new to boating need help

[peter f]

im new to saltwater fishing about three yrs ago so i bought a whaler montauk 17ft i was told by a few people that i wouldent be able to go out that far with a 17ft but the the harber master told me that i should be able to go from boston to the cape with no problems becouse its not really that far from shore motor is a 90hp yamaha 2 stroke inshore so i guss what im asking is how many mile from shore can i go

[Docked Wages]

For better or worse, you can "go" further in a 17' Montauk than you probably should... and don't bet your life on a salesman's "unsinkable boat"; the safety of you and your passengers should come first. I've done some pretty stupid things on the water in small boats but fortunately most of them were alone and I didn't hurt anyone else. Enjoy your boating experiences but please be careful!

That said, your manufacturer and dealership that rigged the boat should be able to give you a basic estimate on range you can expect for a tank of fuel. Just factor in an extra 10-20% margin for error.

[blackwell50]

if i were you,I would get used to the boat close to shore first.Put some time on it and make sure the motor is solid.Also,top off the tank and run at cruise speed for a few hours and top it off again in order to get an average hourly fuel burn.With that info you can then establish your safe range.Don't figure on your tanks total capacity,subyract 15% from the total capaacity.That will leave you a small buffer zone and all of the fuel in the tank is not useable.Above all go as far as the weather and your skills allow.

[clt_capt]

While the boat can certainly handle being out of sight of land, as an inexperienced boater, you may not be able to recognize dangers to yourself.

One of the best investments you can possibly make is to take a safe boating course as soon as possible. You will learn a few things, and more importantly, maybe, what you might not want to be doing...

[Capt. Lyndon]

Number one rule, never venture further out than your comfort zone. As you get more comfortable with boating and your own skills, your comfort zone will expand. One thing that I would highly recommend, hire a captain to ride with you for a day or two. You'll learn more in a couple of days than you could in a year or more on your own. It is always a great idea to take a safe boating course, and coupled with hiring a knowledgeable captain, this is by far your best bet.

[peter f]

Number one rule, never venture further out than your comfort zone. As you get more comfortable with boating and your own skills, your comfort zone will expand. One thing that I would highly recommend, hire a captain to ride with you for a day or two. You'll learn more in a couple of days than you could in a year or more on your own. It is always a great idea to take a safe boating course, and coupled with hiring a knowledgeable captain, this is by far your best bet.

thanks iv ben thinking about hireing someone to go out with me and the classes im looking into it thanks