l9ft Alumaweld and Columbia bar

Ed C · 07-09-2002, 12:01 PM

Until the motor went bad, I used to run the Columbia bar with a l9ft Blue Water fiberglass inboard. I always saw some aluminum sled type boats in the ocean. Now I have a l9ft Alumaweld super vee with a 60hp Merc 4 stroke with tiller and prop. It is an open boat. I usually wait until about an hour into incoming tide.

Anybody have thoughts/experiences about this type boat and Columbia bar?

Ed C.

[ 07-09-2002, 01:04 PM: Message edited by: Ed C ]

Hogmaster · 07-09-2002, 12:56 PM

Ed -

My opinion...

If you watch the bar forecast and (especially) be aware of the wind waves, you can do it.

I have an 18' Alumaweld Sea Dory and won't do it in it, but it isn't so much from the perspective of the size of the boat it is more from the fact that the Sea Dorys are a very wet ride in rough water.

When I go out of Chinook or Ilwaco to fish buoy 10 I have to wear full rain gear almost always just because wind spray comes over the front and right to me at the tiller. Your boat is much less subject to that.

One thing to consider though is that most everyone is going down between Buoy 2 and the CR Buoy. Fishing is great down there, but you are MILES from Buoy 10. If the ocean gets snotty and you have to come in, it will be a slow and bumpy ride. This adds danger because then the seas are likely to build on the bar. So, again, that is why my sled is not going out there, although I do take it over Tillamook and Nehalem and fish close when the conditions are right.

Definitely don the PFDs and have some form of communication too. And after just purchasing one, I really recommend a GPS. You can back track your line out on the way back which could be critical if fog happens to move in. This is especially important with so many crab pots out there right now!

Tight lines!

[ 07-09-2002, 01:59 PM: Message edited by: Hogmaster ]

fishbait · 07-09-2002, 09:01 PM

ED,
Ya know , on a calm day if you are an experienced skipper and nothing goes wrong you will probably be ok.
My question is, with all the fish to be caught in the river itself, nice summer nooks and steeles and the fish in the Sandy and Clack, why would you be willing to take that kind of a chance for what 2, 4, 6 or 8 fish? I'm not trying to be an a$$, I just don't understand taking the risk.

John · 07-09-2002, 10:13 PM

Hi, my dad has a twenty foot willie predetor that we take out, but it is a helms drive boat which adds protection. I have a 2002 alumaweld super vee 18' with a 115 jet and fish it one the incoming tide at buoy 10 and it does fine, but I would not take it out to the ocean there. If it gets nasty it is a long run back. Then again we fish south and out around the 200 ft depth mark. However, I have taken my boat out of Tillamook several times when the tide is coming in. It is a much shorter run and if it even looks like it could get ruff you can get back in ten to fifteen minutes. Plus the fishing is really good there right now.