Confessions of a sportfishing wannabe

S

smp747

Crew Member
Hey guys, the time has finally came to admit.... I'm not like you all. To be honest it was fun to play around and post deals on the buy and sell and have the odd comment here and there, but here's the thing... I don't really "sportfish"! Hell.. I'm a fly fisherman that barely goes knee deep in the water. I had 13 foot Boston Whaler once, and it was super fun but I think I spent more time in my garage rewiring and repowering it than I did on the water...

Now here is where I need your help... I just doubled down and put a deposit on a down on a "big butt" boat. Its a 24' boat, a big 24', and I'm scared shitless... Its a big amount a money and I know the boat could use some love. It's got good bones, however its dated. I don't mind giving it some love and I think its priced appropriately and I can do most of the work myself. I'm sure ill laugh at this in a couple years when I'm podding it...

What makes the most nervous is operating the thing. I can likely get it in the water but from there I'm not very confident. I have the upmost respect for water and weather and wish nothing more than to put myself or my family in danger. I'm up in Kitimat now and I know that the weather can change in a heartbeat. I'm wondering what advice you would give to a new boater and what I can do to set myself up for success and safety....

Thanks. (Warren)
 
the biggest piece of advice i can give is learn to read wind and tide guides. in my experience nothing can get you in trouble faster than disrespecting wind and tides; or what a tide change can do in different winds.

For example: you may be out there in a slight breeze and everyrhing seems fine. the wind has remained constant, but underneath your boat the tide has changed and is now going in the opposite direction. all of a sudden it’s rough as hell and you have miles of crappy water to pound thru to get home.

that’s my two cents
 
Radio for communication , electronics for gps depth sounder and weather channel info, good safety gear ie life vests and beacons etc charts of where you are gonna go and maybe inflatable life raft if budget and extra space is available
But all those pale in comparison to experience so watch the weather and water and in your mind keep track of patterns
And realize you won’t learn by only going out in good weather give yourself the opportunity to learn by making baby steps ie smaller trips to test your boat and what you have learnt by reading and listening
But most importantly have some drills like emergency tests for boat knowledge and equipment knowledge for all on board like pretrip inspection of safety systems before launching seen so many people almost sink from no drain plug before launch and a boat half full of water run up on shore or on the ramp lol little details grow into big problems check bilge pump regularly
Get a sailing manual several on the market and read several skills cross over ie how to set anchor so it doesn’t come lose it’s called scope ( how much line out for the depth of water so the flukes on the anchor work properly
One example of numerous little skills that can make the difference that is in a book about sailing
Knowledge and experience are the biggest life savers
Know your territory safe shore lines out of wind behind islands or in the right bay to wait out the worst conditions
We all started with that feeling of the unknown so read listen and ask and your well on your way
 
Do you have any friends with boats? There's NO substitute for time on the water, even if you're not running the boat. Getting out and seeing how a boat handles in a particular set of conditions, watching an experienced operator, asking questions and just generally learning from others with experience is invaluable. Once you have the boat ready to go, invite an experienced boater out. It's usually not hard to get someone to go out boating, especially when they aren't paying for the gas. Take a buddy along to show you the ropes so to speak. I would be willing to guess that very few of the experienced people on here or anywhere learned entirely by themselves.

The power squadron courses are very well regarded. I haven't taken them, but they are almost universally the top recommendation for formal training. Pretty sure you can do some of them online, as Kitimat isn't exactly close to anywhere. Take the radio course, VHF radio is the primary communication tool.

Start with short trips on nice days. Gain experience a little at a time. As you have the boat out in different conditions, watch how it handles, what conditions it can run fast and smooth, when you have to slow to a crawl. Those are very important lessons, knowing the limits of the boat and what you are comfortable with is critical.

