A pocket cruiser for the ocean?

[tuffr2]

My son-in-law just bought a house not far from the ICW in NC. Also have friends along the ICW in Va. I will be living close to the ICW in North Fl.

I know a pocket cruiser would be good for the ICW but how about using it to go 30 - 40 miles off the coast?

I am talking about a trailerable pocket cruiser 27' to 29'.




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[The Garbone]

Weather windows. Your taking overnights and riding out squalls. AIS is nice and enough power to keep your lights on overnight also a good thing.

How much can you tow?

[a64pilot]

What is 30 to 40 miles out, fishing?
Might take longer than you would expect to go out 40 miles and return, that's 80 miles not counting any currents.

[tuffr2]

I was looking at twin engine outboard CC fishing boats. But now kinda want the wife to come along so thinking a cabin boat would kinda work out ok.

30 - 40 miles out would not be often. But 5 - 10 miles out will be more common.

Also always wanted to explore the larger inland lakes like Lake Cumberland Ky. and Table Rock Ar.

When I go to the Florida Keys it would be nice to stay a week or two.

I have a diesel truck to tow with. Currently tow a 37' 5th wheel. But prefer to tow a boat.

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[Cheechako]

Are you talking a powerboat or sailboat?

[a64pilot]

OK, so not a Sailboat?
Sorry I just assumed that, my last boat was a single engine 21' CC that we regularly took that far out, and of course in good weather, thats less than a 2 hour run, a WHOLE lot different than a small sail boat.
I have a C3500 Duramax myself and just got rid of my 36' 5th wheel last year, a boat on a good trailer will pull a lot easier than a 5th wheel, it won't track as well as a 5th wheel of course, but a boat has less drag than the big, flat wall of the front end of a 5th wheel does.

People regularly go a LOT further than 40 miles on a twin engine boat the size your talking about, so yes if your capable, the boat would be easily, watch Wx of course.

[tuffr2]

I would consider maybe a boat like the Hunter Edge outboard. But thinking I would not use the sails on the ICW.

Not sure if any other sailboat would work at the large inland lakes.

So need a boat that is comfortable, trailerable, and capable.





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[skipmac]

I used to have a 25' twin I/O that I regularly took 10-20-30 miles offshore and a couple of trips to the Bahamas. I wouldn't hesitate to do this again with a decent boat. I have even taken my 19' bowrider 15-20 miles offshore to dive some of the wrecks in the Gulf.

As mentioned, the key is weather, weather, weather, especially off the FL east coast. Get caught in the Gulf Stream with strong north winds could ruin your day.

[bruce v]

I live on the west coast for now but grew up in North Carolina. We went out regularly to fish the banks in nothing larger than a 21 ft cuddly cabin (grossly underpowered back in those days). If you are cautious about the weather, going out thirty or forty miles and back on a good, seaworthy 28 or 29 footer should be good, clean, doable fun. That being said, make sure you are prepared for the unexpected. Having gps and good communications systems of today's ilk will certainly provide a comfort zone. Finally, invest in Seatow! It will cover tow and even gas deliveries up to 100 mile off shore (you may pay a little more for gas but nothing is too much if you need it). Out here on the Pacific, I regularly took my 18ft Searay 40 miles offshore and 100 mile down into Mexican waters out of San Diego (yes we were a floating gas tank LOL) to tuna fish. We were able to go out, down and back in a long day and not worry as Seatow is international (they would have come out of Ensenada the forty miles if we needed them). If you are ever worried about your boat's, your passenger's or your own capacity to make such a venture, do not go!!! Other than that, it a fun and easy trip to make. Fair winds and following seas

[Miz Pea]

If you want to go for a little more comfort, check out the new Transportable Trawler 35 by Great Harbour. We were just at the factory in Gainesville, FL. Rare to see a hand-built boat made in America any more, and the owners, Ken and Becky Fickett, couldn't be nicer.
The TT35 is not a displacement boat, either. It is designed with a planing hull. And you have the perfect truck for towing this boat. I have truck envy.
Great Harbour N37 trawler: spacious, stable, unsinkable - Great Harbour Trawlers

[tuffr2]

Miz - thanks. I may stop in Gainsville to see for myself. I am however bummer out to see the over 10' beam. I think I need to stay at an 8.5' beam to be able to tow without restrictions or escorts.

