Whats your limit?

[FishHunter]

What winds and seas make you stay at home? For arguments sake boat is a 5.5m fibreglass deep V, heading offshore.

[rosco1974]

any more than 10 - 15 see's me stay inside,any more than that and its to hard to fish
cheers rosco

[Jarrah Jack]

When I had my 565 fishing off the shelf then nothing much over 15. Depended on whether the winds were expected to increase of decrease whilst out there. Could be a long way home sometimes. We used to go out trolling closer in when it was 20 plus and we would be the only boat out. Used to get some good fish then.

[hooknpull]

i have a 4.5 and a have mates wth up to 685 and none of us go out in over 15knots. Not cause its dangerous but its uncomfortable. Max 1.5m swells too.

[Dignity]

as above seems to be much the same with me although then I can take the tinnie (my wife bought it - one time I didn't argue with her) into the pumistone passage although have known that to blow up with the wrong wind direction and thinking I was offshore

[Horse]

I don't go offshore in more than 10-15 (with a small swell). Theres better things in life than putting up with sloppy conditions in my opinion. If I'm keen on a fish I will work inside the Bay. There are plenty of options open there

[odes20]

Already a strong theme of common sense. I hate it when Ive had a calm night 40 -50 km offshore cairns and get about a third of the way home and hit a stinking land breezw coming right at you at 15 knots! Punch Punch punch for 30 kms when already dog tired. I tell you it cures you of any interest in deliberately going out wide over 15 knts.

Yalta Odessa 2000.175 suzy 4 stroke

Cheers
John

[krazyfisher]

yep 10-15kns is it for me and I prefer under 10kn with a swell under 1.2mtrs. I can go out in alot more but no fun doing it for 80kms. so I either stay close or dont go....

[Knotpretty]

I have a 5m Quintrex and swell/sea above 2m and wind above 10/15 knots rules the day out for me at Ballina. mojo

[charleville]

A forecast of 10 - 15 knots is my limit also.

Even at 15 knots in Moreton Bay, whilst it is not unsafe if your speed is set to the conditions, it is nonetheless uncomfortable in an aluminium boat so why bother?


.

[Explorer570]

Preference is 5-10kts in the morning normally increasing to 10-15kts late in the day. 15knot weather predictioon is the maximum, any more is just unplesant with 1.5m chop which my 5.7m Cruise Craft does not like, actually I don't like, the boat can handle it day in day out.

[FishHunter]

Went out this morning forecast was 10 to 15knots and 2m seas, Seems to be my limit as well, don't really have any protected waters here besides the river so its tough it out or stay at home.

[Prowl n Wolf]

g'day, agree with all, seems to be a point where you say is it worth the time/effort to fish in slop/chop/crap? 15knots+ max.

[culbara]

Remember if the winds are forcast 25knots and you ago out you are not insured

[Noelm]

depends on the wind direction and the type of fishing I am doing, some places in my area you can fish in 40knots, but wind from the opposite direction at 10knots is out of the question, don't like being out over the shelf much when a westerly blows, it is rough in any sort of boat then. Swell is not much of a worry at all, the harbour I launch from is an all weather thing, so unless it is huge, and you wouldn't want to go anyway, you could still get out (and back) safely. I guess it all comes down to comfort, who wants to get pounded to bits for a feed of fish?

[Bros]

When I had my 10M steel boat 15K was the tops and even at that it got tiring as it was very uncomfortable. 10k was the best a bit of breeze and reasonably comfortable.

[ozscott]

Remember if the winds are forcast 25knots and you ago out you are not insured

Hi Culbara, thats an interesting post. Mate can you explain that a little more. Does your insurance policy actually say you have no cover if the forecast is higher than 25 knots?

Cheers

[Squidlet]

10 ta 15's top's nobody likes chiropractors and ya cant enjoy a relaxing day out on tha blue ! Beer should go in ya mouth not on ya shirt! ;)

[nigelr]

15 max, 1 mtre swell absolute max (and preferably flat) as have to cross bar.
It's only a fish after all, and it's all about enjoyment for me, not a challenge.8-)
Cheers.

[NTMID8]

15knts, swell doesnt normally become an issue in SA if your fishing in the gulfs as they are pretty protected. In saying that i went on a fishing trip for the SAPES games and it was 18 - 23knts, my boat took it remarcably well and i wast that sore at the end of it. (haines sig 470f)

[finding_time]

Hi Culbara, thats an interesting post. Mate can you explain that a little more. Does your insurance policy actually say you have no cover if the forecast is higher than 25 knots?

