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At a normal cruising speed of 6.3 knots, I generate a minor wake. Nevertheless, when an anchored (usually with fishermen aboard) small open boat is passed nearby, I slow down.

When being passed by a big-wake-making boat (most all boats pass me), I look to maneuver, usually cutting the throttle to idle and turning into the wake. Sometimes, however, I'm caught unaware and, thankfully, never on a flybridge with exagerated motion!
 
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Although it is seldom done a 270 deg turn , reverse course and cross the wake at a 90 deg angle does not take that long and bow on most wakes are no big deal.


Most boats can stay at cruise speed and do a circle faster than slow down and speed up .

Your boats action is also more noticable to the passing boat who might contemplate his wake ,

unless its a sport fish , or a delivery crew.
 
healhustler said:
Two big Sea Ray tennis shoes approached me from behind on the Gulf Coast ICW, and the leading one was actually polite enough to inform me about his intention to pass. He throttle back, gave me the call, and when I thanked him for the heads-up, he and the boat behind him gunned it and left a hole going by that a 65 footer could've fell into. I damn near lost my helm chair out the pilothouse door that day and being at the extreme right of a very narrow channel, I had no alternative except to absorb these tremendous wakes from both boats. I stomped on the deck to warn my wife below, but it was to late to save her from a pretty heavy impact.
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One thing I've learned from experiences like yours is to not move out of the center of a narrow channel when a fast boat is approaching me. To them, that action seems to give them "permission" to blast on by.

By staying in the middle of the channel, that forces them to either pass you on one side or the other at their own risk or slow down and ask you to move over. If you're already on the side of the channel, you may not have maneuvering room to deal with the other boat's wake.
 
Passing takes two boats communicating either through actions or words to work best. Often times it happens quite naturally. However, other times communicating over VHF is very helpful. Calling out "Boat in front of me" isn't the most effective. Identifying who I am and who I'm trying to speak to may be effective.

One should not move close to the edge of the channel. However, the boat being passed should prepare for wake. The goal of both boats is to minimize wake and impact, while preparing to handle the wake created. There are some boat owners who do show disregard for other boats, but there are also some boat owners who show unreasonable expectations in terms of a wake free cruise as if they think everyone should just follow in a nice line behind them. We do not call to every boat we're going to pass. If it's an open area with plenty of room we make the pass. However, when it's a narrower area or a turn involved and the wrong move by the boat being overtaken could cause problems, we do make contact.

We find it somewhat ironic that on the lake on a busy weekend there were constant wakes from all directions and the generally small boats handled them without complaint. Yet, on the ICW we hear far more complaints about wake by boats far larger and more capable of handling them. Near our home, the biggest wakes caused are by boats pulling skiers and boarders. They can't participate in those activities and make no wake nor would I expect them to.

Now, as to a visible name, I think it's common courtesy to have one for boats going to overtake you. In this regard, I don't care how you make it visible to me. I may have some information that can help make your cruise and mine less problematic. I don't contact every boat I pass, but when I do contact one it's for safety and/or convenience of both of us. Now the boats most difficult to contact and most in need of being contacted are boats under sail. Trawlers generally go in straight lines, boats under sail don't, and some of them seem oblivious to other boats about to overtake them.
 
Rule 9 - Narrow Channels (a) (i) A vessel proceeding along the course of a narrow channel or fairway shall keep as near to the outer limit of the channel or fairway which lies on her starboard side as is safe and practicable.


http://navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesContent#rule9


c) When in sight of one another:

(i) a power-driven vessel intending to overtake another power-driven vessel shall indicate her intention by the following signals on her whistle:
  • one short blast to mean "I intend to overtake you on your starboard side"
  • two short blasts to mean "I intend to overtake you on your port side".

(ii) the power-driven vessel about to be overtaken shall, if in agreement, sound a similar signal. If in doubt she shall sound the danger signal prescribed in Rule 34(d).
 
I find it interesting to hear the same complaints from trawler owners that sail boaters have been making for years. Last week I was coming South while many boats were heading North after the Daffodil Boat Parade in Tacoma. I was amazed at the number of large cruisers that seemed to be traveling at a speed that produced the largest possible wake. They would pass close to other boats also heading North as well as us and other boats heading South.

