Need some captain's tips

[SandMan*]

To start, I'm new to boating so please dont mock my ignorance!

I've got a 13' fiberglass boat and i'm unsure if it's classified as a V-Hull or Flat Hull, the bow is V shaped and the keel is flat(ish)


My question is how do you deal with normal waves, and wakes from other boats?

Do you slow down and cross them perpendicular? ( ->| ),
allow them to roll under you from the side? ( --^ ) The arrow indicates the bow, the flat line indicates the wave.


I get nervous about trying to plane on choppy water, it seems like the boat is slamming down quite hard on the water and I lose confidence because that fear of the hull breaking in half is in the back of my mind. That or hitting a wave wrong and going bottoms up

Please help me understand how to do things the right way, and maybe explain if my fears are justifiable or not

Thanks!
-Ryan

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Hey Ryan, to answer your question, the best and safest way to cross a wave is to slow down and cross at a 45 degree angle.

It really sounds like the best advice you could get is to seek out and attend a boaters safety class. You will get information and answers to questions you have and answers to questions that you didn't know you should have. Your local U.S. Power Squadron is probably one of the best sources. Believe me, you'll be glad you attended one of the classes. And don't forget, someone here is always ready to answer any questions you may have.

Happy Boating

 

[SandMan*]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Thank you Reel, I live in Canada on Vancouver island (British Columbia), very lovely place here.

I was looking into some local boating safety courses and I will give it a shot in the spring next year.

I also need to register my boat and get some capacity ratings for it, and a pleasure craft license or something.

There are so many different things required for boating that I didn't know about before getting myself into this, I just kind of figured: Buy boat, get PFD, go boating.

Not the case, I think there's more involved than insuring and driving a car!

 

[SandMan*]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Also;

What are the reprocussions and legalities of running an overpowered boat?

I'm a bit nervous about the registration and capacity ratings of my boat because I'm pretty sure my 45hp merc is too big for my boat by the standards I've seen although it handles fine.

The formula I found for calculating HP rating seems pretty strange to me, tell me if this is right:

Boat length x transom width (Ft) (guessing 4 ft for the transom maybe 3.5)
13 x 4 = 52

They say:
0-35 = 3hp
36-39 = 5hp
40-42 = 7.5hp
43-45 = 10hp
46-52 = 15hp

I'm quite sure my boat can handle more than 15hp, seems pretty off to me... Is this wrong or what? 15hp would have a hard time pushing me downstream in the Fraser, when I was a kid we had the exact same boat with a 25hp 'Rude and going against the current in the Fraser river was slow going.

But then it goes into things like "If factor is over 52.5 and the boat has: remote steering and at least 20 [sec] transom - (2 X Factor)-90" and "For flat bottom hard chine boats - (0.5 X Factor)-15", "For other boats - (0.8 X Factor)-25"

My boat has remote steering.

I'm confused!

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Sandman, there should be a Coast Guard plate on the boat somewhere with the info you seek on it.
Be a metal plate with max hp and capacity for your boat.

Like RP says, get in a safety course.

 

[SandMan*]

Re: Need some captain's tips

No metal plate... the boat is pretty old, I think they stopped making hourston's in the 70's?

I've looked, it's gone, or was built before regulations stated that manufacturers required one, which was put into play in 1981 I believe?

 

[Solittle]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Regardless of tags or numbers 45 hp is at least twice the safe power for a 13' boat unless you have racing experience. Further I would not go any faster than I was comfortable with regardless of boat size, construction or power. We go out to have a good time not to worry.

 

[EricR]

Re: Need some captain's tips

45 horsepower twice the safe power for a 13' boat? Explain the thousands of 13' Boston Whalers with and rated for 40 horse!

Show us a pic of the boat. I think we can come up with a figure.

Two questions that will always raise a fuss on this board, first is "How much horsepower can I run?" the second is "I want to install one of those doel fin hydrofoil things, do you recommend them?"

I ran a 40 horse Lark III Evinrude on a 12' 3" long vee nosed fiberglass runabout hull. NO it was not "overpowered", not the Coast Gaurd did NOT stop me and ticket me for having an overpowered boat. The boat ran just shy of 30 mph and was very stable.

 

[SandMan*]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Here she is, I've had it on the water once and it was fine, but I have not had it WOT because I had 4 people on board and I messed up and had the motor angled too much lifting the bow..DOH!

 

[EricR]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Looks fine to me. Actually similar to what I had, except you have more freeboard (hull side above the waterline) and harder "chines", or the corners so to speak, of the hull at the waterline. Run that 40 on there, it'll be all right.

 

[Capt. Valk]

Re: Need some captain's tips

First thing I would do is make sure the wood inside the transom is not rotted. Grab the outboard and move it, see if the transom flexes. Also tap on it with a rubber mallet. If one spot sounds different from the others I would be very careful about how much HP ya strap onto that bad boy.

ps. when I was younger I had the same (almost) boat with a 35 hp outboard.

