Does size matter...
 

Haynie 22'

When I was a kid we used to go in a 16' McKee Craft back in the mid 80's. It's all about experience and picking your days.

When you say offshore, what are you specifically trying to target?

Seen many fools in smaller wishing they haven't done it

I've been offshore in 12' flat boat.

Why not. I bet you didn't burn much gas.

we used to go out in a 15 ft peanut shell in summer on calm days but the farthest we went was 15 miles offshore.

after a few years we wised up and bought a 21 ft fantail boat and felt a whole lot safer being out there.

used to see idiots out there in flatboats all the time but I don't think I would ever be that stupid (I hope)

once we were in west delta 40's and when we pulled up to the rig we saw two guys in a 12 ft flat with a 10 hp motor and there were up under the rig inside the pilings fishing in the shade lol.

Last year we were tied up at EC160 which is about 45 miles out and this group of yahoos pulls up about 20 feet off my port side and ties up right next to us. Not overlooking that they had no courtesy whatsoever, we were more amazed that they were a group of 15 in a 19-22 ft bay boat. With all the weight, there was only about 8 inches of boat above the water line. I don't think there is any day good enough to be that overloaded and that far out.

Balls of steal.

Well I worked offshore all my years don't matter if it's 20 foot or 200 I'm sea sick in 20 min.but on a serious note about 12 years ago I took care ec23 and late one afternoon had a boat not 20 foot with kids dad and grandpaw they left my pf and went next door.a hour later a sqall came thru some thing made me go out and look next door I thout they look in trouble I asked pilot to start up and go check out he had the excuse he only had 30 min till down time.i got mad and finally got number to other pf they looked and sure enough they sunk got boat to them but dad and little kid passed I think a Hoffpauir from lake Charles.need less to say I relived the pilot the next morning and got another to this day I still think if he would have brought me right then and their it might have made a differance.i think u need twin engine or buddy boat to go out take it from me a afternoon squall will form in seconds

[SIZE=3]Back in the 80’s we used to go out in the open water in a 15.5 foot Ranger bass boat. We went many times out of Pecan Island about 25 miles (first platforms), as said before you had to pick your days and made damn sure somebody know where you were headed. [/SIZE]

The question was not what was the dumbest thing you did? It was how small would you feel safe in.

It depends on the type --- Cat vs momo hull. Also type of mono hull. I have seen many dumb stunts pulled out there. Glad you got back safe and are still with us.