| Offshore fishing is the stuff of legend, and brings about | | | | take a while for the Coast Guard to come and get |
| daydreams of hours-long battles with huge sailfish ala | | | | you! |
| Hemingway. To realize those dreams, one must first | | | | In general terms, the bigger your offshore boat the |
| own the right equipment, including an offshore fishing | | | | better off you are. Of course, this is a moot point to |
| boat. Offshore fishing boats are not your everyday | | | | those of us not rich enough to buy one of those huge |
| boat. They are much heavier and more rugged than | | | | cabin cruisers that we all dream about. Trade-offs |
| the average lake runabout you see in many of your | | | | may need to be made...Just make sure that you are |
| neighbor's driveways. In fact, you are highly unlikely to | | | | aware of the risks and take them under consideration |
| see any kind of offshore boat in anyone's driveway | | | | when purchasing your boat. As might be expected, |
| as most are not trailerable, though some of the smaller | | | | offshore boats are the most expensive of all leisure |
| ones are. | | | | boats due to the increased ruggedness and sheer size |
| Safety is a primary consideration when purchasing an | | | | of them. Offshore boats range in size from about 26' |
| offshore saltwater fishing boat, as you can't just take | | | | in length to just about any length you can imagine and |
| any boat out into the open ocean. These boats must | | | | you can expect to pay anywhere from $40,000 on up |
| be able to withstand some rolling ocean waves, and | | | | to a cool $500,000 for a good offshore boat. Anything |
| be able to protect the occupants in case of sudden | | | | more expensive than that is a yacht and is nothing |
| inclement weather. I'm not saying that your boat should | | | | more than a status symbol! |
| be able to plow through the perfect storm, but at least | | | | The smaller offshore boats will be equipped with either |
| be able to get out of the rain and expect to come out | | | | single or dual outboard motors. Most offshore motors |
| alive should a few waves come along. Other safety | | | | will be of the high-horsepower variety, due to the need |
| concerns includes having bilge pumps, radio contact | | | | to power through rough waters. On larger boats, you |
| with the shore, and radar to detect oncoming vessels | | | | can expect to have an inboard diesel motor of many |
| who may not detect you, especially if you should | | | | hundreds of horses. The overall price of the boat, of |
| happen to be one of those crazies who likes to fish | | | | course, is directly related to the amount of power that |
| close to shipping lanes. Having an adequate supply of | | | | is packed into the motors. |
| food and water is also a primary concern should you | | | | This article gives a general overview of some of the |
| be forced to camp out for a while due to a conked | | | | items to consider when shopping for an offshore |
| out motor in the middle of inclement weather. It may | | | | saltwater fishing boat. |