Can anyone tell me if a 16foot blue wave tunnel hull is big enough to handle the intracoastal around aransas pass. The reason I am asking is because my father in-law gave me his to use and he always used it in fresh water never in salt. I really want to start fishing saltwater. I have been a freshwater fisherman all my life and about a year ago i discovered saltwater fishing and now could care less about freshwater. Thanks for any input.

plenty, abid by capacity ratings, don't put 10 people on it and watch the bar if you head out the jetties. Just saw your sig,, I live in the Burg too. I lived on the coast 35 yrs then came here in 05.

Hmmm,, Doug with a Blue Wave, I think we know each other. Small world

Galvanized trailer?

It can get a little tricky across from Port A around the old Fina docks where all three channels come together if the current is strong but nothing a little common sense can't handle.
Just one thing I may mention ( not to pizz off the bass boat guys) but just remember that you never know what lies outside the markers. Worked for Gulf States Yachts, Hatteras and Bertram dealer for 5 years in Port A. One day some guys from who knows where S.A. or Austin came looking for boat repair. They Had been blasting down the ship channel outside the markers hit something and ripped out their transom.

While working for the dealer, 3 things I would never go without. Radio, anchor (and line) life jacket.
Been between the jetties before and lost all power.. really makes one pucker

thanks boocat i can tell you there will never be more than 3 of us in boat at one time and it is a galvanized trailer. I have everything but the radio. looks like i will be shopping for one now.

Always, always, always flush the motor for 10-15 minutes!!!!!!!!!

and know what the weather is going to do that day and plan your routes to not have to cross deep open bays if it's going to be much of a wind.

At a minimum, I would add a compass. Better yet, GPS. Fog is a beech.

I dont like fog even with radar, a crystal ball and a ouija board.

What you'll learn soon enough...
Your eyes are your best navigation tools. With a properly setup tunnel hull, you'll *KNOW* a dark bottom is good to go. You'll *KNOW* exactly how deep you can actually run, and you'll learn that the water will tell you how deep it is. And you'll learn quick that it's way smoother to run in a foot of water than it is to go busting across a big deep bay.

cc bay can get pretty angry

Thanks for all the info it looks like I will be going down in mid august. Where would be the best place to launch. I plan on taking it slow and easy until I get comfortable with the area.

It's a big area were talking about and with the cost of fuel blah blah.. So you might want to invest in some nav charts and maybe even be checking out google maps in the mean time. A trip or two with a guide might not be a bad idea either. Plenty of ramps to launch at for any given area. Gonna just depend on the area you want to explore, like I said with the cost of gas and everything. Two good ramps in Aransas on either end of town, ramp In ingleside for access to the La Quinta area, ( just watch the shallows around that ramp )And a great public ramp in Port A for that end of the world, Just have to drag the boat across the ferry. Not that big of deal these days, ( not a good idea on major holidays ) Back in the day before all the ferry upgrades I've seen the ferry line literally stretch all the way from AP to get on the island and the line tryiing to get off back up half way to Flour Bluff.. Sometimes 4-5 hrs in ferry line, Pretty much a thing of the past now. Don't get discouraged, takes time to learn the spots and techniques like anything else. Familiarze yourself with the new sea grass prop damage rules. Have fun be safe and shuffle your feet when you wade.