Cheers

Yeh Culbara i noticed your post also, now i know some of the charter guys loose there cover if the wind is forecast above a certain strength and/or if the swell is above a certain hieght but i was sure this didn't apply to my own personal insurance and now having read my policy cover to cover i'm 100% certain it doesn't.;) There is not a single mention of sea state or wind stength in the policy at all.

As far a my limit goes there are just to many variables and every day has to be accessed on it's own merits! If i've got no bars to cross and i'm only fishing 8 miles out from Mooloolaba and the fish are going off , well lets just say that 25 knots is suprisingly fishable, not comfortable at all but certainly fishable ( done it plenty of times:-[ ) But say i've got a 40 nm run straight into a good 15 knt SE'er well i'm probably not going to go! You just have to decide what punishment you'll cop for what potential reward!

Ian

Ps Most boats will outlast most fisherman! That's to say the fishermen give up long before the boat will, it's not really a safety issue provided the boat is well handled it's a comfort issue!;)

[PinHead]

come on guys..fess up..has nothing at all to do with wind strength or anything else..it has everything to do with when the other half will let you go.

[ozscott]

come on guys..fess up..has nothing at all to do with wind strength or anything else..it has everything to do with when the other half will let you go.

Haha....yep this thread should be "What's the limit of your grief?" or "At what Force Factor in the home will you not go out?

Cheers

[daveylad]

10 to 15knots, low swell probably 1.5 to 2metres aslo look for wind directions avoiding the northelys, 6metre whittley handles it okay but as others have said too uncomfortable for fishing in slop

[Camhawk88]

come on guys..fess up..has nothing at all to do with wind strength or anything else..it has everything to do with when the other half will let you go.

True but a smart woman knows that it is far better to have her beloved out of the house and fishing in 5kn variables than stumbling around the yard throwing kids toys over the fence, kicking the dog, snarling, grumbling and looking whistfully seaward and howling every so often.
Mine does anyway.

In any other conditions but I think your theory applies.

[jason p]

True but a smart woman knows that it is far better to have her beloved out of the house and fishing in 5kn variables than stumbling around the yard throwing kids toys over the fence, kicking the dog, snarling, grumbling and looking whistfully seaward and howling every so often.
Mine does anyway.

In any other conditions but I think your theory applies.


;D ;D ;D ;D very true lol

[jason p]

swell doesnt bother me so much 2m is fine for as long as its not blown its rrrs off, but it does dictate on how far im willing to go out. 10-15kn is preety much the norm but i have been or gone out in more, depends how desperate you are for a fish;D . all deckies that come out with me will usually hold on to the holly f bar:'( :D in anything over 15kn whilst im smilling and enjoying the water.

jp

[stinky-stabi]

Remember if the winds are forcast 25knots and you ago out you are not insured


really!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! have to watch me self then lololol:P

[TheRealAndy]

Remember if the winds are forcast 25knots and you ago out you are not insured

I cant find that in my insurance policy.

I know our yacht club liability insurance wont let as start a race if there is a strong wind warning issued.

Nevertheless, you would be mad to go out in that unless you were in a large vessel, ie a friggin ship! Then again, I used to only take my sailing cat out in 20knt+ winds :P

[Spot82]

I usually fish out fo a 6.25m Cruisecraft and typically will only go on a 10-15 forecast or better, howver depending on the wind direction and the destination 20 is easily fishable, just usually uncomfortable when travelling into the wind.

Having said that at Rainbow fishing comp this year i think most days we were out were 20knots plus up to 40knots on the first day when i went to check the location of the fishermans gutter, crossed it and come back in because i didn't feel like getting beaten up. On the days when it was 20-30kn SE with 2-3m seas we just fished in close and travelled out of the wind along the beach to DI then headed out a couple of mile and worked our way back. I would not do it again in a hurry but I never felt unsafe at any stage.

Have also had a 3.5 hour trip home from Fitzroy Reef to 1770 into 2-3m seas and a 30kn SSE'er in Vertico's 5.2m Stabi, it was not fun doing 18kph the whole way and getting soaked every wave but we drove to the conditions and never felt unsafe. The rest of the two days of the trip was 0-5 knots so we couldn't really complain.

Its all about knowing your boat, the conditions and the area you are fishing, and not going outside of your capabilities. I am not a fan of getting bashed about for a feed, but sometimes the weatherman gets it wrong and you just have to grin and bear it :)

Anthony