CONTINUOUSWAVE

Q1: For anyone familiar with the eastern Long Island, how far offshore can you go in a 17-footer?

BACKSTORY
I am based out of Three Mile Harbor with a MONTAUK 17, and I think I was the only boat on a trailer in their yard in 2025. Our second season with the MONTAUK 17 will be 2026. In 2025 we just had an absolute blast. I am looking forward to another season as the days get longer. In 2025 I stayed pretty close to [a landmark identified only as] the point. We had plenty of fun, and I am curious to hear other stories.

--SB

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sbbreen wrote:Q1: For anyone familiar with the eastern Long Island, how far offshore have you gone in a 17-footer?

I've never owned a 17-footer. But my 1976 15-footer has been about 12-miles offshore in Lake Superior while exploring the Apostle Islands.

There are a few old photographs that show very large oceanic pelagic fish landed on a Boston Whaler 16/17-foot hull. See Figure 1 below:



I think anglers were a bit crazier back then. Now they seek those type of fish with 45-foot (or larger) sport fishing yachts. But in the way back, going offshore in a 17-foot outboard MONTAUK boat was possible, and still is now. You just have to pick your days.



Modern outboard engines are quite reliable, so going over the horizon with a single-engine 17-footer might be even a bit safer now than it was 42-years ago.