Reddington
Beach...etc) belive me, the "shallow water" alluded to in the last post can get
you in big trouble as the seas can quickly build into a steep short period
chop. Rea steep. Real quick. Very short period. Granted the squall mabe
lasts a half hour but it's a white knuckled half hour!
Take care
Mike

Previous post=Don't confuse the Gulf with the ocean. If someone is simply
going a few miles
offshore they are not going to see the pounding waves you see in the ocean
unless there is a storm nearby. In most places in Fla the water will still be
30' deep or so. You can get in a lot more trouble in the great lakes and I
don't see people saying you can't run a pontoon there.
Weather is always a factor on the water, no matter where you run.

On 06 Dec 2003 17:47:57 GMT, (Greg) wrote:
You can get in a lot more trouble in the great lakes and I
don't see people saying you can't run a pontoon there.

==========================================

I've spent a lot of time on Lake Ontario and a fair amount of time on
Lake Michigan, and have never seen a pontoon boat on either one, nor
would I recommend it. I've seen pontoon boats on small lakes take
water over the deck from even small wakes.

I'm now living ten miles from the gulf, and certainly there are many
calm days when you could go out on an inner tube but that doesn't make
it a good idea. Things change too quickly and there's always the
unexpected large wake to contend with.

From what I am reading I assume everyone in the Gulf must be running 25' boats
or larger. I will certainly go anywhere in my pontoon boat someone in a 17' bow
rider will go and I will get back alive.

Greg,
I agree completely. Furthest out I usually went was about four miles
because that afforded us privacy. Never felt comfortable enough to try
diving the barges which I was told were about ten miles out. In calm seas
they're great, in a three foot chop they're wet and cold. In the bays you
can't get more bank for the buck. BTW - Happy holidays to you and yours.
Paul

"Greg" wrote in message
...
I see a whole lot more
around Ft. Myers Beach in Florida.

It is the perfect boat if you hang out in the bays but there are still
plenty
of guys who run out to the artificial reefs in them.
I am not talking about sailing to CanCun or Key West. I assumed we were
just
talking about a short ride a few miles out in the gulf on a calm winter
day.

I don't know what you be smoking, but around here, the water is 80' deep a
couple of miles out in the gulf, and 20 or so you hit the 50-fathom curve.

Its ~70 miles to the Desoto Canyon, which for all intents and purposes is a
bottomless pit - 2000+.


I suppose it all depends on where "here" is but if you look on the chart you
will see that 6 miles out from Big Carlos Pass is about 30 feet and that is
twice as far as we were talking about.
Guys who go out 70 miles in 24' center consoles wash up on the beach in Cape
Canaveral, what's your point?

If Big Carlos is kicked up I run into the beach on the south side, run just
outside the Lover's Key swim markers and cut through behind the bar.

On 07 Dec 2003 17:04:54 GMT, (Greg) wrote:
From what I am reading I assume everyone in the Gulf must be running 25' boats
or larger. I will certainly go anywhere in my pontoon boat someone in a 17' bow
rider will go and I will get back alive.

================================

I've been on the gulf in the Ft Myers Beach/Estero Island area in a 19
foot bowrider. It was too small in all but the calmest winds. My 24
ft cuddy does better but it's not all that happy either once the wind
gets up to 15 kts or better. In the end, it all comes down to luck
and how much abuse you're willing to tolerate with boat and crew. The
bottom line is that pontoon boats are designed for protected water,
and that's where they are usually found. It's important to remember
that the inlets and passes can get rough even on a calm day if the
tide is running out against an incoming swell.

Wayne.B wrote:

On 07 Dec 2003 17:04:54 GMT, (Greg) wrote:
From what I am reading I assume everyone in the Gulf must be running 25' boats
or larger. I will certainly go anywhere in my pontoon boat someone in a 17' bow
rider will go and I will get back alive.

================================

I've been on the gulf in the Ft Myers Beach/Estero Island area in a 19
foot bowrider. It was too small in all but the calmest winds. My 24
ft cuddy does better but it's not all that happy either once the wind
gets up to 15 kts or better. In the end, it all comes down to luck
and how much abuse you're willing to tolerate with boat and crew. The
bottom line is that pontoon boats are designed for protected water,
and that's where they are usually found. It's important to remember
that the inlets and passes can get rough even on a calm day if the
tide is running out against an incoming swell.


I took a 20' pontoon boat up the St. Johns River in Jax out to the
jetties where the river meets the ocean. The water was choppy but not
too bad on the way out, but the ride back was miserable, with some small
breakers, cross winds, and then rain. The next time I was on a pontoon
boat, it was on a nice fishing lake in Central Florida. The pontoon
seemed the perfect boat for those lake waters.





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