 

[SandMan*]

Re: Need some captain's tips

I was going to ask about replacing the transom actually, it just looks like a painted piece of plywood under the well... How hard is it to rip out?

Does it require fiberglass work? I'm not familiar with the construction on these things... But the transom is on its way out so if it's a quick fix I'd be all over it!

I'm glad to hear it looks fine though

 

[Mark42]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Cool boat. I don't think that 45hp is out of line for it. It will probably be fast. Just operate it responsibly and don't overload it. 4 people and gear should be your limit (not that it looks like you could fit any more in there....).

 

[Nandy]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Also, that horse power limitation migth be saving your transom. You boat might be able to safely manuver with X amount of HP. But your transom is taking the bulk of the HP, therefore if you have too much HP for the transom you will be starting to see problems there even if you have a solid dry transom. Take it from me, years ago, way long time ago I was going to buy a 25 hp to install in a 10 feet johnboat.... I glad my friends talk me out of it.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Need some captain's tips

I would definately make sure the transom is sound. With four people on board and a 40 hp there is a lot of pressure back there. Take some pics of the inside and out in the transom area for people to better help you out. I had no clue how bad mine was a few years back until I started reading how common the problem is on this board. Well when I checked it out it was totally gone and I had been going every weekend skiing with my family. It was a very rude awakening to what could have gone wrong had I not checked it out. With a 235 hp back there and a transom full of black mush it could have been VERY ugly. I think I got lucky some how, but after reading up on how to repair it I totally re did it and now is solid as a rock and can be in the lake for a week at a time and not leak one drop. good luck that is a pretty cool little boat. I approach waves at a 45 deg. if possible and not full throttle take the class and spend some time on YOUR boat that is the best way to know how it will handle and what it does and doesn't like on the water.

 

[getinmerry]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Just as an FYI-

Someone above recommended taking a boating course. I agree fully. Lots of good information.

A friend of mine got a fine for not having the safety course card while driving a Jet Flea. The judge told him to go home and take the online boater's safety course. I went through it, and it's pretty informative. There's good illustrations, information, and in some ways I thought it was better than the sit-down course I took here in New York because I could go back and relook at things I wanted to know more about. The course is also state-specific.

At the end, you pay for it and they issue you a card that you completed the course. I believe the course was $15, but it's totally free if you don't care about the card.

Here's the address the judge gave my friend: http://www.boatingbasicsonline.com/course/boating/index.php

Chuck

 

[arboldt]

Re: Need some captain's tips

I wouldn't worry about a 45 HP based on the size of your boat -- there's a lot more to it than just size. Others have talked about the transom condition, hull shape, etc. Even jet skis come out with over 100 HP now.

I've got a 13 1/2 ft SeaRayder; Sea Ray put in a 90 HP sport jet when they made it. They also sold the same model with a 120 HP. Actually, either one is a little underpowered if anything. So it's practically the same size as yours with twice to HP, and it's severely underpowered. By that I mean it takes a long time to get on plane, and top speed at WOT is about 30. BUT that's the way mine was designed I now know.

Good advice to take a boater safety course.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Arboldt, the issue with the transom and the horsepower rating is not if the boat is underpower or not, it is about if the transom can take the pressure of that motor pushing on it, day after day. Example, a 1980 50 hp mercury weights around 175 lbs, a 140 weights 300, a mere 150 pounds difference, is like just having an adult sitting on the back of the boat all the time. I have no doubt than the transom in that boat will last just a few hours of playing before it starts showing some serious damage.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Need some captain's tips

Just as an FYI-

Someone above recommended taking a boating course. I agree fully. Lots of good information.

A friend of mine got a fine for not having the safety course card while driving a Jet Flea. The judge told him to go home and take the online boater's safety course. I went through it, and it's pretty informative. There's good illustrations, information, and in some ways I thought it was better than the sit-down course I took here in New York because I could go back and relook at things I wanted to know more about. The course is also state-specific.

At the end, you pay for it and they issue you a card that you completed the course. I believe the course was $15, but it's totally free if you don't care about the card.

Here's the address the judge gave my friend: http://www.boatingbasicsonline.com/course/boating/index.php

Chuck

Be aware that the online course is not recognized by many states (NJ and NY are two of them). So even if you pay the $15 to get your certificates, they will not be valid for getting your boating licence in NJ or NY. You must take the state approved courses (in person class) and get the appropriate certificate from the state police to get your boat license.

 

[HondaPower]

Re: Need some captain's tips

In Canada the Small Craft Operators permit is a requirement in all provinces and is a national program. Currently it is a requirement for all those under the age of 16 and all operators of powered watercraft under 4 meters regardless of age. Starting Sept 2009 it will apply to all powered watercraft regardless of length. You can take a course and write the exam, or self study and challenge the exam. I believe the total fee comes in somewhere around $50 but may be less expensive depending on what organization is conducting the program. The permit once acquired is good for life.