I've never spent time around Boothbay Harbor (on the water, anyway, although I have passed thru on land). I have frequented Long Island Sound, Fisher's Island Sound, Block Island Sound and vicinity up to Newport, RI.  And I have been operating my Rhode Runner for 2 years now on inland lakes, where the biggest waves have been created by those (dang!) wakeboard boats. So my boat has never seen waves worth mentioning.

In the areas I mention, on most days, with an eye out for weather, I'd consider the RR a good, safe boat.  That's saying in seas up to about 3 ft..  But that also means I've seen many days on these waters where I wouldn't have wanted to be out in a RR.  It is a small, light boat and will be tossed about in larger waves, but does have a nice "V" bow entry, thus any slapping is minimized when taking things bow-on.  The one thing it doesn't have is a wet-well, double transom. A double, wet-well transom allows draining of that area when water comes over the stern. Water over the stern in the RR does have a contained place to go in the bilge under the back deck-board, but even if you build a plug drain hole in the transom (I did) there is still only one plug back there, and you can only open that to drain the boat if running at speed - something I've never had to do, as I've never had anything other than the most minor spray enter the boat.  The boat does have good, built in floatation, if catastrophe happens.

I'll here note that, having operated MANY small powerboats, everything from small inflatables to average ski boats to standard aluminum rowboats, and including 13 ft/35hp Boston Whaler and an old 15 ft/35 hp Thompson that might be considered the older brother of the RR, the RR is truly the sweetest handling small boat I've ever driven.  Maybe I'm biased, but that's my perogative as builder!  With the 25 hp engine at full throttle and running straight (that about 21 mph), I can just take the wheel and turn it full into the stop just about as fast as I might desire and make a 360 degree turn.  The boat just rolls into the turn and turns, no biting, skidding, bouncing, skipping.  No "bow up/digging a hole." It just turns, slows a bit in the turn, and speeds right back up when straightened out.

Bottom line, the RR will be at least as seaworthy as any other boat of similar shape, size and freeboard, and maybe moreso than many. The best comparison would be with a "standard" aluminum rowboat runabout of similar size/hull shape/hp - if that's OK on your waters, the RR will be OK. But it is still a small boat when on a big ocean.

  Hi Bubblehead, thank you very much for your reply. I was hoping to hear something along these lines. I have mostly sailed in and around Boothbay in 16-22 foot fiberglass sailing boats. This will be the first motor boat for me. I am thinking, as you mentioned, that there will be days when I would not take out a small boat like the RR due wind and waves, but since I live there for much of the summer, I can pick and choose when to go out. 

Do you happen to know if it is possible to add in a bilge pump to solve the issue you mention with taking on water at times?

Thanks, Tom 

   You could easily add a bilge pump.  Rule makes all sorts, and I'm sure there are others.  Two key factors for little bilge pumps are a good secure mounting at low point in bilge, and reliable power supply (especially if the pump is being to protect a boat moored out in the weather).