MyFishFinder Forum
MyFishFinder Tips and Techniques => Fishing Equipment => Boats, Canoes, Kayaks, Float tubes => Topic started by: boondox on Aug 09, 2015, 07:46 PM
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is there a coast guard approved length on what you can use safely on the great lakes? my buddy is looking For a new boat for the st clair river he is looking at 14 foot but I think it to small for the st clair river my self I would be thinking some were in the 16 to 18 foot min would be best for fishing the main branch of the st clair river now if he was goin in to the north or middle branch down south that 14 footer would be fine I am thinking... any thoughts on this
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Nope.
I see kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and even inflatables in Erie all the time.
I have a Lund 16.5' and was out yesterday in 2-3's with occasional 4's.
Took my time coming it.
But anymore than we were in woulda been pushing it.
I had a 16' Mirrocraft before the Lund and would NOT have been out in it yesterday.
I also owned a 25' Sportcraft before the Mirrocraft and had that out in honest 10's.
Stupid, but we rode back against them and it was dicey for sure.
Limits to all boats.
Coast Guard issues small craft warnings but don't have official boat limits for other days out on the Great Lakes.
Here's a couple links with more info -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_craft_advisory (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_craft_advisory)
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/cwd.htm (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/cwd.htm)
http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2009/10/small-craft-advisories-and-boating-safety/ (http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2009/10/small-craft-advisories-and-boating-safety/)
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Well, in my experience the only limits are on how stupid one wants to be. I've been way more stupid than I should have been on occasion. Somehow I survived. Caution comes with age I guess.
Buy what you like, use it sensibly.
Rg