In looking at some of the charts etc, I noticed an area called the South Hole. How far is it from the Broad River? One website that I found said that it is about 42 nautical miles from skull creek area. Is is doable (on a good day) with a bay boat? I have a 60 gal fuel tank and a 150 Yamaha. I would definitely look for a ‘buddy’ boat should I venture it.
This is how people get into trouble. No offense my friend but you are approaching this from the wrong angle entirely.
Seriously, don’t read websites or ask questions on the net for answers like this. Do your research and know your boat. Nobody knows it better than you.
If you are looking at a chart, it has a scale on it. Get out your dividers and measure the actual distance from the marina to the South Hole. If you can’t do that, you don’t need to go. Don’t rely on the Internet to tell you how far it is.
Next, how much fuel does your boat burn per hour at cruise? We can’t tell you that. I’d guess 10-12 gph. With 60 gallons that gives you 6 hours of running time at best cruise speed, in good weather. If it’s 40 miles out and you can run 20+ mph, that’s 2 hours and 20 gallons out, 2 hours and 20 gallons back and 1/3 in reserve for bad weather. Perfect, if you aren’t going to troll when you get there or ride around hunting fish. Too tight IMO unless you carry some 5 gallon jugs.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Small craft surveying and repair
Make some friends that have big boats and plenty of money… That’s what I do! 
2007 Scout 221 150 Yamaha 4 stroke
Larry,
No I don’t take the advice as gospel, I would evaluate what others are doing and as you mentioned, look at my actual data. My instrumentation is not what I would prefer to be able to evaluate this acurately enough. Looking at the performance data for the boat/engine and taken with a grain of salt, it looked ok. However, I tend to err on the side of conservatism. Given that the calculation said roughly 42 miles, I wanted to get confirmation of that information and not just go with that. They never provide it in gallons per hour, but more miles per gallon which is not that acurate either.
The boat has performed better than my expectations, but there too, I am not out to prove any points or take unnecessary risks. There are plenty of fish closer in, I just want to see what other options might be available.
You are correct, I think that this sometimes will get people into trouble as they don’t as you said, do their own research and know what their boat and their own skills can handle.
I do want to thank you for your honest and candid ■■■■■■■■. Hopefully it keeps more than just myself out of trouble.
We used to go out to the south hole a lot (when you could actually keep bottom fish) in a 22’ walk around cuddy with a 175 4 stroke that got about 3 mpg when cruising at 4000 rpm’s. It had a 65 gallon tank. 42 miles out sounds about right. 42 miles out and 42 miles back @ 3 mpg = 28 gallons. Don’t forget to add in the ride from the hill to the beach and gallons burned when idling and repositioning for the next drift. Snapper banks is a few miles closer from the port royal sound. Thats my experience. Definitely refer to Cracker Larry’s post. Good luck!
Have you taken the boat to the Ross os nest? If so how much fuel did you use?
quote:
Originally posted by Cracker LarryThis is how people get into trouble. No offense my friend but you are approaching this from the wrong angle entirely.
Seriously, don’t read websites or ask questions on the net for answers like this. Do your research and know your boat. Nobody knows it better than you.
If you are looking at a chart, it has a scale on it. Get out your dividers and measure the actual distance from the marina to the South Hole. If you can’t do that, you don’t need to go. Don’t rely on the Internet to tell you how far it is.
Next, how much fuel does your boat burn per hour at cruise? We can’t tell you that. I’d guess 10-12 gph. With 60 gallons that gives you 6 hours of running time at best cruise speed, in good weather. If it’s 40 miles out and you can run 20+ mph, that’s 2 hours and 20 gallons out, 2 hours and 20 gallons back and 1/3 in reserve for bad weather. Perfect, if you aren’t going to troll when you get there or ride around hunting fish. Too tight IMO unless you carry some 5 gallon jugs.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Small craft surveying and repair
THat’s one of the nicer and informative replies for how far can I take a small boat out on a good day topics that I’ve seen in awhile.
