Wakeless in Waterway

The thread... "Sigh...a new breed on the way??" has provoked this posting as that thread was taking a turn.

I recently returned from a 60 day trip on my own trawler. In this case I was going North while most, smarter than me, were going South. Aside from the weather cooling off we passed near significantly more boats than if we were going in the same direction as they were going. While many were polite and professional there was a large number of operators that passed with no regard to the effect of their wake or proximity...hell, they would never see us again anyway. When I could spot an oncoming vessel throwing out a tsunami I would politely, when they were within perhaps 1/4 mile, ask for a slow pass if possible. Many obliged and passed with a friendly wave. Others never broke stride and frequently created angst as to whether they even saw us. This is just plain wrong and really angers me when my wife, dog and boat are abused by someone that just doesn't care and faces no consequences.

When I do a delivery or on my own boat in every situation I do my absolute best not to inconvenience anyone. I think most of us are professional in this regard but many others...

How do you deal with this? What can we do about it when it occurs? Ranting on the radio will do nothing but many do in response to release frustration (I don't but have thought about it). Record boat name, hailing port, time, date, location and post somewhere; I don't have a good answer.

I think the best you can do is not let it get under your skin and accept it comes with the territory. The boat will deal with it just fine, and very likely so will the crew with a heads up.

I agree that taking your frustrations out on the radio does no good. It just annoys everyone else within range, and deprives them of the channel for their needs.

There really is nothing meaningful you can do to change their behavior, so I wouldn't waste any time on them. Keep on keeping on with what you enjoy.

Greetings,
Mr. 53. I agree with Mr. NM's advice. Just let it pass. I'm a big believer in Karma.

No Mast said:

I agree that taking your frustrations out on the radio does no good. It just annoys everyone else within range, and deprives them of the channel for their needs.

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Although some may appreciate a "Securite" warning to all in the upcoming path...

-Chris

These folks are called Oblivians, because they are oblivious to their surroundings. They are not confined to waterways, you see them on the road all the time.

Like was mentioned earlier, don't let it ruin your day, just roll with it.

I agree with you on a courteous slow pass.

Just curious how slow you expect someone to go? While I will back off from my normal 7 knots, 5 is about as slow as I want to go to maintain steerage. Even at 5 knots there is still going to be some rocking.

Ted

There is little that can be done in the short run to change basic human nature. I used to boat on the ICW mid Jersey and know the problem well. If I had to boat there again I would give significant consideration to a boat that does not roll badly and would consider a gyroscopic stabilizer which would also work at anchor.

O C Diver said:

Just curious how slow you expect someone to go? While I will back off from my normal 7 knots, 5 is about as slow as I want to go to maintain steerage. Even at 5 knots there is still going to be some rocking.

Ted

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For me, I really look at RPM's not ground speed when I'm passing. How low? depends on the circumstance. If we're passing a crew in their scull, I'll drop the RPM to just about idle, and let momentum carry us past them probably more than the screw at that point. Passing an average boat I'll drop to around 1100-1200 RPM or so. but it depends on our relative velocities. The more the other boat throttles down, the more I can also.

At our speed, and I'd guess it holds for many of us, we pass the sailboats, and the sport fishers pass us.

If I'm being passed, how much I slow down depends on:
1. how much room we have
2. what their wake looks like

The more room and the less wake, I'll bring her down maybe to idle, let them pass. Less room or larger wake, I'll actually not slow down that much at all and turn on the stabilizers instead. They'll keep us on an even keel without sacrificing steerage, but I need at least 4-5 kts over the fins to be really effective.

I occasionally crew as engr on larger older boats, my job is just to keep the old machinery going.. if possible.

Often there is a hired capt at the helm. A couple of them would plow past anyone. Once I made a comment... "Hey, our wake is really going to thrash that boat.." His response: "F%$k them".

I then decided to stay in the engine room so no one could see me.

One capt was from NY, one from Fla via NY. Not that I am trying to stereotype or anything!!!

