Pontoon and offshore waters?

[Reiner]

I'm awaiting our first pontoon, Lowe SS 210, Performance Package with full center toon, lifting strakes & 150 HP Mercury OB. We are in San Diego and have a great bay plus couple lakes and the CO River for boating adventures. But what about going outside the bay in to the open waters. Here on the west coast you don't see pontoons usually and if most older fishing set-ups for any reference. The east coast has plenty from the Great Lakes all the way down to the Gulf and used in larger bodies of water as well. If you google this subject most discussions on various forums are from 2009 to 2012 and nothing later. Have things changed in the last couple of years with all the new technology? With pontoons getting more popular even out here this question may pop up more frequently again.
What is safe and what not considering fair weather, and a swell of about 2 to 3 feet. Plus have necessary safety equipment on board like GPS, Radio, etc.
For example, our surf report for this week is mostly 1 to 2 feet @ 14 seconds
end of the week 2 to 4 feet @ 17 seconds
I assume the height and the spacing has a lot to do with being safe or stupid. The knowledge how to steer the boat in various conditions. Also how far you want to go out or stay considerably close to shore. The one thing we do not have to worry about is sudden storms rolling in, it is more or less the marine layer fog what can develop quick. I have been on the water for the last 10 years riding jet skis 90% offshore and been in some good swells so being out there is not new territory, only the vessel changed for a larger getting family.

Any input is greatly appreciated and this is not to get a green light to do stupid things just to increase the knowledge base owning a pontoon and being part of that family.

Thanks,
Reiner

[zoom650]

I've taken my toon a couple miles out in the gulf. Wish I'd had your length of wave period but I didn't, so speed was limited to how hard I wanted to land. I landed once and the pontoon sounded like a baseball bat hit a 55 gallon steel drum.

I've navigated two different passes into the gulf and love handling the boat in squirrelly waves and current. The boat always felt in control.

For now, with my toon, I limit myself to about 7 miles out or as far as I can still see the hotels on the beach. I'm only carrying enough anchor rode for a 40-60 foot depth set. If a problem should arise, I want to be able to set a hook and stay in one spot.

[mobldj]

the ocean will eat you up and we will never find your carcass. no thanks.

[LittleRiver]

If you really watch your wind and wave reports and for god sake make sure everyone has on a life vest but i'd say yes.
Two things on need if you go offshore. A PRB and a vhf. DO not leave home without them if your thinking salt. Every right off the beach. Your motor die, your in deep trouble quick in the ocean.
We have OI, right at me.. 75 miles away but a pontoon would be cruised going out into those brakers.
Rudy inlet in VA is also 75 miles away.
Its smooth getting out there with its only 1 to 2s. I would start worrying at 3.

[RcgTexas]

I have seen "vietmanese" fishing 40 miles offshore in an open aluminum boat so it can be done. I have taken my boat to the Sabine river jetties and fished. I would go out but only on a good day because the open gulf , or Pacific ocean can eat you quick. The boats ride good enough but you have to understand that unlike say a catamaran your boat is bolted and screwed together. some rough and confused sea conditions could make you rethink being "outside".

[margaritaman]

I have taken the boat out in the Ocean down by the Florida Keys but call me chicken because I will not go past where I loose sight of land.

[BillieS]

I have taken the boat out in the Ocean down by the Florida Keys but call me chicken because I will not go past where I loose sight of land.

It is still to far to swim and too much to drink for me!

[rockhound]

i have had a 28 foot morgan sailing boat, an 18 foot mitchell runabout, a 19 foot larson runabout, a 21 foot velocity ocean racer and now a pontoon. they are no more safe or unsafe than any other vessel in the ocean.

on one hand they could actually be safer. all my other vessels had one hull, fill it and you are done. they take on water, your pontoon has three hulls, independent of one another. and unless you tear a large hole in all three will most likely float.

i would prefer to have a second motor on a vessel that i intend to go more than a few miles off shore, but i would not feel unsafe on a 21 foot or larger toon in the ocean. i have been in waves over 8 foot in my runabout, i can tell you that i would much prefer my 24 foot pontoon in that situation. at least the waves that come over the bow would drain instead of filling the boat.

if you have never taken the coast guard safety and helmsman's course i would suggest you do so. learning how to properly handle you craft, how to approach a large wave, dock your boat, what the bouys and other maritime signals mean will be to your benefit.

