dealing with wakes

[whogotz]

This past weekend an 18' boat was capsized because a charter boat ran past it pretty fast causing a huge wake. 6 people had to be pulled from the water.<br /><br />Is there anything you can do to avoid this happening? I am not sure if having 6 people was that much of a factor.<br /><br />I have been in a 19 foot boat when a cargo ship goes by, pretty big wake but no water came over.

 

[baja power]

Re: dealing with wakes

Dont be so close to the vessel and if your in motion then aproach them at a different angle or just steer through them..

 

[bayman]

Re: dealing with wakes

Also...trim tabs can help navigate wakes when underway.<br /><br />Plus, (when stopped) teach people to not all stand on one side of the boat. Sometimes people all run to the same side of the boat to watch a large craft go by...not so good.

 

[whogotz]

Re: dealing with wakes

So if I am in motion it is best to drive right through them? Perpendicular to the wake?<br /><br />And if I am stopped try to distribute the weight evenly?

 

[AJ168]

Re: dealing with wakes

Actually wakes should be taken at a 45 degree angle. And when you do take them, slow way down before you hit them. And yes, weight distribution is important as is making sure that your boat isn't overloaded. If you hit a wake parallel, there is a large chance that the boat will capsize.<br />I hope that charter boat captain got it from the state police, because you are responsible for any damage done by your wake. But of course most new people don't know that and it seems that most new people have rediculously big boats, and are always throwing huge wakes. You just have to learn to deal with it.

 

[Bondo]

Re: dealing with wakes

It depends on just How Big the wakes are,.....<br />And,... How Small your boat is.......<br /><br />A few Tips I can think of real Quick are,.....<br /><br />a, Don't take a wake, or Any Big Wave, over the Stern,.... Unless your in a Canoe,.. Then it Doesn't Matter....<br /><br />b, Balance your Cargo,... Whether it's Breathing or Not,.....People, or Things,..... Pay Attention to the Weight......<br /><br />c, Quartering INto a wake is Usually Better than Perpendicular,.. Or Parallel....<br /><br />d, 20 Foot is a Small Boat,...... Anything Less is just plain Tiny......<br />An 18'er with 6 people is OverLoaded in My Eyes........<br /><br /> e, When there Is an incident like this,...<br />It's Usually the Fault of the Small boat Operator,...... But,.... The Owner of the Big boat,. Always gets Sued................

 

[baja power]

Re: dealing with wakes

sometimes its better go to through them at a higher rate if your in a deep V or heavier boat..

 

[bayman]

Re: dealing with wakes

Here is an example of probably taking a wake too fast, click on Video #1, (short video):<br /> http://www.onboardcamera.com/boat.htm

 

[baja power]

Re: dealing with wakes

or hit it just right and get some major air. lets hope your quick on the throttles!!<br /><br /> http://www.panteraboats.com <br /><br />(watch the intro)<br />Note: best viewed with High speed connection.

 

[ziggy]

Re: dealing with wakes

i think the best way to to approch a wave is at a 45% angle. there is much to learn about boat handleing. i agree the weight distribution may be critical depending on the boat and the load the boat carrys. keep all loose items stored securly, have all people stationary with pfd on, weight distribured evenly or as situation warrents fore or aft. all hatches closed. personally when approching a large boat wake i slow down first. then approch at the 45% angle or there abouts while going pretty slow. as i'm riding up the 1st large wave i give it a little throttle. this helps me keep the bow up for when the second wave comes by. i have a trihull which pounds ya pretty good on a big wave. so when i throttle up i'm only doing so to keep my bow up, not much throttle. i want any v that my boat has to slice thru the wave and displace it. as mentioned above, trim will have an effect too. trim up. ya don't want to trim down and put the bow of the boat low into the wave.

 

[wgander]

Re: dealing with wakes

I find it most comfortable to cross a wake slowly and at no more than 45 degrees. I usually add a little power, not for speed, but to raise the bow a little so that it doesn't go down in the trough and bury the bow in the second wake. We always announce wakes, so everyone's sitting down or holding on and we never have any loose gear: we keep everything stowed when not in use.

 

[QC]

Re: dealing with wakes

I think Bill Andersen, Ziggy and AJ168 have this right. When all else fails 45 degrees is the best bet. That greatly reduces the chance of poking the bow into the next one and as AJ said parallel is no good either. The only time that speed or perpendicular work is when you are going fast enough that you don't come down between them at all.<br /><br />I have poked the bow through twice. First time was an experience issue, second time (20 years later) I took my eye off the second wave (it was not a wake) as I came off plane to enter a marina. It was a timing thing and frankly I should have entered a little hotter instead of worrying about the rules in that particular instance. The ultimate solution to both would have been the 45 degree rule and I should have anticipated better to allow me to follow it. In both cases we just got wet and my ego was a little bruised.

 

[Smedley]

Re: dealing with wakes

I also have a small boat and when I am fishing and get a good sized wake coming at me I use the trolling motor to turn into the wake so the bow takes the hit. I almost got pushed into a rock bluff one day by a novice running a ski boat. You gotta pay attention!!!!

 

[Stratocaster]

Re: dealing with wakes

Where I boat, I regularly have to cross wakes from ferries and container ships. I take the boat off plane, then take the wave at a slight angle off the bow at no-wake speed. Once the initial big wave and the 2 or 3 smaller ones have passed, it's time to throttle up again. But watch out for the big boat's wake going the other way...it's a LOT harder to see waves from behind, and sometimes it's like coming off a 6 foot cliff.