Vicious Wake, 1 man down.

[SoWhat]

That describes where the Merrimack meets the Atlantic in Newburyport as well. I was amazed at the small boats in the channel taking massive wakes while fishing. They just wave.

Lived in Newburyport for many years. There's a CG station there for a good reason. That inlet can be treacherous and those 16' alum skiffs with their ancient evinrude 20's generate a fair number of maydays. It's a popular spot for striped bass fishing.

 

[hollywood8118]

So, if the o.p. had held on and not taken a spill then there wouldn't of been any damage?. Should the offending sports fisher be responsuble if the boat he passes has someone aboard that just stands there not holding on?.
In both cases I think just being ready and holding on would have eliminated any issues.
I dont like to see anyone hurt while boating, so I do feel bad for the o.p. as it was an expensive and painful thing to go through.
Hollywood

 

[Peter B]

In some cases, this will put you out of the channel, aground or into another boat.

You need to be aware of your surroundings at all times and that includes other boats.

Which is why I said...

...if there is sea room, a quick bear away without slowing, so as to present the stern quarter or even full stern to the wave is often the best...

However for my little oar, if I might stick it in, I think rather too much is being made regarding the onus of the waked/overtaken boat to keep watching the rear all the time. Let's get real. If there is one direction one should least expect a sudden danger to present from, it's behind you. The only possible danger that should ever come from behind, (as you have, by definition, successfully navigated past any other hazards), is an overtaking boat. And for mine, (although I actually have a rear vision mirror installed to protect from this sort of thing, see pic), with any vehicle, be it boat, plane or car, the overtaking vehicle must in effect, 'give way'. In other words consider what might happen as they pass, and take the required action to minimise any problem. That is just obvious common sense to me.

On the road, it is an absolute. On the water the ability to pass either side makes it a bit less clear cut, but for that reason, this also makes getting surprised a bit easier, because of cabin noise, poorer rearward visibility than road vehicles, and the fact it can come at you from either side. I realise that to boaters on the plane, it all seems so smooth, they don't realise (or many appear not to), just how aggressive the wake they are making can be, depending on how close they go to a boat they are passing, and I also accept it is a pain coming down off the plane, then soon after, back up on it, because of increased fuel it consumes. But even so, trying to save fuel does not justify a close pass of a clearly unsuspecting boat, at a semi or full planing speed.

Here is how I try to prevent it however, as it will still happen. Note rear vision mirror making use of the damned steering chain pole. At least it is useful for something...

 

[BandB]

From the first boat I ever owned, a 17' Searay, to present I've always had mirrors. I was always surprised that runabouts didn't come with them, especially when you'd be pulling skiers. Always had one added.

 

[78puget-trawler]

Can we please get real about these wave heights? No piddling pleasure boat owned by any of us throws a 4 foot swell let alone a 6' swell. An aircraft carrier might but not us.

 

[rwidman]

Can we please get real about these wave heights? No piddling pleasure boat owned by any of us throws a 4 foot swell let alone a 6' swell. An aircraft carrier might but not us.

How about a freighter on a narrow river?

 

[Ski in NC]

Can we please get real about these wave heights? No piddling pleasure boat owned by any of us throws a 4 foot swell let alone a 6' swell. An aircraft carrier might but not us.

Good point. I was passed by a big sea ray type thing in the ditch about a week ago. Waked me pretty well. Came up to a channel marker he had passed less than a minute prior. Looked down near the water line. It was wet about 8-10" above the water line. So his wake was less than 2' peak to trough.

Ships in channels are different. Not only are their wakes magnified just outside the channels where depth is less, but they can create a surge that behaves completely different. Dynamics are different in the same way dynamics are different for a tsunami and surface waves.

Nastiest waves I have EVER hit were from a freighter in the Cape Fear River. Dang near vertical face.

 

[Fletcher500]

Take a look at the middle section of SD bay, near the bridge. Its about a 1/4 mile wide, and as I had originally posted, every craft you can think of goes through here. It is a wide open speed zone. Maybe not 4, but I can tell you that very large boat wakes come through here, probably in the 2-3 ft range. We have had our entire galley emptied out once while sitting off to the side at night, catching an evening concert. I will say it again, it is part of the deal. The last thing I thought of was calling someone, chasing them, shooting them with paintballs, or hoping to meet them at a restaurant later. Analysis to paralysis.

Can we please get real about these wave heights? No piddling pleasure boat owned by any of us throws a 4 foot swell let alone a 6' swell. An aircraft carrier might but not us.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Take a look at the middle section of SD bay, near the bridge. Its about a 1/4 mile wide, and as I had originally posted, every craft you can think of goes through here. It is a wide open speed zone. Maybe not 4, but I can tell you that very large boat wakes come through here, probably in the 2-3 ft range. We have had our entire galley emptied out once while sitting off to the side at night, catching an evening concert. I will say it again, it is part of the deal. The last thing I thought of was calling someone, chasing them, shooting them with paintballs, or hoping to meet them at a restaurant later. Analysis to paralysis.

Every boating area is not the same.

How things work in one area is not necessarily how it goes everywhere.

Anymore than the type of boating traffic you have to deal with in one area compared to another is the same.

You can say "it's part of the deal" but the courts have ruled differently from time to time.

 

[Mule]

Can we please get real about these wave heights? No piddling pleasure boat owned by any of us throws a 4 foot swell let alone a 6' swell. An aircraft carrier might but not us.

You were not there!

 

[rwidman]

............ Ships in channels are different. Not only are their wakes magnified just outside the channels where depth is less, but they can create a surge that behaves completely different. Dynamics are different in the same way dynamics are different for a tsunami and surface waves.