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[Miz Pea]

Hey Tuffr2:
Actually, the beam of the TT35 is under 10 ft. It will be 9'8" or 9'10'', I can't recall exactly off the top of my head. Are you sure you looked at the TT35 on the website, and not one of their trawlers?

I used to tow a 24' boat that with trailer was 10'6" all over FL, and never got stopped. However, I now understand we are supposed to get a towing permit if our trailer is over 8'6" wide. Ha! How many boaters in FL ignore THAT regulation?

I looked into this towing stuff before we ordered our TT35. It is easy to get a towing permit. FDOT has made it really easy here:
Florida Department of Transportation

You would have to check into the Georgia road regulations if you wanted to go up there.

We looked into all of the camper boats, like the Rosborough, the Tomcat, the C-Dory, etc. But we want to do extended trips, for months at a time, so we decided against a camper boat. The TT35 fits the bill perfectly for the coastal cruising that we are planning. However, you might do great with one of the camper boats. We boarded at Tomcat at the St. Pete boat show this winter, and except for the lack of a flybridge, we really liked it.

You should also check out Ken Fickett's blog on the Great Harbour website. He is one cool dude. They have been building extraordinary boats for many years.
Regards,
Miz Pea

[tuffr2]

Miz - I double checked. I saw the beam for the TT35 as 10'4".

Sounds like you looked at a lot possible boats. Did you look at the 'Ranger Tug'?.

Again - Gainesville is not that far once I get set up in Florida. I am excited. I want to stop at the Marlow Hunter factory in Alachua and now Gainsville.

A cool trailerable boat with a huge drawback is the Baja 38 Special. I saw one of those but just could not pull the trigger. That boat comes with a generator and larger than most ' go fast' boat cabins. I could stand up and walk back and forth in it. But the gasoline consumption scared me away.

I have seen about a dozen sailboats motoring up and down the ICW. None were trailerable though but that looks like a cool way to travel. 7 knots level and with a great cabin.



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[barnakiel]

I am as a whole against offshore adventures of inexperienced sailors in pocket cruisers.

There are pocket cruisers and then there are pocket cruisers and then there are sailors and ...

Make sure your skills are there, make sure the pocket cruiser is of the offshore inshore style.

Good luck,
b.

[Miz Pea]

Hey Tuffr2:
You are correct, the beam is listed at 10' 4". (I have too many boats on the brain!) As for trailering, if the trailer is under 12 feet wide and 14'6" high, acquiring a wide load permit is easily done online.

Yes, we looked at and walked on to the Ranger Tug. Sweet flybridge area on the newer Ranger tugs. What swayed us to the TT35 was the much lower draft, 16", and the outboards. The Ranger Tug 31 has the lowest draft of all of the semi-displacement trawlers, 28". Have you checked out the draft of most trawlers? It's usually well over 3 feet.

We have owned a sailboat, but now at our age are ready to coastal cruise and worry not at all about the depth of anchorages. That Baja 38 is a go-fast boat, and I am always amazed when the speed demons go by us between Sarasota bay and Tampa Bay because I can't relate to either needing to go that fast or spending that much moola on fuel.

And Ken agreed to design our TT35 with a flybridge. Here is a drawing.

After 40 years of owning outboards and inboards, we are more comfortable with outboards than with diesel inboards. Hubby Dan is not into engine room yoga. And the 4-stroke Suzukis are becoming renowned for being gas-sippers, so that was also a plus for us. Stay in touch and let me know what vessel you decide upon. I am always curious what entices other skippers to buy their particular boat, because of the trade-offs we choose to make.