Big Wave

[gpfishingdude]

I know this might seem kind of simple to you experienced tooners but I know there are a lot of first timers out there like myself who haven't owned a toon very long. When we rented a pontoon down in Florida last year they told us that if we encounter a big wave like the wake from a boat going by to turn the boat so that you ride the wave from the side. I have had other types of boats and I know it is just natural to turn into the wave but pontoons ride over waves much better if they hit you from the side. The reason I posted this is because I have read where so many say that a big wave came over the bow and about swamped them.

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Big Wave

I would generally agree with the advice you were given. Remember, the pontoon is only 8 feet wide, but, 20+ feet long. From the side, it will tend to ride the wave up and down. From the front, it will tend to put the nose down into the wave. You can get drenched that way, but won't sink.

 

[BoatDrinksQ5]

Re: Big Wave

Good thing about pontoons is that they are generally self bailing - but you could bust the front wall/door if you really got into a big wave.

I would think the typical come into it at a 30-50% angle under low speed (in most all boats) should work decent enough. But riding with the wave at a similar angle also works - I just never like the surf/digging into the trough feeling that can be sketchy. But if you expect the worst...then typically it is manageable.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: Big Wave

I would turn away from the wave and kick it .You should be able to out run it or at least take it at a safer speed. When I see one of those big boats coming up on me,you know they do that on purpose, I turn into there direction ,That makes them cut off or slow down.

 

[treker]

Re: Big Wave

Not sure how big big is but I take them at a 30-50 degree angle as stated above. Maybe turn and run if you have enough notice. Theres always the Go For It, and make the sign of the cross

 

[BobGinCO]

Re: Big Wave

When I see one of those big boats coming up on me,you know they do that on purpose, I turn into there direction ,That makes them cut off or slow down.

You should consider taking a boating safety course.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Big Wave

I am with most everyone else, I have found taking them at a 45 is best, you aren't getting them full on the side or head.

Pontoons are wave peircing hulls so they go more through a wave then over it and as BoatDrinks pointed out you could take out a panel or gate if it is big enough.

 

[gpfishingdude]

Re: Big Wave

I really don't have much experience with huge waves or wakes. I suppose I would try to out run a ten footer. But riding out a 2-3 foot wave from the side is fun.

 

[SEMPERFI8387]

Re: Big Wave

You should consider taking a boating safety course.

Agreed

I would turn away from the wave and kick it .You should be able to out run it or at least take it at a safer speed. When I see one of those big boats coming up on me,you know they do that on purpose, I turn into there direction ,That makes them cut off or slow down.

You are just asking for trouble....... at least a citation if USCG or F&G see you doing this, or worse some drunk on other boat ramming you ....

 

[BiXLL]

Re: Big Wave

Agreed



You are just asking for trouble....... at least a citation if USCG or F&G see you doing this, or worse some drunk on other boat ramming you ....

+1........

 

[Water logged]

Re: Big Wave

Not sure what you mean by "ride the wave from the side", but if you mean to run with the pontoon parallel to the wave and let it go under you be sure everyone is buckeled in for a wild ride. The boat will flop from side to side as the wave passes under the two tubes and anything not tied down will take off. Hit the wave at a 45 degree angel and if that causes water over the deck you should have turned away and avoided the wave.

Glenn

 

[crb478]

Re: Big Wave

I can tell you from experience that you can submarine a pontoon. I had a good friend driving my pontoon because I had been drinking, when he headed toward a set of waves about 4 foot tall at 3/4 power. I pointed the wave out to him and then pointed it out again before he back off the throttle about 30 feet from the wave. The boat went up over the first wave down the back side of the wave and through the bottom of the second wave. About a foot of water came over the top of the rail soaking everyone in the front of the boat. The water flooded all the way to the back, but not as deep and then the boat just bobbed back up on top of the water. The front gate was now at the back of the boat. When we got back my wife fired him as a boat driver. If you are in big waves slow down, hit them at an angle and get to some place that the waves are not that big. Pontoons are not made for rough seas.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Big Wave

Submarining a pontoon can be very dangerous if it occurs at speed. As the nose goes under the deck begins to act like a diving plane on a submarine. That drives the bow down at a steeper angle until the prop comes out of the water. At that point forward motion stops and the pontoon surfaces but with a backward thrust that can pitch people overboard.

 

[Dragboatdad]

Re: Big Wave

I am not new to boating but new to pontoons. I have a Sun Tracker Party Cruiser we use on the Colorado river. We don't have big waves but we do have big wakes from wakeboard boats. I take them at a 45 as mentioned. I can go straight into them, they're not that big. I really try to avoid taking them from the side unless traffic doesn't allow me to turn into them. The Party Cruisers are just too top heavy, they really rock and roll. I won't allow anybody to ride on the upper deck when under way, you would probably get sling shot off.

 

[snakeskinrug]

Re: Big Wave

Today I had my pontoon out. I'm cruising at top speed when I see a 30' (or so) yacht just gettin' it about 500 yards in front of me. I immediately turn to take the wake at a 45 and throttle down when it gets close. Just as we're starting to ride the rollercoaster, some hot-doggin SOB in a cabin cruiser shoots by about 30 yards from us trying to jump the yacht’s wake. The resulting constructive wave interference (yes I'm a physics teacher) created a 3.5' triangular wave that smacked right into the front of the boat. 5150abf is correct, my boat cut right into that wave and the next thing I knew we were ankle deep on the deck and the sheet metal on my front gate is blown out. My 3 year old daughter was not impressed ("Oh no! Our boat is underwater!")

So, could I have done anything different? I had about 15 seconds from when I saw the large swell to when we were acting out Hunt for Red October. I was trying to rotate more to hit it at an angle but since I had throttled down I just couldn’t get it around quick enough. I briefly thought about punching the throttle, but I immediately put that down as a very stupid idea.