It's the 3-4' wave that erupts causing the issues. I will pull down to 2-3 and at times still bury the bow. It is primarily oncoming. When being overtaken I will move to outside of channel and pull down to about 2 or steerage speed. Some wake is always unavoidable. I get that; been doing this 45 years in power and sail. It is the really obnoxious ones that don't give a rats like anyone slower doesn't count that gripe me.

bilge53 said:

It is the really obnoxious ones that don't give a rats like anyone slower doesn't count that gripe me.

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I get it. We all feel it. But you can't have a rational and productive conversation with an irrational a$$hole. So best you can do is not let them dictate what mood you'll be in.

You won't change their behavior, only your blood pressure.

There are endless "wake" threads on every boating forum. There's nothing you can do about wakes from other boats. Calling them names on the VHF might make you feel better but it doesn't take back the wake.

Have you ever boated on a river with container ships or oil tankers? You will experience some really strong wakes but can you reasonably expect a tanker to slow down for you? It won't.

I have called people approaching me with safety concerns and had no response. Some people think only of themselves and others don't even listen to their VHFs.

You have to deal with the issues or find another hobby.

WesK you missed my point. It is the ones who can and should be professional that lost the book. Nobody in their right mind would expect large commercial vessels to do anything different and we are required to give them right of way. There is always the law of gross vehicle (vessel) weight wins with the corollary it is not who is right it is who is left.

Actually commercial does not automatically have the right of way.

You should be prepared for big wakes anyhow as you can be passed by an emergency vessel at any time.

I always tell them no slow pass as that is painfully to slow for me on either end. I just turn stern to and ride it out. Olny in the rare instance where I can't position to take it on the stern is it a big deal...then I just try to plan it to my advantage.

This year it seemed like nobody in South Carolina even made a call which I like...but most gave slow passes. Had to laugh at them...if they called...they wouldn't have had to slow down.

Right of Way (Descending)

1a) Not Under Command (NUC)

1b) Restricted in Ability to Maneuver (RAM)

2) Constrained by Draft (ColRegs only*)

3) Fishing

Constrained by draft is international only I believe....

You were talking ICW ....were you not?

psneeld said:

Constrained by draft is international only I believe....

You were talking ICW ....were you not?

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Think it applies to USA inland waters also, channels between the Great Lakes and channels in Chesapeake Bay come to mind.

Ted

What I have found is that some of the bigger wakes come from boats with hulls that are not well suited to travel in a mid or slower speed range. The skippers of these boats may feel they are throttling back and not realize that their hull will still throw a big wake unless they go way down where their boats are not happy. I find my fine entry SD 46+ foot waterline boat will do fine at two K under hull speed and that would be about 7K actually the wake is quite reasonable up to 9K. But push a Grand banks or sport fisher or many other planning hulls to 9K and its a different story. Look at the picture to the left wake at 7-8k.

I don't think CBS applies inland....anywhere.....

now Rule 9 does and might apply for what is really a nothing burger in this case...but commercial always having the right of way (stand on) over recreational never does...only as pertains to the rules.

My Mistake.

Ted



Rule 28 -- Vessels Constrained by Their Draft

INTERNATIONAL


A vessel constrained by her draft may, in addition to the lights prescribed for power-driven vessels in Rule 23, exhibit where they can best be seen three all-round red lights in a vertical line, or a cylinder.


International Rule 18(d) provides for vessels constrained by their draft and attempts to favor them with regard to other vessels because of restrictions on their movement. This Rule gives the special navigation lights and shape that mark a vessel constrained by draft.
The Inland Rules did not adopt the concept of "vessel constrained by draft," and there is, therefore, no Inland Rule 28.

Not like most of us ever use or even see it...

bilge53 said:

WesK you missed my point. It is the ones who can and should be professional that lost the book. Nobody in their right mind would expect large commercial vessels to do anything different and we are required to give them right of way. There is always the law of gross vehicle (vessel) weight wins with the corollary it is not who is right it is who is left.

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Nope, I understand your point. The problem is, whining and crying about wakes on an Internet forum will get you nowhere. You can't change other people's behavior. Besides, a very small percentage of boaters are reading your post.

Wakes from any source are a fact of life for boaters and if you can't deal with them, you need a new hobby.

Most boats take a wave on the bow easily.

Just swing wide and cross the wake close to 90 deg if you can.

