Jay wrote:
I have a 20' long with 10' beam fiberglass V-hull chaparral boat with a
Johnson V-6 150hp outboard. Fuel capacity is 50 gal tank. Full electronics
and so forth, with optimum weather conditions seas 1-2 ft or that lucky
glass day. How far out in the ocean could I or should I go to see a little
better fishing, i.e.... size or game fish, without getting myself or others
in
trouble, or before is unsafe or unrealalistic. I would love to see blue
water but I don't think I have the fuel capacity for that, I am aware the
1/3 rule as per fuel, 1/3 out---1/3 back and 1/3 for just in case. Not that
it would make any difference, I would be going out of either south jersey,
Delaware bay or Delaware or O.C. Maryland.

Any help and or suggestions would be greatly welcome, I would like to bring
my kids, 14 and 18, but only if it's possible and safe to do so, if not,
chances are I would be doing it alone Most likely as I do most of time.

Thanks in advance






Alone, I wouldn't go out more than 10 miles offshore in that rig, and
only on days when the weather reports are good and you have the ability
to understand sea weather reports. Things can change out on the ocean
and get very ugly very quickly. If you head out with a few other boats,
you'll have buddies around when trouble rears its ugly head.

I wasn't aware Chap built an outboard boat. Is this something new or a
rig from the 1980s? If the latter, what sort of shape is that outboard in?

I doubt your 20-footer has a 10' beam. More likely, an eight foot beam.

Oh. Buy a six gallon plastic tank and connect hose, and try out the
connection to the engine to make sure you know how to use it. That'll
give you almost an hour of cruise range.