Reply With QuoteEven though you might be going "solo" if the weather is OK, it would be a miracle if there's no other boats out there.
Hey there, with todays modern tech outboards we travel hundreds of miles offshore and never have any problems.
Is going to Fitzroy Reef from 1770 in a single outboard boat without another boat in company a foolish idea ?
Once upon a time going out to sea in a single engine outboard boat was considered foolish.
Even though you might be going "solo" if the weather is OK, it would be a miracle if there's no other boats out there.
Thats kinda my point ?
Depends on your personality.
I've done it many time on a single engine outboard. In fact my first overnighter on my first offshore boat was to Sykes reef.
With Epirbs, radio and lots of other boats you aren't alone and the risk is minimal. Fitzroy isn't a remote fishing spot.
For me personally having 1 motor offshore doesn't allow me to fully relax. Other people don't seem to care.
I was drifting the ocean side of Sykes in a 2m slow swell thinking. If my outboard doesn't start after a drift, I'm going to get pulverised onto the reef. Twin motors you can always limp to safe spot. Or if a motor doesn't start in a safe spot it's a coast guard tow if you only run single.
I've since bought a cat. If I break down I'm back in the harbour safely in the time it takes the coast guard to mobilise and come get you. Plus no annoying coast guard calls.
I do how ever go a very long way offshore. 150km+at times each way. Often beyond coast guard tow zones.
But if Fitzroy is a rare trip out the risk of something happening in that trip is very minimal.
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Not something I would be concerned about. As has been mentioned - if the weather is good enough that you are there to start with, you certainly won't be alone.
We did a trip last year up past broomy and chatted to one boat first thing in the morning that was anchored up near us and then didn't see another boat until 8pm that night in behind boult.Originally Posted by Noelm
It actually put the wind up us a bit because there was no radio chatter all day and we were starting to think the vhf had crapped itself or the weather was about to turn nasty. We ended up cutting the trip short and heading home that night instead of in the morning.
The only reason we could figure for the lack of boats was that it was a Sunday and everyone just went home but its still an uneasy feeling cruising past Fitzroy in a 5m boat in the dark and not seeing at least one other anchor light on.
there a couple of dead spots radio wise bebind boult reef, we were there week before last
pretty sure i've seen some 14ft tinnies camping in the lagoon over night.... just make sure you have a working VHF, log on/off with VMR and go enjoy yourself... As a disclaimer i own a cat but have been out to Fitzroy many a time in my old platey.... if your motor is regularly serviced go for it....
Adding to the conversation, what's the people's approach for going beyond radio range?
I've been to many a spot outside of radio contact.
Thoughts?
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I guess it's just a fact of life, if you regularly fish beyond reliable radio range, then a sat phone might be your next purchase! we fish quite often out past land based radio range, but there is nearly always another boat within range.
Flex i regularly fish in areas off Rainbow outside radio contact, seems to be a few dead spots on the shelf off double island. 1770 i have been 150km plus off shore and same deal. I do love having 2 motors for the safety reasons though and wouldn't be without them. Really it dosn't bother me at all as long as there's a couple beers for the long haul home on 1 donk if things went pear shaped.lol
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