by x » Fri Nov 04, 2005 1:44 pm
Hi Pikey,
16ft would be a bit small for my liking for sea fishing, but more importantly than the length, how stable is the boat? Does it have inbuilt buoancy? Is it practical to row if your engine packs up? Do you know anything about the sea in general and the waters you intend to fish in particular - like tides, current strengths, where any shoals/overfalls/tide races are etc?
Questions like these are the ones you should be asking yourself.
If you are not sure, have somebody experienced with the sea look
at the boat.
Provided you can stay afloat in a lake, you're not likely to get 'lost' - no matter which way the wind is blowing, you'll always have a lee shore in a lake in a reasonably short distance - not the same as the sea.
As for the engine, there is a limit to how much you can put on any boat. Consult the manufacturers if in doubt. You didn't mention your current engine size.
I'm not trying to put you off, but beware advice from anyone that would say 'yes to all' without knowing your boat's characteristics or the area you intend to fish.
The fact you asked the question says to me that you need experienced advice and it's good that you asked now rather than when you're up to your neck in water. If there is a fishing port, yacht club etc near you, hit them up for a few answers. Anyone there would rather be answering your questions than reading about you in the papers...
You can still easily get into plenty of difficulties on a lake, but the sea is a lot more dangerous. You'll probably be a lot more confident and comfortable if you get a bit of local advice.