< Evil is simply the absence of God >
I agree, Fred, and advice well-heeded. I spent over 30 years fishing offshore, and the term “angry sea” is well-known to me. Not that you can’t run out several miles in a well-performing rig…bay boat or otherwise…on a good day. However, for those of us who’ve witnessed a plethora of waterspouts, lightning drawn to antennas, hail-cracked windshields, sudden squalls with 3-5 foot walls of water mixed in with 10-12 footers, it is best to err on the side of caution.
Larry’s advice is very sound…know YOUR boat…performance wise, handling and fuel needs…then go out and enjoy it comfortably and safely.
Good luck!
“My instrumentation is not what I would prefer to be able to evaluate this acurately enough”
You do have a GPS right?, because if you run into trouble and cannot give an accurate fix on where you are in lat/long, then just telling someone you are the South Hole is of no help.
Mike Crouch
Sea Tow Charleston
843-881-8949
This topic reminds me of something that happened one day years ago, back in the 1980s.
I was running a charter boat out of Wilmington Island and it was a normal occurrence for small boats to follow charter boats out to the fishing grounds. They would stay close all day then follow us back home. It never bothered me much as long as they didn’t crowd us.
One morning I was running a trip to the stream and a small Mako got behind me in the river and followed about a mile behind as we ran offshore. I figured he would stop either at one of the artificial reefs we passed, or at the snapper banks, but 2 hours later it was still following behind us. I knew they didn’t have enough fuel for that run, so I stopped the boat and tried to get them to come alongside and talk to me. When I stopped, they stopped and began fishing. I tried to approach them and they ran off and wouldn’t let me close. I reckon they thought I was mad, so I just carried on, heading for the Delhi ledge.
About 30 minutes later my first mate lady tells me that they are following us again. I say the heck with them, she says Larry, you know they are going to run out of fuel and we can’t leave them out here and I don’t want to spend all night towing them home…so make them stop, now! So much for being the Captain:smiley:
OK. So we stop again and they stop. I try to approach them and they run. I stop again and they stop. I asked Miss Kathy to pop some orange smoke. She did, and the boat finally approached us cautiously and asked if we had a problem. I said no, you have the problem.
I asked the 3 grown Darwin candidates just whatinhell they were doing following me. They got defensive, told me it was a free ocean and they were going to the snapper banks and I could kiss their @ss if I didn’t like it.
Kathy told them that the ocean might be free, but it didn’t suffer fools, and we had passed the snapper banks 35 miles back. Then I informed them that they didn’t have enough fuel to return to shore. You should have seen their faces When tha
You were more than gracious! Great story!
What’s the fish your after is fishing the south hole? Mahi come in there or is more a bottom fishing type place?
Sailfish 218cc
Yamaha 225 4stroke
Larry,
Get advice, I for one am not one for taking risks. One the subject of experiences, I have ended up in the ocean with a destroyed boat left behind. MANY, and I do mean MANY years ago in Hawaii, a friend from the ship that I was stationed on, had a 20’ Boston Whaler. I was invited out to go out for the day and to go skiing in the lagoon at Hickham AFB. With nothing else to do for the day, I went along. Needless to say, the boat owner did not have experience to be on open water, but he did. As we were entering the channel to go into Hickham harbor, (we had come from Dillingham) the owner stated that the water was too rough and we would have to go back. He got out of the channel, we hit the breakwater, took a 6-8 footer broadside which broke the boat into 3 pieces and put us into the Pacific. We had nothing for survival except a throw ring. Fortunately a coast guard auxiliary boat found us and rescued us. That too is another interesting part… It just goes to show, just because someone has a boat, does not mean that they are capable of handling it, and the situations.