[Bryden24shp]

I have not had any ocean experience in my pontoons, but have back in my Poker Run days when I was wrapped in glass. I have had the pontoon on Lake Michigan and can say it (my old Manitou XPlode) handled it very well for the conditions. I agree with all the comments above on safety equipment and your boat handling skills. You need the horsepower to make your boat work for you, too. If you need to trim up and punch the throttle to pop a roller, you need to have the power to do it. If you don't go into it bow up, you may find yourself extremely wet and maybe not in your boat. Reading the waves and getting the timing down was always a thrill, to me. I plan on taking the Premier to Michigan City, Indiana next summer for the Offshore Powerboat races, so we can watch from the water. Can't wait to see how it handles Lake Michigan! I'm sure I'll be using every one of those 315 ponies!

[ToonGuy]

I plan on taking the Premier to Michigan City, Indiana next summer for the Offshore Powerboat races, so we can watch from the water. Can't wait to see how it handles Lake Michigan! I'm sure I'll be using every one of those 315 ponies!

[Reiner]

Thank you for all the interesting replies! One suggestion was to enroll in the US Coast Guard course which I did starting Thursday for 12 weeks; 2 hours per week. "Boating Skills & Seamanship"
Thanks,

[RcgTexas]

[Melnic]

Waiting on my pontoon purchase but here where I boat, we have an inlet to get to the ocean. The Inlet is where the worse waves can be. Some days its calm and most days its not. There is a 30'+ (it may be 40') pontoon that carries a lighted sign that goes up and down the beach. I never see it when its windy. But smaller personal Pontoons RARELY venture out, I know I've seen them a couple times. The problem around here is that depending on the tide and wind and other things, the inlet conditions change. The flow of the inlet lags the ocean's tide by about 1.5-2hours and if you time it right, your going out or coming back in with very little inlet flow. But time it wrong and you could have 6' waves to negotiate and time. Not a problem on my old boat, but I'd not want to be on a pontoon. Definitely not with my younger little kids

The question would be do you already see other people on pontoons and when are they out? I'd say get some advice from someone local because your conditions most certainly would be different than other areas. Go into the ocean? VHF on the boat and a water proof hand held VHF in a Ditch bag with pop up flairs and whistle if you don't have one already which would be a good idea anyway in a large bay.

[Reiner]

Waiting on my pontoon purchase but here where I boat, we have an inlet to get to the ocean. The Inlet is where the worse waves can be. Some days its calm and most days its not. There is a 30'+ (it may be 40') pontoon that carries a lighted sign that goes up and down the beach. I never see it when its windy. But smaller personal Pontoons RARELY venture out, I know I've seen them a couple times. The problem around here is that depending on the tide and wind and other things, the inlet conditions change. The flow of the inlet lags the ocean's tide by about 1.5-2hours and if you time it right, your going out or coming back in with very little inlet flow. But time it wrong and you could have 6' waves to negotiate and time. Not a problem on my old boat, but I'd not want to be on a pontoon. Definitely not with my younger little kids

The question would be do you already see other people on pontoons and when are they out? I'd say get some advice from someone local because your conditions most certainly would be different than other areas. Go into the ocean? VHF on the boat and a water proof hand held VHF in a Ditch bag with pop up flairs and whistle if you don't have one already which would be a good idea anyway in a large bay.

Thanks for your input! The problem with looking/asking other pontoon boat owners is that there are no others. I have seen only one in the past. Pontoons are not as popular like on the east coast but the trend goes that way and I'm sure I will see more in the future. I'm sure I will get a lot of looks when I'm out there with the new boat. From San Diego Bay out in to the ocean is not really an inlet which will have those tide effects, it is minimal. It is very wide for warships and aircraft carriers to go out and come in. Your other safety equipment suggestions is understood and I have that.
Thank you,