Dumb newbie question: how big water is too big for a 14' v?

[agcowvet]

Title says it all. I haven't much boating experience, mainly canoeing and other people's larger fiberglass pleasure craft. Is there such a thing as inland waters that ought not to be tried with an open 14' semi-v? Or just keep a close eye on the weather and don't go too far from shore? Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario, specifically.

The reason I am asking, is I have 2 old boats, a 14' Starcraft tinny and a 19' Penn Yan sterndrive. But not enough time, and maybe not enough fun money, to get both in the water this year. The simplicity of the tinny is quite appealing the more I delve into the workings of a sterndrive (rubber bellows are the only thing between my boat and the bottom?! Really?) But I think the bigger boat would be much more seaworthy, faster, carry more people...and cost 10x more to run, be harder to launch, be more trouble, and cost more to get working.

Question is-is it worth the extra $, time and trouble? Put another way, will the tinny send me, wife, kid(s), and dog(s) to an undesirable front-page news story? Or fix em both, tinny first, and keep tinny for smaller lakes, fewer folks, and nice weather on bigger water? Planning on taking a boater safety class before splashing the big boat at least.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

I use the pucker factor to decide if it's safe to go out in a little boat.

 

[lugoismad]

I am perfectly comfortable taking my 14' out on East Fork Lake near Cincinnati. Its about 2100 acres, and about 3/4 mile from one end to the other end across the largest part.

However, last week I went to Dale hollow Lake. Its 27k acres. I was out in the middle of the biggest section of it in a rented 28' pontoon boat on a windy day and I was honestly a bit uncomfortable. The waves were several foot tall and had white caps. There is not a chance I'd have stayed out there in my 14'. I would have been safe had I been going fast enough to scoot through the waves, but if I'd broke down, I'd have gotten swamped.

However, some of the smaller sections of dale hollow, away from the main lake, I would have been perfectly comfortable in my 14 footer. From the dock I rented the pontoon at, there was at least 3 miles of lake I'd have been fine in my boat in, before I got to the dicey main area.

So, just use your head, and stay out of danger.

 

[derekdiruz]

I'd take my 12 anywhere. But I tend to stay close to shore, I'm a strong swimmer and wear my pfd if it's anythi bg but glassy out.

 

[surfman]

When I was a kid I would go out in anything, in my older age I just finally figured out that it really isn’t that much fun when it is rough as heck so if it looks like a rough day I will try to find calmer waters. You need to be the judge on how much stress you think you can handle, a 2 foot chop can be rather uncomfortable in a 14’ boat.

 

[Johnny]

me, wife, kid(s), and dog(s) to an undesirable front-page news story

should tell you a lot right there, but, being in a 14' boat is fun
but can turn terribly wrong pretty quickly.
just make sure that ALL your safety gear is up to date and always
err on the side of caution when the wind kicks up.
There are several threads here on the forum of "what to put in your emergency box".
and have FUN - - - - good SAFE fun !!!

oh, and :WELCOME: to the forum

 

[overboard]

I don't think I would want to be too far from shore in a 14' boat on Lake Ontario if a storm came through, or Oneida Lake either.
Like anything, you could be out in the middle of the ocean in a 14' boat if it was calm.
I have two boats, a 16' Jon for rivers and small lakes, and a 17' StarCraft SFM for larger water such as Lake Ontario.

 

[Kismet]

Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario,

I lived next to Lake Michigan for over 40 years. The Great Lakes turn deadly quickly.

And it doesn't take much to make 14ft boat REAL dangerous.


Your choice, always.

[-o< [-o< [-o<

 

[onthewater102]

Yeah - Great Lakes I'd question the 14', but if you're only fishing side pockets etc. you should be OK...Storms kick up hard and fast and it's hard to predict exactly where out there, so the 14' wouldn't be my first choice, though by the same logic I don't think you'd be any better off in a 19' either...Oneida you should be ok on unless the weather is really bad, but you'll be checking that before you head out anyway. I don't see Oneida getting nearly as bad as quickly as Ontario could, and you should see it coming a long way out.

