Pinksnappertrapper

James, Time for a BIGGER boat!!!:moon

wrightackle

I know these things come on you fast but did you have the marine weather on before the storm? My radio has a shrill piercing warning when there are Mariner warnings on channel 2. I don't have a cuddy style boat so there is noway to get any kind of protection in something like you experienced. I have often wondered if one of those sea anchors like the big boats use would be of any help in that kind of storm.

jmartintcb

pinksnappercatcher: my wife says a bigger boat is definitely on the horizon for next season, with weather radar!

wrighttackle: I do have a weather radio; however, it was so beautiful out there that I did not think about turning it on. I will dang sure have it on next time I go out, Idon't care how pretty it is. I also have a VHF radio, but I could not reach anyone. I thought for about 1/2 second throwing the anchor, but I was afraid we would take on so much water the boat would sink. It wasn't just splashing over us the waves were breaking over my 26 ft boat.

I am still in amazed how fast it came up! A buddy of mine asked me about looking at my GPS to see where I was...it was so bad, all I was trying to see was which direction to keep the bow of the boat in. Thanks to everyone for there replies and well wishes. What a great forum with fantastic people.

jmartintcb

weatherman: You're correct. The worst part lasted about 35 minutes, but it sure felt like 3 hours. Thanks

mpmorr

Wow, I am just glad you guys made it back safe and sound.:angel

TUBBLAWNS

Oil? check!!!!! Weather radar? check!!!!! VHF working prop.? check!!!!! Clean pair of shorts? Damn!!!!!!!!! Ha!

Glad ya'll made it back safe, been there done it, all it takes is one good time to get caught in a storm and the eyes stay peeled everytime you go out from that time on, atleast mine do. When I was in college we got caught one time in a 16 cape horn about 12-15 miles out and was running from colliding storms every which way but loose, and these storms were spitting out spouts it seemed like in every direction, it was very scary for me, especially since that was about my 2 or 3 time ever going in the gulf, but I'll never forget the feeling I had that day in my gut. Also one time with the kids on my father in laws pontoon boat, it got nasty in the bay. Waves were so strong it pummelled, and knocked the sides of the boat off, and seperated one side of the deck from the pontoons, kids were 4 years old and scared out of their wits.

Nitzey

<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: teal">Yesterday, my wife Brenda and I went fishing in the <SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: teal">Gulf of Mexico<SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: teal">. The forecast was good with low seas and just scattered thunderstorms. This forecast is about as good as it gets in <SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: teal">Florida<SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: teal"> in the summertime. However, we ran from one thunderstorm in the morning, outracing it. Then we stayed just five miles off the beach and did well catching red snapper and king mackerel. In the late afternoon, we headed in and a massive thunderstorm came at us from the north. Massive it was; it extended a great distance in either direction, and it looked like our pass was right in the middle. I elected to head to the <SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: teal">Pensacola<SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: teal"> <SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: teal">Pass<SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: teal"> as the next passes were 35 miles in either direction. This storm turned out to be the worst of its kind, with winds exceeding 60 mph, and almost instantly turning the seas into mayhem. We live on the water, and so can enjoy watching such storms from the safety of our living room, but it is a different matter in the open seas of the Gulf. The sky was dark gray, and cold, cold rain came at us horizontally, and seas were whipped to a froth. It was frightening. The boat, however, behaved admirably. I kept up speed to keep it on plane at 15 knots and to get through it as fast as possible. Visibility was poor, and we depended on radar and the GPS chart to navigate. The boat cut through the waves like a champ, and these waves became very steep and very tightly packed. Our boat cut through these waves and the longer we ran, the better we felt. When we finally got near the beach, the lee shore, the waves subsided. We were thankful we got there but thankful also for our boat. When we drove from the marina, we noticed a sail boat with ripped sails, and a turned-over park bench and a turned-over potted tree. It was a heck of a storm. <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: teal">Alan