Bouncing around in a power boat's wake!

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changeman

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Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

I have lost count of the number of times we (yachties) have been passed by a speeding power boat, one boat's length away, leaving us rocking wildly in their wake.
But when we meet power boat owners moored up for the night, we invariably find them to be the nicest, most considerate people.
So what happens in between? What turns normal, boat oriented (and therefore obviously good) guys, into water bourne Evil Kneivels?
Comments please, particularly from power boat owners.
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

You weren't waving back, so we came closer to make sure you could see us!

Just wave back when we are half a mile off, and no probs /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

Haven't you noticed thar they never look back so they are totally oblivious to the carnage in their wakes. Mind you I'd rather the driver of a boat hammering along at 15 knots kept his eyes to the front, otherwise the next boat he encounters is going to get t-boned.

Geoff
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

I have not had a chance to upset anyone with my wake yet. I am sort of new to boating and my boat has been out of action since delivery.

I want to be considerate when I eventually get out, but don’t really know how far to keep away from a yacht, if for example I am doing about 20kts.

OK I can look at the wake and try to judge how much is reasonable to put up with, but its matter of opinion, and as I won’t be experiencing it I wont really know if I am overdoing it.

Is there a recognised apology signal in case I get it wrong
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif


D
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

The distance to keep clear really depends on your boat and the amount of wash it creates, and you should be able to see the effects quite clearly.

Just steer round stern of any boat sailing across your path, and give a good clearance, you can easily swing wide. Stay a hundred meters wide of any sailing boat on same or reciprocal path if the area allows. Just don't get in close unless it's impossible not to.

The problem that many sailing boats don't see is that in a crowded area with lots of boats, you may actually be doing everything you can to give them all wide berth, but there are many packed into a small area all headed in different directions, in which case you may have to use best judgement, and even drop off plane.

This has several problems. Dropping off plane at wrong time might put you into path of a racing fleet. Doing 10 knts will cause typically more wash than planing. Only experience can tell you these things.

One thing that does help, is going out on sailing boats, so you can tell more readily what they are likely to do and what their issues are. Similarly, sailing skippers could do with going on a power boat once in a while to see the lengths we try to go to, to avoid conflict, but not always possible
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

As a raggie with a small boat, If you come off the plane near me, please slow right down, as you make more wake just off the plane than you do planing. I don't mind a big stinkboat going by 50 yards away well on the plane, it's less hassle than some of the smaller stinkies that don't seem to get over the hump going by 100 yards away.

From the raggies' point of view, the main problem, apart from the VERY few utter tossers who risk swamping other boats, is that a big wake can stop a ragtop dead, and if we lose steerage it can take some time to get going again, especially in light winds.

I think the thing is to be aware of your wake and watch its effects on other boats as you go by. There's room for all of us and much as we raggies would like to think so, the whole of the Solent isn't a no wake zone. On the other hand, if that little ragtop is rolling wildly and the sails are flapping, the chances are the skipper isn't calling out a blessing...
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

As my brother found out, trying to follow "in formation", you can learn about the the wake from a heavy diesel cruiser the hard way, and this was with the previous 24 - I'm assuming the wake from my (not driven yet) 28 will be twice as bad.

It's that "first" wave that is particularly steep (and the one he fell into. ouch. good job we had first aid kit on board). The consolation is that the first wave dies fairly rapidly with distance, so passing at 25yds: violent rocking, passing at 75-100 yards: maybe no worse than the prevailing chop. The other waves from my wake travel much further, but aren't as steep...

dv.
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

>
>If you come off the plane near me, please slow right down
>

And well in advance too: the process of coming off the plane generates a wave that is bigger than if I had simply kept going, and the "less wake" speed is right down about 8 knots or less, not the 10-14knots that some people think might help, but is in fact "max wake" speed for many planing hulls.

dv.
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

"As a raggie with a small boat, If you come off the plane near me, please slow right down, as you make more wake just off the plane than you do planing.going by 100 yards away."

