Do passes

[Nemrod]

Make you nervous. I have been boating for years but I always worry over the pass. Just because I can get out don't mean I can get in later, who knows what the weather gods might bring. Coming in on the back of a breaking roller is always such fun especially when you can see bottom over the crest. Pure boating joy. I know there are many but Jupiter Pass and East Pass at Destin come to mind as places I don't want to be when the tide is going out and the big waves are coming in. Always refreshing when a green breaker washes over the entire boat, cools you off nicely after a hot day at sea and washes the decks down clean too, just don't forget to hold on and oh yeah, hold your breath.

These fools seem to be enjoying it:

http://www.bloodvesselsportfishing.com/pics/Video/bar_hoppin.wmv

N

 

[captain]

I always like to say that most boats are better than there drivers. I have had a fair bit of experience with Destin Pass and rode in on the back side of breakers more than once. Like all things the more you do it the easier it becomes. That said weather can be unpredictable.

There are days when the wind is blowing and the seas are angry but usually you know that it will be bad but it will not get worse. On those days the decision is how bad do I want to go out and how uncomfortable do I want to be.
Then there is the beautiful day when you go out that turns bad for what ever reason. If it is a localized condition such as a thunderstorm then you might have to wait it out until conditions improve. I have had that happen a time or two.
Nem, you just need to move closer to the ocean so you can get more pratice.

 

[Nemrod]

A couple of years ago a fellow pulled up beside me asked me if we were going out. I looked at the huge waves in the inlet and said, nah. I noticed nobody going out. This fellow rams his boat, one just like ours, into gear and blasts off. My wife and I just looked at each other. He dissappeared below the crests of a huge green wave. In a moment we noticed him hauling a-- back past us. Apparently he decided he was not going out either. In this case the practice needed was in judgement, not handling skill.

Yeah, that other part, moving, it is on the agenda now. May need a bigger boat too, since we will not have to tow across half a country anymore. Below, a thunderstorm is hot on our stern and chasing us down, we are rounding the bouy for East Pass, the bow looks high because the whole boat is airborne, LSU colors leading the, uh, retreat. Notice the flag, yes, the wind is blowing from behind despite our considerable forward speed. The waves are pretty big but I am so high above them at the moment they look little. The tide is steaming out.

We like it when it is like this much better, so does our little boat.

N

 

[Poogweese]

Hey Nem-noticed you have a Merc 150 EFI Saltwater too! Same power I have on my Bayliner, it's an 02 and we're very happy with it. A bit cold starting in the winter but once she's warmed up she'll run all day.



Poog

 

[Nemrod]

Nope, that is an Optimax, not an EFI. It sips fuel, I get almost 6 MPG at 24 MPH and easily 5.5. Depends on prop and load and wind etc. The Mirage Plus prop is faster and more efficient but the Rev 4 accelerates like a cat on fire and planes at lower speeds and hooks up better when your on the back of a wave riding into the pass.

We had a, well, actually it is still around in the family, a 135 OMC, it took 6 gallons to get up the river back home to a popular sandbar. The Opti does it on 1.5 gallons. I like your boat BTW, very nice, what is it. N

 

[Poogweese]

Nope, that is an Optimax, not an EFI. It sips fuel, I get almost 6 MPG at 24 MPH and easily 5.5. Depends on prop and load and wind etc. The Mirage Plus prop is faster and more efficient but the Rev 4 accelerates like a cat on fire and planes at lower speeds and hooks up better when your on the back of a wave riding into the pass.

We had a, well, actually it is still around in the family, a 135 OMC, it took 6 gallons to get up the river back home to a popular sandbar. The Opti does it on 1.5 gallons. I like your boat BTW, very nice, what is it. N

Ah, upon closer look ,yes, you do have the Opti-better mpg than my EFI for sure. The EFI for my rig likes to run at 4200 rpm which pushes us along as fast as I want to go. Our Bayliner is a 96 Trophy with a custom aluminum house, canvas just doesn't last up here. It dives 2 divers with a couple extra tanks perfect, anything past 2 and it gets crowded. I really like the hull design on it, it takes rough water well and deflects most spray/splash better than the Arima I used to have. Our "other boat" has 2, 6-71 diesels and thankfully I don't have to pay for the fuel for that one-ouch!

Poog

 

[captain]

Some great videos, looks like a hoot.

SAFEHAVEN MARINE - Presented by Phanfare

 

[Nemrod]

In the good old days when gas was cheap big boats and big engines were the deal. We are entering a time now where we will do more with less. Your conversion of your Trophy is very nicely done. You can dive two and that is the same I do, it is fine for me and my wife. More than two especially when anchored in rolling seas makes getting the gear on and off and all of that a challenge. I suspect that 20 foot boats, plus or minus three feet, with smaller engines will become more popular than the 30 footer triple engine go fast rigs. We might see panga types and dory types as well more popular. Boating was once--pre WWII--the domain of the wealthy or the working seaman. With the huge and wealthy middle class that exploded out of WWII boating became common place for recreation, now it is in full retreat. On our recent 2 plus week vacation we burned (only) 72 gallons through the Optimax if that. Tank holds a bit over 60. Can you imagine filling up those 250 and 500 gallon tanks! I am adding tabs to my little boat, should help me run at about 20 MPH and get even better MPG, maybe.

N

 

[PhilEllis]

........ Boating was once--pre WWII--the domain of the wealthy or the working seaman. With the huge and wealthy middle class that exploded out of WWII boating became common place for recreation,........

I can remember the Bayliner television commercials running on the eastern North Carolina stations when I was in my 20's. They showed several versions of the then popular Bayliner runabouts and the monthly payment price for each one. You could call a toll-free number (even toll-free numbers were rare then) and tell them which boat you wanted. In about two weeks, a some-what local dealer would arrive at your house with your new boat, trailer, 4 lift vests, ignition key on a float..... and your finance contract.....no down payment (rare for anything then), just commitment for 36 months. Boat ownership was made SO easy. Oh well. Things change.

Phil Ellis

 

[captain]

In the good old days when gas was cheap big boats and big engines were the deal. We are entering a time now where we will do more with less. Your conversion of your Trophy is very nicely done. You can dive two and that is the same I do, it is fine for me and my wife. More than two especially when anchored in rolling seas makes getting the gear on and off and all of that a challenge. I suspect that 20 foot boats, plus or minus three feet, with smaller engines will become more popular than the 30 footer triple engine go fast rigs. We might see panga types and dory types as well more popular. Boating was once--pre WWII--the domain of the wealthy or the working seaman. With the huge and wealthy middle class that exploded out of WWII boating became common place for recreation, now it is in full retreat. On our recent 2 plus week vacation we burned (only) 72 gallons through the Optimax if that. Tank holds a bit over 60. Can you imagine filling up those 250 and 500 gallon tanks! I am adding tabs to my little boat, should help me run at about 20 MPH and get even better MPG, maybe.

N

You should like the tabs, they do help. Get the Bennets tabs. They have great customer service. I had a ram leaking and emailed the Tab Man on the Hull Truth forum asking if the rams were rebuildable. They sent me the parts and instructions free of charge. These were God only knows how old they were tabs that were on the 1977 Chris Craft I bought and restored