Nastiest waves I have EVER hit were from a freighter in the Cape Fear River. Dang near vertical face.

And it's pointless to complain about ship wakes. It's entirely up to us to deal with them.

 

[78puget-trawler]

How about a freighter on a narrow river?

Sure! How many of us drive freighters?

 

[78puget-trawler]

You were not there!

So what? I wasn't addressing you in the first place. I think you stated a wave close to 3 ft. Not impossible. Others mentioned in the 4-6' range. Waves always look bigger than they really are. And the width of the channel has nothing to do with how tall a wave is, for those that used the example.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Can we please get real about these wave heights? No piddling pleasure boat owned by any of us throws a 4 foot swell let alone a 6' swell. An aircraft carrier might but not us.

You need to speak for yourself.

There are people on here who own or run boats capable of making a 4' wake.

And I'm one of those.

Now do people tend to exaggerate wake/wave size? Yes, all the time.

But that doesn't mean the 4 footers aren't out there.

 

[78puget-trawler]

I am talking about pleasure boats, NOT commercial craft. How about a 6' footer like someone mentioned? I doubt my CHB could muster up more than a foot and a half of wave.

 

[psneeld]

54 foot Sea Ray motor yachts from around the years 2000 to 2003 could easily throw a 4 foot wake and at the right (wrong soeed) might do a 5er.

I saw many a wake wash over 4 foot high sea walls..and possibly higher. Sport fishing in that size range, like the old Bertram could produce the same. I ran several of those tubby Sea,Ray's quite a bit for a few years

Usually there are 3 or so big wakes behind these type boats and stretch back a colourless hundred feet. If the pass is close enough you are in these wakes...you will be sorry. If outside or much further back when you get them...not so bad.

A lot of people are missing that mandatory (though usually not done) communications (radio or whistle) when overtaking are required in US inland rules.

 

[78puget-trawler]

Have a hard time believing that. A 4-6' wave is basically what rolls across the ocean on most days unless its nasty. Boat waves always look huge when on a small boat like most of ours, and the fact that they are much closer together than a similar sized "swell" makes them look taller. Its very deceiving and hard to judge height when rolling around on a small boat, they all look big.

 

[dhays]

Have a hard time believing that. A 4-6' wave is basically what rolls across the ocean on most days unless its nasty. Boat waves always look huge when on a small boat like most of ours, and the fact that they are much closer together than a similar sized "swell" makes them look taller. Its very deceiving and hard to judge height when rolling around on a small boat, they all look big.

I definitely don't trust my own ability to judge wave height. I still try, but it is tough without a good point of reference. I also look down onto the waves from the PH which changes the perspective.

 

[markpierce]

Ships' wakes are benign here.



Close, high-speed (36-knot) ferries are another matter.

 

[danderer]

I don't necessarily think they are trying to be obnoxious, but more that that never look behind them to see the effect of their wake.

When out with new boaters I keep an eye out for when they might wake someone excessively. I left them do one and then suggest they look astern to see the effects. They usually react with surprise and some chagrin. Hopefully a lesson learned.

 

[psneeld]

Have a hard time believing that. A 4-6' wave is basically what rolls across the ocean on most days unless its nasty. Boat waves always look huge when on a small boat like most of ours, and the fact that they are much closer together than a similar sized "swell" makes them look taller. Its very deceiving and hard to judge height when rolling around on a small boat, they all look big.

For amateurs that might be true, but as an on the water professional now for 36 years....and having had to testify in depositions on boat speed and wakes on several occasions that went unchallenged.....

Believe what you want...just passing along a reality from someone who has run these types of boats enough.

Ocean waves and wakes are pretty hard to compare in my experience.

 

[rwidman]

Sure! How many of us drive freighters?

Few of us for sure but I don't think you read the entire post. We don't make wakes driving freighters but many of us share the water with them from time to time. We can't expect them to slow to no wake speed when we come near them so we, as captains of our own boats must take the responsibility to deal with them appropriately. And of course, if we can do that, we can deal with wakes from recreational boats as well.

Understand now?

 

[rwidman]

OK, 172 posts on dealing with wakes. My question is, has anyone learned anything from these 172 posts?


How many here have been convinced that they were wrong and have changed their minds?

 

[BruceK]

Sure! How many of us drive freighters?

Wayfarer for a start. There are others. So, what?

 

[SoWhat]

A lot of people are missing that mandatory (though usually not done) communications (radio or whistle) when overtaking are required in US inland rules.

Usually not done. Understatement.

I can't recall the last time anyone used horn or radio when overtaking me. That includes USCG boats.

 

[CPseudonym]

Missed opportunity for the follow on post of the year...

 

[Capt.Bill11]

I am talking about pleasure boats, NOT commercial craft. How about a 6' footer like someone mentioned? I doubt my CHB could muster up more than a foot and a half of wave.

I'm not talking about commercial boats.

And I agree that 6' wake is almost impossible for anything other than a large ship.

But 3'-4' isn't.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Usually not done. Understatement.

I can't recall the last time anyone used horn or radio when overtaking me. That includes USCG boats.

That's sad.

Unless youare one of those boats that don't run with their radio on. ?

 

[rwidman]

.................... A lot of people are missing that mandatory (though usually not done) communications (radio or whistle) when overtaking are required in US inland rules.

With little or no requirement for boater education in the USA, the average boater does not know about the sound signals or even the part about contacting other boats on the radio.

Approach the average boater from behind and sound the horn and you'll likely get a hand signal in return.

 

[rwidman]

Unless youare one of those boats that don't run with their radio on. ��

You're talking about a sailboat, right?