If you can afford it, new or very good condition used equipment (engine/electrical/fuel/steering etc) is so so important. Correctly installed systems with good quality components will go a long way to getting you home under your own power every time. Learn your boat and it's systems. In the event of a problem, knowing which wires are which, having spare fuses/parts/tools, understanding your fuel system will all make getting up and running again easier and avoid a call for assistance. Learn how to install any spare parts you carry and make sure you have all the tools to do the job with you. Be VERY cautious of old systems in a used boat. Personally, when I bought my boat, a 1980's 18' whaler, I replaced almost all the systems aside from the stuff that was very clearly recently new. It's expensive, but I've got 5000 miles and 500+ hours on it without ever being stranded. That isn't to say that every used boat needs a total refit, just be cautious about blindly trusting old marine stuff. If everything is well maintained, clean and tidy looking it may be totally ok.

As Riverboy says, learn what you can about weather patterns in your area, tides and wind can combine to create pretty nasty conditions. Caution is warranted, after all, the ocean is always just waiting for a chance to kill you. Don't be scared though, with a little knowledge and preparation getting out on the water can be very safe. Also, being actually scared can lead to all kinds of problems. Better to go slow, gain knowledge and confidence so you aren't making rash decisions in the event of a problem.

This is a good book to learn about BC coastal weather.

Marine Weather Hazards Manual: A Guide to Local Forecasts and Conditions
 
As mentioned above, take a class with CPS. They offer online and virtual learning.

CPS-ECP | Ecommerce | Course Calendar

www.cps-ecp.ca www.cps-ecp.ca

Also, one of the biggest lessons I have learned is knowing the difference between safety gear and survival gear. Lights and navigation aids are safety gear, they keep you from needing to use survival gear. Life jackets and flares are survival gear. They hopefully keep you alive if the safety gear wasn't used correctly! If you are proficient and assiduous with you safety gear it vastly reduces the likelihood you will ever need to use your survival gear.
 
Just wing it, that's what I did 15 years ago. Never owned a boat in my life, nor did I fish at all. Just went and did it one day. Had to train every one of my friends too on how to help. You can do it too.
 
Start your own library. Just few titles for you , and remember the early sailing was done without modern technology so we have a big advantage so don’t feel too afraid to enjoy it
image.jpg
 
Some great advice already offered on here - but 1st 2 points:

1/ It's great smp747 that you are a tad "nervous" operating a boat. That's a thinking man's brain there - that voice in your head. No shame in that. It keeps one sharp and "on top" of things. Just let that nervousness translate into productivity following the next logical steps in thinking about "If I ran into a log, or IF something else happened - what would I do and what do I need". That saves you panic when something happens - you already figured out what to do ahead of time. and that leads to the next point:

2/ You reaching out ahead of time (and on here) and not letting ego get in the way of that admittance of lack of experience. You already caught point #1. You deserve a big kudos for that your lack of a big and sensitive ego. Ego drives defensiveness and continued ignorance, and ultimately marine incidents and sometimes death. That's why I have no time for ego. It kills people on the water. Sometimes not just the stupid are killed off in that process. Often with other mariner/fishing friends over a beer - the tales come out. The tales about what worked and what didn't. Both are lessons. Both are lessons to slot into the cranial data chip while thinking about point #1.

To add to the great points on here:

Ditch bag - get one - as described by LH above. Google that word on these forums. Lots info will pop-up. Tow rope, extra gas and all the normal recommended safety equipment, as well.

As the sun warms-up the land after 1st light - a convection current is made. The hot air rises off the land and create a lower pressure on the land. The cooler air from the ocean rushes in as an inshore breeze every day. Starting ~10am or so - it will get rough offshore. Plan for that. Leave at 1st light for the offshore then plan to come in and hide about 10am - or even go back home. Once you feel more comfortable - take out your boat into more uncomfortable conditions. You will learn what 25kts verses 35kts verses stay home feels and looks like. Sometimes it is better to push limits when you only have yourself to worry about. Let someone know your rough plans and make a plan to let someone know when you are back and what to do if you don't come home. Sometimes that is tougher to do if you are outside of cell coverage. But an InReach works well here.

So far - you are doing it right, smp747. Good job!
 