All that being said, I do not venture where I am not certain and comfortable of a return. I have taken considerable steps to ensure safety is the first priority. The boat is well outfitted and I continue to upgrade it in all categories, i.e. type 1 PFDs, strobes, PLBs etc. Also fixed mount and handheld VHF. I have considered a sat phone, but I want to justify cost first and plans. I also have the electronics, GPS, and compass. I also have two anchors, drift anchors, extra line, and tools, including DC gear. Last but not least, a well equiped first aid kit. It had to be used several weeks ago to render aid to another fisherman who did not have a 1st aid kit.
Bottom line though, if the boat is not capable - none of the above matters, it is a no go. “Eightnic8” has a good question, “What would I be going after?” Not sure. The biggest intent of my question was to get a second check, or number on the distance. Probably th
My 150 4 stroke burns just under 9 gallons an hour at cruise running 35 mph.
2007 Scout 221 150 Yamaha 4 stroke
That was a heck of a story Larry…good for you helping that poor soul out.
jczc2414…I hope you have not taken any offense to anything said on here. These are some good folks that are just trying to help. Glad you survived your adventure in the Pacific as well.
Good luck on the fishng!
Madfire, put a T-top and outriggers on that Scout and in 2 hours and 18 gallons you will be Mahi bound:smiley:!
NN
07, 23 Key West, Twin 115 Yammys
“Coastal Bound”
quote:
My 150 4 stroke burns just under 9 gallons an hour at cruise running 35 mph.
But how much does it burn running into a 6’ head sea when you have to slow down below planing speed for 4 hours instead of the 1 1/2 expected? Or if you have to tow another boat in? You just never know what the future will bring.
quote:
Maybe the village saved someone, even the village idiot like myself!
I never meant to implicate that. Sorry if you thought so. My story above was just an off topic drift that came to mind and had nothing much to do with your question 
But you did ask for advice and I gave you the best that I could. You really shouldn’t need advice to figure out how far away something is. Or how far your boat can go. If you can’t answer both of those questions yourself, you shouldn’t go. That’s all I’m saying
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Small craft surveying and repair
DoubleN - NO NOT SO EVER. I appreciate the ■■■■■■■■ and comments. What would be worse is for myself or someone else get into serious trouble because of a lack of ■■■■■■■■ or honest information.
A trip that far out, I would have to be very confident in my own abilities and my boat. Most trips are with my son or someone that is relying on me for their safety, not something to take lightly. ‘Mom’ would kill us if we ended up dead.
One day when I feel like writing a novel, I will have to share the full “shipwreck” story! It works better in the spoken word with several beers too!
Larry, my apologies. I guess my implied comments are not being read in the right context. You, nor anyone has offended me in the least, like I said to DoubleN, I apprecriate the honest ■■■■■■■■. What I was hoping also to say is that hopefully this might help someone else as well. Your point about towing someone else is a contingency that I definitely had not thought of. Something like that could put two boats in trouble. Thanks.
Are you in Beaufort? Some of us on here wanna do some buddy boat stuff.
I wanna here the story with the beer:stuck_out_tongue:.
NN
07, 23 Key West, Twin 115 Yammys
“Coastal Bound”
quote:
'Mom' would kill us if we ended up dead.
Standby…that reminds me of something else. I do tend to drift. Old age:wink:
…
I Owe My Mother…
-
My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
“If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside… I just finished cleaning.” -
My mother taught me RELIGION.
“You better pray that will come out of the carpet.” -
My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
“If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!” -
My mother taught me LOGIC.
“Because I said so, that’s why.” -
My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
“If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.” -
My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
“Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.” -
My mother taught me IRONY.
“Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about.” -
My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
“Shut your mouth and eat your supper.” -
My mother taught me about CONTORTION-ISM.
“Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!” -
My mother taught me about STAMINA …
“You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.” -
My mother taught me about WEATHER.
“This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.” -
My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
“If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!” -
My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
“I brought you into this world, and I can take you out…” -
My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION .
“Stop acting like your father!” -
My mother taught me about ENVY.
“There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do.” -
My mother taught me