Attempting to re educate the world to your desires if a fruitless task, adapt.

No Mast said:

You won't change their behavior, only your blood pressure.

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Best advice I've heard this year. I should put that on the dash of my car to remind me.

FF said:

Most boats take a wave on the bow easily.

Just swing wide and cross the wake close to 90 deg if you can.

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That's what I do. It's a lot easier (and more economical) for you to do that than it is for me to throttle down from my 15 knot cruising speed every time I pass a boat. And that throttle down has to happen well in advance of our passing to give time for my wake to die down. So, in heavy traffic areas, if I was expected to slow down to idle speed every time I pass someone, I'd never get to cruising speed.

That said, I will throttle down to no-wake speed if I'm coming up on a small boat, or some docks, or someone anchored/fishing, or when someone is being towed, etc... Or if someone asks me on the radio (if I can hear it) or wave me down as we approach. Of course, if it's a very narrow waterway I'll slow down for safety's sake.

But a 30'+ boat should be able to handle my 2' - 3' wake.

I got waked so many times on the ICW from FL to Tx I gave up getting mad. It's was starting to ruin my zen like boating bliss.

I cruise 7-7.5 knots so everyone but the sailboats seem to pass me. I can usually can turn into the wake at about 90 degrees like FF said. The only ones who really got me were the big sportfish or huge Sea Ray type cruisers who didn't slow down, caught me daydreaming and snuck up behind me. If I see them coming I can take evasive maneuvers, unless the channel is too narrow.

cardude01 said:

I got waked so many times on the ICW from FL to Tx I gave up getting mad. It's was starting to ruin my zen like boating bliss.

I cruise 7-7.5 knots so everyone but the sailboats seem to pass me. I can usually can turn into the wake at about 90 degrees like FF said. The only ones who really got me were the big sportfish or huge Sea Ray type cruisers who didn't slow down, caught me daydreaming and snuck up behind me. If I see them coming I can take evasive maneuvers, unless the channel is too narrow.

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I hate it when the lazy, stupid a holes don't call on the radio. I will let them zoom by but the heads up would be nice.

The worst slow, then speed up just ahead of you so you wind up driving right into the worst of it. Hard to imagine they are that clueless...but there are so many it is hard to get to excited.

cardude01 said:

........... If I see them coming I can take evasive maneuvers, unless the channel is too narrow.

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If I see them coming and not slowing down I will stay in the middle of the channel in the hopes of them slowing down. At worst, they will have to take the outside of the channel which then gives me more maneuvering room to deal with their wake.

Of course that doesn't work well with cargo ships or tankers..

Mr. 53----- My wife and I boat in an entirely different environment than you do so we do not face the same problem in the same way as you and many others here do. However, dealing with big wakes is not an unknown here, particularly in the narrow passes and channels or approaching or departing harbors. We've had our 30,000 pound cruiser rocked pretty severely on a couple of occasions.

The comments from a lot of the other posters in this thread summarize the courses of action, or lack of them, quite well I think.

It's pretty much the same as driving I think. While one doesn't get their car and what's inside it tossed all over the place by passing cars, other drivers can be every bit as inconsiderate, careless, unaware, and flat out dangerous as the boaters you are encountering in your waters. Everyone reacts differently, from shrugging it off to road rage.

The comments people have made here are about all you can do: be aware of your surroundings, the boats coming at you from ahead and behind, have your own boat and its occupants prepared for a possible bouncing, and take whatever action you can to minimize the violence like altering your heading if possible to take the wakes more bow-on.

I thought the suggestion to get on the radio and issue a properly worded warning to other boats in the path of the offender was a good one, too.

But the bottom line is that there is really nothing one can do, at least not legally, to alter the character or behavior of others. So perhaps in this case the best offense is simply a good defense.

Marin said:

...........I thought the suggestion to get on the radio and issue a properly worded warning to other boats in the path of the offender was a good one, too........

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Making a random call on the VHF "warning" other boaters about someone making a big wake is nothing more than an attempt to "get back" at the offending boater by embarrassing him. It may make you feel better but it doesn't take back the wake. It's pretty juvenile and it's not proper use of the radio.