how far offshore can i take a rib (inflatable boat)?

Answer 1

i have been out at althorpe island fishing for snapper and ive looked up and seen about a twelve footer with scuba divers on it they stopped about 100 metres from me and went diving for crays right at the edge of the island as it is very deep water away from the island
i couldnt beleive it mad barsteds,its white pointer country there, what with the sealion colony nearby.
althorpe island is aproximately 7 nautical miles offshore at the bottom of the gulf of carpentaria and spencers gulf in south australia
the water here can change drasticaly in mins from dead calm to slop that big you get lost in the troughs of the waves and cant see land until you get back on top of the swells and chop
so the answere is yes you can go out as far as you like provided you know what you are doing but certainly not recomended
remember if in doubt dont go out
thats my motto

Answer 2

I wouldn't take it out further than I can swim back to shore. The reason being the RIB isn't designed for offshore use except by highly trained personnel, i.e. the USCG, and they have very specialized ones. The boat you have is more than likely for near-shore and inland waterways.

Answer 3

If it's under 20' I would not venture into the open ocean. Squalls & swells can appear out of nowhere. Living on the west coast you become aware of how quickly conditions can change. I would recommend staying close to shore so you could duck into a cove if such a situation occurs.

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Answer 4

I wouldn't take it out any farther than you can swim the distance back to shore if something were to happen. Say unexpected puncture accidental deflation.

Answer 5

Only half as far as you can paddle without tiring out :)

Answer 6

No more than half the distance it will cover on the fuel you have, or how far you can row it. *smiles*

Answer 7

You can take it all the way as far as the "sinking".