I have a Four Winns Horizon 190 bow rider, 170 h.p. inboard, how safe is this boat on the open sea?

Question

When I bought it last year the guy said he'd feel comfortable taking it up to 30 miles off shore. Since I had no intentions at the time of using it anywhere but on lakes, I didn't pay much attention to him. Whether he thought he was "selling" the boat by telling me that, I don't know, it just seems strange since on a rough and windy day on a medium sized lake, it's rough as h**l, I can't imagine the ocean and continuous three foot or higher swells. Anybody have any experience taking a 19' boat out to sea?

Answer 1

I've got some experience, and it wasnt all that fun!

My uncle has an 18 foot bayliner, I dont know what sized inboard but that is what we had at the time...

He would take it fishing, lakes and the pacific ocean.. We would launch it from huntington beach and drive it to catalina island, Ive been told its about 40 miles one-way.

We took off one day, rough seas-which caused the coat gaurd to issue a small-craft warning. Despite this we still took off and went fishing, about 12 miles off the coats for sharks. The boat did fine, didnt take on water with 6 foot swells. The problem is your EQUILIBRIUM! That boat felt like you were riding a bouy! Up and down, to the point of losing sight with the coastline once in a trough...

I threw-up in about 2 hours time, and so did one other passenger...the swells were too much to handle for us, but the boat did well.

I dont know how comfortable I would be THAT far from the coastline on my own boat but you have to trust your equipment, maintain it well and go forth!

Make sure your bilge pump is workin' and keep a manual back up just-in-case...

Answer 2

keep it in the harbor!

Answer 3

Many people routinely take 20 foot boats from Miami to Bimini or From the Carolinas to Bermuda

Keep an Eye on the weather

Keep your PFD on

Keep your VHF radio on

Answer 4

dont try it. i fish the ocean regulary and would never take this boat more than a half mile from a protected inlet or shore. 60 years of boating all sizes and seas.