That's what I said, or wasn't it clear?
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

I'm really pleased that you've the consideration that you've shown. The more of that all round, the happier all will be....
Here are a few 'thoughts' that ought to get you an appreciative wave and smile:

First, see what's happening. If you're passing a stopped sailboat in a marina or mooring area, chances are someone is doing something that could be upset by heavy wash - such as working up a mast ( bad bruising or worse ), moving heavy anchors on the foredeck ( crushed fingers/toes ) or cooking ( scalding ). They may even be alongside/otherside in a dinghy, struggling to mount an outboard, as you go past.

Next, if it's a small or open boat, your wash could easily capsize it, throwing the occupants into the ogin. That could quickly get serious. If there's a group of dinghies, chances are they're racing and not all will have seen you. They often change course radically and without warning, as they're entitled to do. Many of them are kids - of different ages - so expect the unexpected, like capsizing under your bows.

Yotties transitting to/from the shore in an inflatable tender are especially vulnerable - especially after the pubs shut. They don't always make themselves readily visible, which they should.

On the other hand, you should be offered help from yotties with your mooring lines in a marina, 'cos it's more difficult for you with high topsides and lots of windage - so ask.

You don't necessarily have to do everything with your engines, all by yourself. Some manoeuvres in tight spaces are much easier and safer when rope-assisted - all merchant seamen know this - so if it looks problematic, ask. It only takes a minute or two. That gains brownie points, not lose them. Chances are there's an experienced yottie who can offer a helping hand - and a long rope.

Consideration is seamanship - and no-one has a monopoly.

Enjoy!
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

No amount of moaning going to stop power boat wakes, lets stop all this fuss, and just live with it.
Boating is not like it used to be, nobody gives a s'''@%t anymore, it's every man for themself,
/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

my only point was, an extra 50yards can make a real difference. I try and leave that extra 50yards wherever possible, and if that's not good enough, then sorry, the sea isn't flat.

>nobody gives a s'''@%t anymore, it's every man for themself
Not so, if people are waving their fists at me, then that's a "fail".
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

'scuse, but some of us really do go out of way to minimise effects, and I've seen others that don't. I in my little 21' have had much bigger boats belt past a few feet away, the difference is I can open throttles and cut them up, which usually gets their attention. A sailing boat cannot.
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

[ QUOTE ]
No amount of moaning going to stop power boat wakes, lets stop all this fuss, and just live with it....

[/ QUOTE ]
Only if the same applies to tacking /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

dvinell, my post was not directed at you personally, just everybody else /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

I've been sailing for more years than I would admit to. Powerboats passing at one boat's length? Leaving us wildly rocking in their wake?

Once. Sandbanks, not funny. But only once.

Four or five lengths, maybe - but what sailor is even a good judge of the crucial 2 boat's lengths?!

I race a lot; in light winds any wake from boats up to a mile away is a factor, but you deal with it and get one up from footing off or tacking.

Oh yes, and I've driven semi-displacement motor boats at up to 25 Knots. And had fists waved even though I went behind a fleet of seriously fast dinghies in about 20 Kts of breeze - if they'd been paying attention I'd just given the back markers a fantastic catch up card, but no. Just a fist.

Lighten up. An awful lot of older mobo owners are xrag and will be the ones to give you a tow when the breeze dies and our under-used engines pack up.
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

I can only do 7 knots,
ps I don't give way to windsurfers, they can go round me, /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

I have a motorboat but it's only a displacement hull so I'm as quick as you rag and stick lot /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I get passed by much faster powerboats and get thrown around by the wash but it is water that were on and that sort of thing will happen. The day I get fed up with the water moving my boat around I'll sell it and buy a caravan instead. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Re: Bouncing around in a power boat\'s wake!

Tugs , Pilot boats and Nelson semi displacement type boats seem to leave nasty wakes up to 500 yards away , but thats a working harbour for you , ( Milford Haven ) I must admit that the tugs are much slower in the Haven than they used to be a few years ago though !!!
 
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