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Rain City said:
Just wing it, that's what I did 15 years ago. Never owned a boat in my life, nor did I fish at all. Just went and did it one day. Had to train every one of my friends too on how to help. You can do it too.
Click to expand...
We all have a story or two of knowledge gained the old way 🤣👋🏼😎
 

Marine safety in Canada

Marine safety in Canada and how we help keep boaters and seafarers safe in Canada while protecting our coasts
tc.canada.ca tc.canada.ca

Canadian Sailing Directions

Canadian Sailing Directions
charts.gc.ca charts.gc.ca

Marine Text Bulletins – Environment Canada

Marine Text Bulletins. General description of expected wind conditions for the period from the end of the regular forecast to the end of the fifth day of the forecast period
weather.gc.ca weather.gc.ca


Current Predictions By Station

Current predictions are related to the horizontal movement of the tide. They provide predicted times for slack water and the times and velocities of maximum current. Attention Information available in online tide tables may vary slightly from the official documents published annually in...
tides.gc.ca tides.gc.ca

Canadian Tide and Current Tables

Canadian Tide and Current Tables
charts.gc.ca charts.gc.ca
 
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Charts tell you what your areas issues are like “drying rocks “ that can be a problem at low ish tide example you run to your spot fish and limit out on the way back in the rock that you were missing by several feet now will rip your leg off at cruising speed so u must know your tide tables and your charts lots of good electronics will take the old school unfurling of maps that sailors change the name to charts because they are superior to the land bound lol
Aquagent is right you sound well on your way to beginning a lifetime of throwing money into the ocean
I’ll tell you now believe me later 🤣
 
get your ICC with CEVNI. i found it incredibly useful and they will get you docking/anchoring and handling big boats - 40 foot and up as part of the course practicals. if you can handle a 44 footer monohull sailboat a 24 footer is easy. and the boats they train you on are single prop with no bow thrusters.
take a week out of your life and just get your ICC. its a 5 day/night 24x7 intensive training. i took it from these guys -- https://www.simplysailing.ca/cli.html
 
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Kitimat is a great area for boating. Long inlet much like port alberni, lots of area to explore. If you are planning to trailer the boat there is exceptional fishing out of Rupert. I only had a small boat when I lived in Kitimat so I did not get all the way out of the inlet to open waters but it is protected and should be fine as long as you watch your weather. Afternoon thermals tend to pick up and in my experience up there the further out from Kitimat you got ( farther down the inlet ) the better the weather got. With that in mind, when you head back into the harbour, the gentle breeze you experience 10 miles up the channel might be a 20 knot inflow at the dock.
With an older boat I would make sure to have a new or close to new kicker so you have a reliable means of propulsion. Make sure you have a good plotter with charts and if you plan on venturing far, a radar will come in handy in the fog.
Good luck with your new boat, you will be fine.
 
On the docking part, try not to always be in forward or reverse. Use neutral so you get used to how it drifts after taking it out of gear. Adjust using the gear shift from how it reacts for a better feel of the boat. A controlled drift up against your bumpers is a great feeling.
 
All the recommendations above are helpful to both seasoned and new boaters but if I were to put any one item on top of the list, way more important then worrying about weather, it would be:

HAVING RELIABLE POWER

That means knowing the power system on your boat, knowing what maintenance has or has not been done, and getting familiar with what to do if you start having any issues with that power

If I had $ 1.00 to spend on a used boat, I’d try and allocate .25 to the boat and .75 to the power in terms of condition and reliability
 
Sharphooks said:
All the recommendations above are helpful to both seasoned and new boaters but if I were to put any one item on top of the list, way more important then worrying about weather, it would be:

HAVING RELIABLE POWER

That means knowing the power system on your boat, knowing what maintenance has or has not been done, and getting familiar with what to do if you start having any issues with that power

If I had $ 1.00 to spend on a used boat, I’d try and allocate .25 to the boat and .75 to the power in terms of condition and reliability
Click to expand...
And batteries. Lots and lots of batteries! 😉
 
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