13ft boat at sea??

[Andyjb]

Hi, I've just bought a small motor boat, can anyone advise me if it's OK to use at sea, not too far out mind! Is there a specific design or technical spec it needs to meet?
It's a 13ft Terhi absia with a 10hp outboard.
I've had it on the canals, which is fine but it does sit quite low in the water. At the lowest point where the engine sits it's about 8inch above the waterline, for some reason the boat shape drops away here, probably for ease of fitting the engine?
Thanks

 

[lisilou]

Hi Andy.
Don't know where you're based but personally if it were mine, it'd be great for running up and down the river etc (in my case, The Hamble) but would I take it into open water?...no. Unless of course you can guarantee perfectly flat seas & no swell from passing traffic.
Neat little boat tho'. Enjoy.
L

 

[BruceK]

you have an 8 inch freeboard or are you referring to the splash-well? Does the boat have functional flotation chambers should it get swamped? Does it have any sort of mechanism for self bailing water? (i.e. self draining bung or bilge pump). Personally in a small open boat I'd take to the sea with extreme caution and only under duress! It may only take one small wave to swamp and sink you.

 

[Andyjb]

I'm on the east coast near Bridlington, Hornsea, etc
I was hoping to do a spot of inshore sea fishing.

 

[prv]

Just to help people get the picture, this is apparently the type of boat the OP has:

Looks like it's probably double skinned with foam fill; assuming that's the case (or it has some other form of positive buoyancy) I'd take it out in the Solent on a calm day.

Engine reliability would probably be my main concern - ensure you have a plan if the outboard stops, even if that's just an anchor with enough rope, a toolkit, and a phone.

Pete

 

[CLB]

I would say that on very calm days you could venture out a short distance for a bit of fishing, provided you and the boat are suitable equipped, but I wouldn't want to be out when the sea is anothing other than flat.

 

[Andyjb]

Thanks for the photo ?
I intend on being fully equipped but didn't want to buy anything until I was sure it was OK to use at sea.
Maybe I should have gone for a rib??

 

[Andyjb]

Out of interest are there similarly sized boats better suited for sea use??

 

[BruceK]

Out of interest are there similarly sized boats better suited for sea use??

Plenty in the 14 to 16 foot range of fast fishers. It's the fact that it is an open boat that limits it. Most small sea going fishing boats will have a bow enclosure and cab on it to limit any swamping.

to give you an idea of how quickly an open boat can swamp here is a vid. It doesn't scale out well given size and wave height but will show you the concern I'd have

 

[kashurst]

Out of interest are there similarly sized boats better suited for sea use??

have a look at RIBs - great fun and seaworthy

 

[BruceK]

here is an open boat (Bow rider) swamping in relatively mild seas.

 

[Andyjb]

Wow that's scary stuff.

 

[Andyjb]

I nearly went for a rib, but thought a solid boat would be better for fishing hooks and more space per size of boat.

 

[BruceK]

yes, now think what it would mean if you were a half mile off shore and fully kitted out. Then it gets really scary. Then again, you can have some truly spectacular days when the sea is a mill pond. I think you need to get a guage of the average water conditions where you plan to use it and then work from there. An open boat may only give you as an example 30 days in the year you could use it. Chances are out of those 30 days you are working 20, have other commitments for 5, sick on 3 and so you have 2 left on which to use it and they are neaps and no fish are biting. Get a boat suited for your area and planned usage.

 

[lisilou]

As you've already bought the boat, I guess the best way to look at it is, how could you make it suit your purpose. i.e...Is it possible to retro fit some sort of bilge pump set up etc.
L

 

[Andyjb]

Thanks for the advice, could you give me some examples what to look for in an upgrade, something better suited to inshore sea use, not too big. Does it need the type with the little cab on the front?

 

[CLB]

here is an open boat (Bow rider) swamping in relatively mild seas.

To be fair, that boat was already sinking when the video started. It may have been something simple like a drain bung being left out.

 

[BruceK]

Yes. What is your budget?

 

[Andyjb]

Would a pump really stop it going under? It has got a front canvas canopy which might help deflect water a little.

 

[BruceK]

To be fair, that boat was already sinking when the video started. It may have been something simple like a drain bung being left out.

to be fair it was more likely that he was beam on . When it comes to small boats freeboard is just as important as a bow enclosure.