I recently purchased a Ski boat and the goal was to be able Fish and Ski with it. Here is a link to what I have http://www.stingrayboats.com/products/models03/models.php?model=190LX&action=6

Anyway I had an old ski boat that we took to the bay and Jetty's at differant times and worked fine but just wasn't reliable enough to attempt a trip outside the site of land. I am curious to know if anybody has gone Offshore in boat of this type and if so how it was. I have seen Bass boats and flat bottom boats leave for the open sea but never a SKI boat. I would like to take a trip a few miles offshore when the water warms up and want to have as much info as possible. Any type of info or criticism is appreciated.

Thanks,
Jason

It boils down to common sense. If you
are ok with putting a boat not built for
salt water in salt water, then you have to
consider weather and how to get back if
you breakdown. (new boats breakdown just like
old ones, I have towed in and been towed in
by and in new boats) . I have seen the
gulf glassy flat and I have seen 35 ft boats
turn back after they cleared the jetties.
Know what the weather forecast is, go to
the jetties , and make good decisions. If it
is flat and you want to run to the short
rigs , go for it. Keep an eye on the weather, be prepared to cut and run if
a thunderboomer pops up. Make sure someone
on shore knows where you are going and when
you will be back. It is better to go in
two boats if possible. Take the cell phone
but don't rely only on it( Service can
be spotty offshore). the range on a handheld
vhf is not as good as a console mount, but is
certainly better than not having one.
If I was only going offshore once or twice
a year, I would not put a new ski boat in the
salt, I would hire a guide. (But If I were
going to do it a lot-- I would get a differnt
boat)
Hope this helps
MO

[This message has been edited by Mo (edited 02-07-2003).]

MO is totally right!! Aside from the salt and cleaning issue...the worst you have ever seen it get (in minutes) on places like Texoma, Toledo and Rayburn - multiply that by 10 (maybe 100) at the coast. One mistake there can cost you more than just the price of a new boat. It's a common sense thing, but I also think a certain amount of knowledge is needed...on lakes you rarely have to deal with rip tides, sand bars that can change day-to-day, yadda, yadda. Knowing what markers and bouys actually mean in the gulf can literally mean life or death - didn't mean to be so dramatic, but it's true.

I drag my Sea Ray down from Dallas to run offshore at Aransas a number of times a year without problems. Just a different mindset than running around a lake. Take it easy and don't expect it to run on a high plane all of the time.

Be very aware of the weather, and invest in a good VHF radio and 8' antenna. Typical cell phone communication is only good for a mile or so.

Mo is correct, it is a lot of cleanup and maintanence for a once in a while thing, for a one or two day trip a guide is almost a breakeven in dollars spent.

Lots of big fish short offshore at Aransas.

Thanks for the info guys.. I actually already have a console VHF(just need the antenna) and im always glued to the weather channel and buoy data/predictions. We will only make the trip if everything is just right. Its not in the budget to own two boats so we chose the SKI boat for its range of use. We have never had any luck with guides so taking out our own boat is most enjoyable way to go.(can only blame ourselves ) It would be nice to have someone to follow out if we did go out since most other boats probably wouldn't like to be followed out to there fishing spot.

Drifter, what size Searay you have? Ours is a 19ft, and I had a freind that had a 19ft Bayliner that he took out without problems. Besides the normal engine flush and washdown is there anything else special that should be done to the boat after the trip?

A group of 3-4 of us are making a trip to Port A next weekend to fish the bay and Jetties so I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing a cleaning step.

lchlucky
The Sea Ray is a 230CF - 23+ foot cuddy fisherman - 260 Merc, etc. We stay on the island at PA, and launch at the ramps in the Harbor. I normally contact the Harbor Master and get one of their "slips" (really just a tie up) for the time that I am there. Cost is only about $4 per day. The slips have fresh water and electricity available so the boat can be washed when it is tied up. No problem with things missing from the boat, but I don't leave anything in sight either.

My rig is basically a fishing boat that is used for most everything else (pull it around north Texas like a bass boat) so I have no carpet or upholstery to deal with, but the rest is basic runabout. I try to coat as many electrical connections, engine, dash, etc with vasiline or one of the sprays available to stop some of the corrosion on the connections then once you get it away from the salt wash everything you can see throughly and flush the engine and outdrive. Same with the trailer.

A GPS and one of the Top Spot Maps pays for it's self down there, mine is garmin.

I've had the boat well offshore, but my limit is sea swells in the 3-4' range, more than that and things get a bit ragged. As far as the bays go, if you know your way around it's great, but some of the prime fishing holes like Estes Flats, and California Hole are a bit shallow for my rig. I do well in the channels and the main bays off of the rigs and reefs. We were down there over Christmas as spent the majority of two days within 3/4 of a mile of Conn Brown Harbor in the intercoastal limiting out on Reds.

Have fun and catch a bunch

If you are interested in my waypoint database let email me and I will be happy to share it.. There are no real secrets, but marks most of the prime landmarks and channels.

The gps and compass are a must if you
are going out of sight of land, The fist time
I went offshore on a friends boat(30 miles out of surfside) He covered the compass and
asked me which way was home. (This was pre-
gps days). I gave it my best guess, I was
off by several degress, I would have made
it back to shore, just missed the harbor by
a few miles.
good luck MO