We were in Colvos passage which is a large body of water, certainly no narrow channel. I am sure if they think about it at all, they figure that any boat that can handle open water can handle the wake they are kicking out.

I recall something that Bob Hale (former Waggoner editor) wrote. He said that "the worst thing that a boater could do was to look behind them. If they did they would see the effect of their wake" (or something close to that)
 
psneeld said:
c) When in sight of one another:

(i) a power-driven vessel intending to overtake another power-driven vessel shall indicate her intention by the following signals on her whistle:
  • one short blast to mean "I intend to overtake you on your starboard side"
  • two short blasts to mean "I intend to overtake you on your port side".
(ii) the power-driven vessel about to be overtaken shall, if in agreement, sound a similar signal. If in doubt she shall sound the danger signal prescribed in Rule 34(d).
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Those are inland rules aren't they? Important to differentiate since they are not applicable here in the Salish Sea. Here, the international rules hold sway. The signals are different.
 
Good point but most comments were about the ICW which is mostly very different than the cruising up there.


Imagine 1000 mile cruise (one way) where 90 percent of the cruisers stay within 100 feet of a line drawn on a chart.
 
psneeld said:
Good point but most comments were about the ICW which is mostly very different than the cruising up there.


Imagine 1000 mile cruise (one way) where 90 percent of the cruisers stay within 100 feet of a line drawn on a chart.
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Yeah, that is so foreign to my experience that it boggles my mind. Someday it would be interesting to do.
 
"Imagine 1000 mile cruise (one way) where 90 percent of the cruisers stay within 100 feet of a line drawn on a chart."

Perhaps the next iteration of auto pilot will simply have the ICW route on a disc , and you could just send the boat , and not worry about a wake.
 
dhays said:
I was amazed at the number of large cruisers that seemed to be traveling at a speed that produced the largest possible wake. They would pass close to other boats also heading North as well as us and other boats heading South.
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One of the consistent dilemma's I see as well is that in many planing boats if you get it on plane you'll leave a very modest wake but there are some boaters who will get very angry at you, wanting you to go slower, without realizing that slower speeds that would allow you to pass them would make larger wakes. We have a small boat that from 22 knots to 42 knots leaves a very modest wake and the faster you go the smaller it is. From 11 knots to about 15 knots, it leaves a very large wake. When we are in a narrow area so that we will be relatively close to a boat, we try to advise them we'll be passing and we'll be doing it at speed to minimize the wake.

But I see some of these almost parade routes with boat after boat at 12-15 knots and they're just plowing and making huge wake. On the East Coast that will often include a Grand Banks followed by 4 or 5 Sea Rays.
 
BandB said:
One of the consistent dilemma's I see as well is that in many planing boats if you get it on plane you'll leave a very modest wake but there are some boaters who will get very angry at you, wanting you to go slower, without realizing that slower speeds that would allow you to pass them would make larger wakes. We have a small boat that from 22 knots to 42 knots leaves a very modest wake and the faster you go the smaller it is. From 11 knots to about 15 knots, it leaves a very large wake. When we are in a narrow area so that we will be relatively close to a boat, we try to advise them we'll be passing and we'll be doing it at speed to minimize the wake.
Click to expand...

When I see those coming I ask them to "keep it on top cap"
 
BandB said:
One of the consistent dilemma's I see as well is that in many planing boats if you get it on plane you'll leave a very modest wake...
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And, taking it down off plane can throw up a wall of water.

Still, the water LE crowd, state legislators and each marina's resident "wake Nazi" on the VHF don't seem to comprehend this. They (often successfully) pass one-size-fits-all legislation like setting a top speed - in statute MPH no less. They think it's just like a road. Stupid lubbers.

Thanks. Not sure why I needed to say that, but I feel better now.

Maybe a few more years at displacement speed will help, too ;)
 
BandB said:
I think he's referring to the Sojourner's Permit. If you're registered in another state, you may normally stay in Florida without registering for 90 days. You may then register for an additional period of time if you do intend to take your vessel back to your home state.

So how much is the fee??:eek:
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