unfamiliar sentence structure

[HaraKiriBlade]

"BOY, there's a sight down here to the wharf. Never the like of it in these waters." The booming voice rattled out of the wire and into Quoyle's ear. "With the smell of evil on it. I wouldn't put to sea in it for all the cod in the world. Better take a look, boy. You'll never see anything like it again."

I wouldn't put to sea in it - the sentence structure is weird to me. I can't figure out what it means. I thought I was familiar with most canonical English grammar, but this supposedly simple structure puts me to shame. Your help with this would be most appreciated.

- HKB

[Casiopea]

Although I'm not a fisherman, I believe that "put to sea" means sail.