Offshore vs. Inshore

Question
Hi Rich, love your takes.

I am a brand new owner of a 2007 Caravelle 207 Fish & Ski (http://www.caravelleboats.com/2007/boats/fishski/207br/main.html).  This is my first boat (to be delivered today!) and I have virtually no experience.  We will use it primarily on lakes and bays in south/central Texas.  However, I have this dream to go offshore from Port Aransas, Texas to the 15 and 20 mile rigs.  Is this advisable?  I've had conflicting reports to this point and wanted your take.

Regards,

- Danny

Answer
Hi Danny;

 Third time I am attempting to answer you.  PC problems at my end.  Sorry.

 I will not give you a yes or no.

 You will have to make that decision on your own.

 I have fished 30 miles off shore quite often in a 20 foot boat.  Many others do likewise in similar sized boats.  A properly equipped seaworthy boat operated by an experienced skipper under favorable weather and sea conditions should be able to safely manage trips of that sort.  

 Find out if your boat is capable and if you are competent.  Do this by starting in the bay.  Then eventually take a trip down to the inlet.  Next time out, venture off a couple of miles into the ocean.  Make a few longer trips down the beach, keeping within a relatively short distance from shore.  Learn to read the sea conditions and weather.  You will see just what your boat can do.  And most importantly, you will gain experience which will tell you if you should be venturing further out.  

 No one can tell you if you should or should not do such a trip.  Only you can decide that for yourself.  Water is water, and a boat behaves the same whether there is 6 feet of it under the hull, or six hundred.  But the sea conditions 20 miles from shore could be very different than those in the bay.  If you have a problem off shore, mechanical or medical, it is a long, long way to get home or help.  

 There are three things to learn.  First, the capabilities or your boat.  This includes having the necessary safety and navigation equipment on board needed for a 20 mile off shore trip.  Secondly the experience to find your way there, and more importantly find your way home.  GPS is great, but can you get back home in a fog using just a compass if the GPS fails?  And finally, an understanding of the weather and related sea conditions.  Will you be able to recognize when the forecasters were wrong and changing conditions are creating a situation that might become dangerous?  You know the official forecast is no more than an educated guess, and if they guessed wrong when you are 20 miles off shore, you have to deal with the consequences.

 I hope this is helpful and that eventually you will be able to fulfill your dream of fishing the 15 - 20 mile rigs.  You have to decide if and when it is advisable.

-Rich