I was just rolling through this tread. WOW. I've been in a bay when a storm popped up and thought that was bad.

Three of us went 35 miles out in the Gulf from Port Aransas many times in 2 -4' swells.Some were larger but we made it fine.We were in our 20' center console with 150hp merc out board, with a small 20hp drop motor to get us back if our main engine went out.
We never had to use our small engine,but it was there if we ever needed it.We caught alot of fish from that boat.

So... On a serious note, I am thinking about trying my luck in a 19ft boat with a 115 in the gulf. Not looking to go 50 miles out but maybe to a close rig 1-5 miles. I plan on launching out of Port A any good info. I know to look for seas under 3ft.

Re-think your wave tolerance. Remember when they say "3 foot" wave, that's water level to crest, NOT trough to crest, which would make it 6' high in most peoples minds.

Which will beat your liver loose in a small craft.

Or swamp you.

You need to plan on days with forecasts for 1-2 footers and less than 15 knot winds. Anymore than that and you could get yourself in a lot of trouble.

Remember to time you coming and going according to the tides. A falling tide is going to make the mouth of the jetties very turbulent, with confused seas and waves stacking high and steep.

Even if conditions are relatively calm offshore, conditions can and often are quite different at the jetties.

Returning on an incoming or slack tide is best. Falling tide makes for worst conditions.

This is incorrect. Wave height is crest to trough.
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/buf/waves.htm
It's not the wave height that will due you in though. It's the period. Seas at 6' and 16 seconds are much more comfortable than seas at 3' and 4 seconds. You don't want the period to be less than the height of the wave. I've gone out tuna and halibut fishing, 65 miles or more, on 10' seas but have cancelled trips due to 4 footers. Danger also comes in when you have "confused seas" or "a washing machine" going on. This is when you have the swells coming from one direction and the wind from another. The seas lose their rhythm and you end up getting pretty wet. Wave height alone is a useless measurement it has to be used with period and wind direction.

Joe

Wave height and period usually are pretty good determining factors for wave steepness.

Steep, short period waves are dangerous. You top one and spear the next, then the next, then the next and then you sink.

Also, keep in mind that wave forecasts and reports are only measuring an average of the top 1/3 of the tallest waves.

So if you have a report of 4 footers understand that some will be taller and some shorter. It's not out of the norm for there to be some 6 footers mixed in.

my life isn't worth a risk. i have a kid now. i'll stick to the party charter or someone with a big arse boat.

Piffle. If the forecast is more than 1-2 feet I ain't going out in my boat anyways. I even hate being offshore in an 85' partyboat in 6'-8' waves even though I know it's safe.

Even in a "big" boat we typically won't go if it's forecasts for 4'+.

As far as we typically run it takes too long to get out and then back when you can only run 15-20 knots. Plus we're fat and old and our backs can't take the pounding anymore.

With what you have and at Port Aransas....I would stay in the jetties or north jetty area ..sometimes the jetty is rougher than the gulf...there is very nice fish in the jetty..and nice fish in the bays...I would not go in the gulf with what you have for safety reasons its just not worth yours or your families life...the bays have more than plenty of great fish to offer in Port A areas to Rock Port..It would be money well spent to hire a bay guide first ..see the areas and you will know where to fish and fish to target and what live bait, or lure..The bays are not easy and hold very large fish and sharks..

A 19' bay boat with a good self bailing deck, proper safety equipment and a knowledgeable captain can run offshore with ease. Even in the nasty stuff. Read a lot, practice some, then go have fun. 5' waves at any period are a joke to any captain worth his salt. Go out to the Jetties when the weather is terrible and practice also get an idea of fuel consumption during the bad times, it might be 4 times the amount you're used to. If you're new to offshore then take a buddy boat. Expect to come back in at 6 knots or less if it gets really really bad. My wife likes to fish the jetties and inshore and I hate it. If I'm not in the open ocean then I might as well save some travel money and just fish the lakes at home. For me the open water has been a bit of an addiction since I was very young and I use fishing as an excuse to get out into it. A perfect day for me is heading offshore on a flat ocean, losing sight of land, do some fishing, put on the tanks and go down and see stuff, then head back in on an ocean with at least 4' swells. I really enjoy navigating and the challenge of a sporty ocean. Just my opinions. . . . .

Joe

I'd recommend that you spend a little time aboard a boat with competent captain before trying to tackle 5-6 footers at the mouth of the jetties. No sense in taking unnecessary risks.

I have been out in my old 21' Kenner in 4-6' seas. It was slow going and a little sporty at times but it can certainly be done.

The nearest rigs to the jetties are the stand pipes about 7 miles SSE of the end of the south jetty.

They will hold kings, small snapper, reds and black drum and occasionally ling.

Always--Always tell someone and write done where you are going..direction,miles,cord,lati,time return....call Coast Guard and tell them..
#1 Rule--ALWAYS RESPECT THE GULF OF MEXICO! or you may Die in it.
#2 Have great Coast Guard approved radios that work better than good in any weather condition...Attached to boat and portable.
#3 Have better than approved life saving floation vest with epirb
and strobe lights attached..
#4 The best money can buy safety sea automatic release emergency raft that is covered- with plenty of emergency fresh water contained...
#5 Emergency high altitude flares..
#6 Emergency food to survive in the raft with water tight medical box with medical supplies in raft..
#7 All this in emergency bag in your boat in view to grab in seconds ...sometimes you do not have seconds and get no notice...
#8 Respect the Gulf of Mexico....if you are in doubt...Do not Go!
No fish is worth dieing for or the fish eating you for.
All it takes is one time in a few seconds and you may come back to shore or may never see shore again..seconds...

Thanks guys. I grew up going out in the Atlantic Ocean but in big rigs, it is a different beast than the gulf from what I can tell. I have a Deep V not a bay boat. I only want to go to maybe the first rig/platform. I got the whole idea from my friend who takes a yak out there all the time when it's flat.

Idiots everywhere

I bet you could get all the way to cuba in that rig

mutter, mumble ... good lord, is this thread STILL going?


When all else fails, remember those magic words: "row, row, row your boat ..."

gently down down the stream..

barely, barely, barely, barely.... they can't even hear me scream...