How far out would you go in a 5m Tinnie

[Corry]

Recently got a 5m Top Ender, planning on doing some "out the front" fishing with it, how far would you generally go in a boat this size.
My old off shore boat was a Cruise Craft Explorer, didn't have too many concerns when going out in it, but not sure with this one as it is much smaller.
I know all this can vary with weather conditions and so forth, just asking in general.

Cheers
Corry

[wags on the water]

Corry, when I ventured wide in the 4.55m center console (wide caloundra) I always went with a few boats and only on a 5-10kn day. With your experience on the water and off, you'll know how far you can go and how to do it safely.

Cheers,
Wags

[Horse]

I have done Masthead Island and Polmaise reef in a 4.9m so if you pick your weather you are fine offshore. A 5m tinny is very seaworthy even if its not particularly comfortable

[hooknpull]

Like everyone has said, it all depends on the day.. I use to go 30km out in my old 4.55 but that was once in a blue moon.. You just gotta watch the weather..

[Stewey]

I have a 5m Omc Stacer Seamaster with Evinrude 70 hp that i regularly take 15 to 20 nm out, obviously weather dependant. Drive to the conditions and watch the weather. Carry all the safety gear etc. Logon to vmr/coastguard. I have had a few slow trips out and back and can get disheartening when a 6 or 7 m glass boats goes flying past you when you are slogging along at 10 to 12 knots. Still fun tho. stewey

[Corry]

Thanks guys, that's the sort of responses I was looking for. Masthead is around 50klm out, which is what I was thinking would be around the distance that I would want to be going. Yeah, it is all weather dependant, even when I had the bigger boat, I'd still only venture on good days, not one for liking getting smashed around when fishing.
You're definately right horse, a 5m boat is very seaworthy, which can be a trap, I found this in my 4m tinny, I'd venture to a close island, then to another close to it and then another, you get the idea, and before you know it, you go to beeline it back and wow, your miles further than you would have thought of going in the first place. All on good days though, so no real concern.
I've set this one up with EPIRB, all the safety gear, along with VHF, so I'm off to join VMR Mackay this week when I can find some info on them, and that should make it one step safer, although most of our trips will be during the week, or whenever the weather is good, so not sure if they operate then.

Look forward to further feedback if anyone else would like to comment.

Cheers
Corry

[Noelm]

This sort of thing comes up all the time, the size of the boat is only a tiny part of the whole equation, people jump into a tiny life boat/raft when a big ship goes belly up! while you still have power, then almost any boat will make it through pretty bad seas as long as there is a competent driver at the helm, it may take a long time, and use a shit load of extra fuel, but you will make it, how far out you are is a little difference, the waves do not get bigger and bigger the further out you go (as a general rule)

[Bros]

and use a shit load of extra fuel,

And that is the big problem as a 5M boat would have limited ability to carry a lot of excess fuel. Some years ago here a boat was returning from Masthead in bad weather VHF wasn't available then and they ran out of fuel 2klm off the coast and when they were trying to transfer fuel from on board drums the boat filled up and sank. Only 1 of the three survived.

the waves do not get bigger and bigger the further out you go (as a general rule)

Except in winter

[Bill_Corten]

Hi Corry

There are some very wise words already provided for you by everyone else who has responded. For what it is worth, I spent some years fishing the Islands and reefs out from the the Hay Point area south of Mackay when I lived there in the past. My best advice is to go hard on the close inshore trips but be very selective and carefully pick your days for the longer trips. You have big tides to contend with in your area and wind against tide is what really makes the seas stand up steep around Central Qld. Your nice day can quickly turn into the equivalent of short steep nasty Moreton Bay chop very quickly. good luck with your adventures.

Cheers
Bill

[Noelm]

Yep, I know there is exceptions and some things are just a "given" like if you are planning at 50k trip, you do not start out with 10 litres of fuel, I am not trying to under state safety, however, the SIZE of the boat (within reason) does not govern how far out you can go, I mean let's just look at a recent event, a couple of guys rowed to New Zealand in a boat, and onther couple went across in kayaks, you dont get too much further out than hitting another country!

[Bros]

Sometimes you have to be a bit smart and read the sea conditions and not go back to your starting point and head away from it so you are running with or across the sea as it is better ride and uses much less fuel than punching into a sea.

[bugman]

Corry,
As someone who regularly fishes the continental shelf in a 5m tinny (well I did until the cat came along) you can go to NZ on the right day. The others have hit it on the head but one thing I will mention is chop.
Tinnies hate chop. Give me big open rolling swell or flat as a tack and you can go forever and use bugger all fuel. Start getting waves close together where your banging all the time and can't plane efficiently - you'll use twice as much fuel and finish the day with a broken back.
I'm still yet to land a blue marlin out of mine - but I'm trying. Everything is possible.
Brett

[Lucky_Phill]

Corry, you've seen my old boat " Skanky Hoe " ( 4.15mtrs ) and I have regularly fished 19.5k's off 1770. I would not fish in similar conditions in Moreton Bay, for instance, as Buggy as eluded to, offshore brings more swell than chop. Having said that, CQ is protected somewhat from a rolling ground swell and as Bill said, tide against wind will create nasty chop.

The chop certainly does increase your fuel consumption dramatically. Tinnie's need to get on the plane to be efficient, especially like my old carby model Yamaha.


cheers

[Jarrah Jack]

There's a good story of a guy last year getting a 100kg plus tuna 80k out into the southern ocean off Apollo bay in a HH 445. I wouldn't go out that far in my 17ft glass but as has been said if you pick the right day its possible.

[Prowl n Wolf]

someone might correct me here, but was'nt there a bloke who took a 540 haines sig from darwin to japan?