20-22ft boat

Moonwalker · September 16, 2011, 00:29:36 CET

Petercraft 20 looked good but I need to do another sea trial or two to get the full picture.

Yesterday we had a bad (or good is some sense) experience. The main motor stopped at 4pm while 25nm from shore. After about an hour trying to start it again we gave up and had to get in using the spare motor at 5knts. So we spend 5hrs for a trip that usually takes us a little over 1hr. The good thing is that we arrived safely shore just little late.

So the question is - Is it really usefull to have a spare motor or it is better to call AFM to tow you in? I mean in 5 years this is the first time we have motor problems and never had to use the spare one other than a 10mins run every 2 months or so.
Well how much would AFM charge you for towing 25nm?

skip · September 16, 2011, 06:40:52 CET

The version I know goes like this.......If you are leaving the 12nm territorial limits you have to radio Malta VTS and inform them of your intentions. If you do call for assistance and you are 25nm, but you didn't inform them before, then they have the right to charge you to tow you back in.....a figure of €500 to €800 comes to mind.

For some non life threatening (at least at the begining) given the stretched resources of the AFM, self help is always better than relying on them to come tow you in.....but operationally I have no idea how they work.

Can the Petecraft 20 accomodate twin 150hp engines? What is the max rated hp on the boat?

busumark · September 16, 2011, 08:09:07 CET

In a situation like this that a satelite phone is important. You can phone your relatives that you are safe but it will take longer than expected to arrive at land.

baghira · September 16, 2011, 08:14:02 CET

If I remember well they would charge you at 50 maltese lira an hour, from the time they left base... until the time they tow you in...
Then if they like you and see that you are a poor fisherman, they might close one eye.... and they do good.. imagine you being stranded in the middle of the mediteranean.... you would appreciate it.

bigboy · September 16, 2011, 09:33:10 CET

There is also the probability that you will be fined because you were outside the teritorial 12Nm zone with a boat which is not registered as Valletta.

bigboy · September 16, 2011, 10:51:39 CET

hekk irrid

busumark · September 16, 2011, 13:59:52 CET

@ Moonwalker I dont think that if you were in a headwind of force 3 to 4 you can still do 5 kts with the 9.9 hp. if you had 2 engines say 60 HP each you wont plane with 1 engine but at least in those wind conditions you can still do 5 kts

Moonwalker · September 17, 2011, 01:21:48 CET

@ Skip/baghira - so if I inform them in the morning that I am leaving the 12nm zone and call for assistence from 25nm then they tow me for free?
The Petercraft 20ft has a max HP of 225.

@bigboy - ofcource I always fish in the 12nm zone

Then after 2hrs trying to start the motor I found myself at 25nm

@busu - Yes I know and with 2 motors the boat would be much more stable in the water than with 1 motor only. So I am inclining again for a 2 motor setup for the next boat.

skip · September 17, 2011, 08:24:12 CET

I'm not sure about for free towing but you'd have to check. And everything tends to get inspected, but that's what insurance is for! All I know for sure is that its a lot more expensive if you don't !

As to the drifting issue, during SAR operations they can calculate drift direction, wind, waves , current etc so bear that in mind.

An EPIRB and Sat phone if you are fishing far offshore are essential pieces of kit

Moonwalker · September 17, 2011, 10:14:09 CET

Ok let me understand this clear - If you are outside the 12nm zone and need a rescue operation, they charge you differently if you had informed VTS before or not?

Ofcourse I was joking about the drift issue. Thats why I need a bigger boat to be registered Valletta.

A Satphone is quite handy indeed but about the EPIRB - This is only usefull if the boat sinks right? Otherwise you can get the waypoint from GPS or Satphone.

shanook · September 17, 2011, 13:27:49 CET

or the sat phone or electrics of the boat get damaged...lets say for whatever reason ur batteries develope a short circuit and u are left without juice.....no Gps no sat phone what do u do??? operate the Epirb......so its not just if the boat sink.

benri · September 18, 2011, 09:11:53 CET

Quote from: Moonwalker on September 17, 2011, 10:14:09 CET
Thats why I need a bigger boat to be registered Valletta.

Yes Moonwalker make sure you get it registered Valletta as the law is being enforced. Yesterday when the bite was getting hot at around 15nm I was approached by a Patrol Boat who "politely" asked me to get into the 12nm.......

shanook · September 18, 2011, 11:45:55 CET

we called you sat bry, but we were on the west side of Gozo...no bites over there. Seems it was ok on the east side then.
Next time we will emigrate to that side LOL. So those few inches makes a difference eh bryan.......shall we modify so next year?

??

benri · September 18, 2011, 13:07:30 CET

I think we need Shisha to grow a couple of feet during the winter - let's start feeding her

(unless it was a one off year enforcement)
It wasn't really worthed either on the east side though as these bloody greedy tunnagg barely give you a chance to put your lure into the water! They just wouldn't let us fish for lampuki! It's either my lures are super or else I cannot understand what protection tunnagg need as the sea is full of them!

baghira · September 18, 2011, 20:38:22 CET

No moonwalker... nothing is for freee....You have to be in an iminent danger of death to be towed for free...