How Far Out Would You Go In A 5.6m ??

[1lastcast]

Hi all just thought i would throw this one at you guys it may have been put up before but anyway .

I have a 5.6m platey powered by a 140hp 4 stroke and my fuel capacity is 120 litres i quite often go out to the 36`s and sometimes a little further its around a 50 kms return trip and i allways have 40-50 litres left after a trip so i know i can go a lot further without carrying extra fuel.

My question is how far would you feel safe going out to ? obviously you have to pick your days but what is your comfort zone ?

Do you have a point when you say i will not go any further or are you one to say bugger it im going anyway ?

Im interested to find out how far you will go out to sea !!!

Regards MONOSTRETCHO

[Noelm]

untill you run out of fuel!! distance offshore is really of no importance, waves do not get bigger and bigger the further out you go (sort of)

[Owen]

I like to show at least 1/4 tank when I get back.
In my 4.5m with 50hp merc that means Rock Cod shoals are about my limit.
That's be 20 nm or more each way I guess.
That allows me a bit if it turns shitty and I get hammered on the way back.

[Outsider1]

Hi Mono,

I am no expert but do recall Peter Webster of F & B stating a number of times that a 30% contingency is advisable as a safety margin. The logic was that if conditions turn for the worst you are potentially going to be using up to 100% more fuel to get back in.

For your 120 litre tank 30% is 42 litres so suggests you are already near that level now. You are using 35 to 40 litres out and the same again coming back at present on your numbers.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Dave

[jtpython]

I have a 5.5 explorer cruisecraft with 160 litres i average .7/litre/km pending on weather i work on 1km/1litre just for safety if wind gets up etc...........
We went out 94 km plus running around and come back in 20 knot SE no problems i did put a 25 litre drum of fuel into the tank just in case when we left but managed no problems SE was mostly behind/side to us so was a good safe run
JT

[rumy1]

I have a Haines Signature 5.42m with a 140 Suzuki on the back. I go out to Sykes which is about 75km's offshore but there is alot of protection around (islands) if the weather gets bad. I pick my days and have never had a problem. Three guys and all the gear I use approx 130 lts, that's all night fishing and drifting so I am happy with that. I always take an extra 40lts of fuel on top of my 150lt fuel tank so I have 60lts up my sleeve !!!
I venture out to Doughlas Shoals now and then and that's abit further but if there was a fishing ground 100km's offshore and it was a great day then I would be off.

[finding_time]

untill you run out of fuel!! distance offshore is really of no importance, waves do not get bigger and bigger the further out you go (sort of)

I'm with noel on this one, how much fuel can you carry ? I have a 5.2 m boat and "IF" i could workout how to carry enough fuel safely i would have no hesitation in trying to fish the moreton sea mounts for broadbill during one of those late winter holes in the weather! The moreton sea mounts are 200km's of the gold coast! I would of coarse have extra's on board in the way of a sat phone( to tell people i'm running late) extra medical supply's and maybe a 3rd spare battery( FULLY CHARGED AND NOT CONNECTED TO ANYTHING)

It's the fuel that's the problem though and as outsider said you would need and extra 1/3 as a safety factor!( not that i've considered this at all! )

Ian

[blue_mako]

I'm with noel on this one, how much fuel can you carry ? I have a 5.2 m boat and "IF" i could workout how to carry enough fuel safely i would have no hesitation in trying to fish the moreton sea mounts for broadbill during one of those late winter holes in the weather! The moreton sea mounts are 200km's of the gold coast! I would of coarse have extra's on board in the way of a sat phone( to tell people i'm running late) extra medical supply's and maybe a 3rd spare battery( FULLY CHARGED AND NOT CONNECTED TO ANYTHING)

It's the fuel that's the problem though and as outsider said you would need and extra 1/3 as a safety factor!( not that i've considered this at all! )

Ian

Throw a couple of 44s on the back mate, and sink them once there emptied, we do this all the time going out to cato.

[SgBFish]

Ian that's incredible looking country out there.

[honda900]

Mono,

think your doing your donk a disservice, I have a zuke 140 and am getting over 2ks per liter in a boat a bit bigger than yours but glass. I recently did a trip from manly to cape moreton fished all the way up past hutchies and back 170km round trip for 72 litres of juice in the yalta with a 150 ltr tank, so less than half.

I installed a fuel flow meter which is very accurate, just to give me peice of mind so I can monitor what is left in the tank. I dont push it either, like to be at the ramp with 25% of a tank at least for safetys sake.

Regards
HOnda

[moater]

Throw a couple of 44s on the back mate, and sink them once there emptied, we do this all the time going out to cato.

The greenies would love you as fuel mate!

[finding_time]

The greenies would love you as fuel mate!

yep all they have to do is swim down 3km's under the pacific get those fuel drums and present them as evidence in court , he'll be convicted for sure!!! I can sense that blue_mako is already panicing!

[moater]

yep all they have to do is swim down 3km's under the pacific get those fuel drums and present them as evidence in court , he'll be convicted for sure!!! I can sense that blue_mako is already panicing!

Nah,he's already given the statement about dumping to many millions of people potentially.

A clean pet food can might end up as an "environmentally sensistive marine micro-organism capsule" after you've used yer burley,but a fuel drum????

Look I hate greenies and other ratbags too but I don't wanna pollute just because I can..and also give that mob ammo on a public site.

Tallyho old chap

[2rods]

When it comes to fuel there is a very good rule that I use.....

It's better to be looking at it than looking for it....

I have 150ltrs under the floor of the Goodwin and with the 70 zooki on her I get around 350kms from that...so when we do big trips I throw a 100ltr polly drum up the front. or we organise a barge to drop off fuel a week or so before we go, normally up through the Tiwi Islands.

[1lastcast]

Yep Honda900 that is a very rough estimate only i forgot to also mention that i troll around the 36`s for half a day as well .

I have not accurately measured my fuel consumption but with my new electronics i will be able to.

One thing i do know is that it is a lot cheaper to run than the 2 stroke i had before.

I guess i am a little conservative as to the capability of my boat as well and have never gone out past around 100 fathoms of the gold coast im not sure how far it is in terms of klms but it is far enough for me.

Regards MONOSTRETCHO