 

[KMixson]

Depends on the weather and lake conditions. A 14' or 12' for that matter would be fine in a large lake as long as the conditions permit. If it gets rough a 40' may make you uncomfortable. It seems it can get rough real quick on the lakes also. All it takes is for the wind to change direction and you can go from a smooth lake to 4' seas.

 

[agcowvet]

Ya the full crew would only be along on a glass smooth day and not far from shore either! Nor would I plan on being out in a storm either...but if something broke a ways out...these boats don't row real fast.

Thanks for the insight. Caution and preparedness being the best way to safety. Not looking for a whitewater experience in the middle of a big lake.

 

[Bowhunter1661]

Wear your safety equipment and shut off lanyard. Watch the weather and marine forecasts. Pay attention to wind while fishing large bodies of water. Don't tempt fate if waves are larger than 2-3 feet.

I fish southern Lake Michigan in my 14' modified v lowe. Previously I had a 15hp but now I am running a 25. I fell much safer having the extra power! I always watch the marine forecast, SW, SE and south winds for me when fishing Lake Michigan. I have been in 1 footers and 2-3 with the occasional 4. I will never go out again in 2-4footers. Way too uncomfortable of a ride.

Here's a link to me driving on Lake Michigan in SW winds @ 10 mph. Waves were around 1' out off shore where I was at.
https://youtu.be/eWAeMpjp7MQ

 

[MrSimon]

Just last week a fisherman fell out of his 14' tin boat on Lake Ontario. His body was found two days ago.

https://www.610cktb.com/news/2015/06/10/body-found-in-lake-ontario

Lake Ontario is big and cold and can get nasty fast.

That doesn't mean you can't safely fish it from a small boat, you just have to be careful, prepared, and pay attention. And if at all possible, avoid fishing by yourself on big water.

 

[jethro]

There are times when even a 20 footer doesn't feel safe in big water. I have had my 14er in 75k acre Moosehead Lake in Maine and it was fine. There are other days when I wouldn't be out there on a 30 foot fiberglass cabin cruiser. No water is too big if you pick your days well. And the biggest mistake? Overloading your boat! Never overload your boat!

 

[onthewater102]

That story from the lakes goes to show this is not a dumb newbie question but in fact a very wise one.

 

[bonz_d]

A number of years ago a friend and I were at the Kenosha harbor on Lake Michigan, wind was steady at 25mhp with gusts to 35mph and there were rollers on the lake outside the harbor. Guy showed up with what looked like a 40' offshore racer with 3 big engines. They got unloaded and motored out and took off once cleared of the harbor. Folks, they were back in the harbor 20 minutes later.

So whatever that's worth.

 

[Shoedawg]

I remember a trip back in the 90’s on Lake Powell, where I was on a 1960’s something 15ft boat, when a fast moving storm came through and we hit waves at 3 feet. The boat was open bow. We made it through the storm, with the driver doing an excellent job of guiding through the chop. But it did get hairy.

My step-uncle was on the same trip, and had a brand new Bayliner, 20ft, 150HP, the works. We was a rich man, who had the best sh*t, and knew it all and had more experience than you. Well, his boat got swamped and we found him on some rocky island, in the water holding his boat, while the waves were pounding and tossing his new boat onto the rocks. The boat was full of water and the bilge was working overtime. I was glad he was safe, but found it kind of funny that a 40 year old boat and smaller, kicked ass, while his brand new top of the line was roughed up. Experience does count for something.

 

[Gotem]

I have two boats and fish Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes. My 18 foot Lund fish/ski boat is a beast, but I don't take it out on lake Ontario if the waves are over 2 feet. My smaller aluminum boat I use to trailer to the Finger Lakes and it is a blast. I will take the smaller one out on Lake Ontario right after ice out for the brown trout fishing if it is a south wind. The advantage of a smaller boat is a lot of the launches are not in right after ice out, but with waders you can launch it any time.

 

[agcowvet]

Thanks all for the info. Gotem: how big is your small boat, and how do you get it to the water off the trailer?