Trailing logs

[[2574]]

We've a fast motor boat and always make a point of passing behind a yacht if we are crossing at right angles. I reckon 50m behind to be a minimum distance but this summer I've had a couple of yachties waving us further away astern of them. Is that because they are trailing a log? And if so how long are these trailing logs these days? And why use them anyway, what's wrong with an impellor log?

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[oldharry]

have you checked the size of your wash? - don't want to upset the yotties G&Ts!

<Whats wrong with an impellor logs> nothing, except they tend to be less accurate at low speed so some yotties prefer the trailing type. Also you can take them home before someone else does. But I must say I never heard of one 50m long!

Or perhaps they were just being friendly.... though I must say i wish some other moboers I have met recently were as considerate as you seem to be!

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[Talbot]

When you have had a 50' mobo pass less than 20ft when they were doing over 20 kts you will know why raggies get a might peeved. I did call into question the parentage of the offending idiot, but they seemed to think it was funny.

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[bedouin]

passing within 50m in a fast motor boat is far too close for comfort.

Try looking back some time and seeing the devastation you leave in your wake.

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[Mr Cassandra]

Re:Fish

When making passage,I trail 100mts fishing lines to [try] catch tuna.cheersbobt

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[VicS]

Re:Fishing

You will of course be showing the correct "shape" or lights won't you so that other vessels know to keep well clear.

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[KipH]

I've seen a trailing log being used to calibrate an impellor log, as they are so much more accurate to start with. From memory I'd say it trailed about 25 metres, the point is it ain't just your traditional boat wanting to stay traditional that might use them.

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[[2574]]

Bedouin,

That's a fair point, but when at sea we are generally on the plane and make a much milder wake at 25kts than we do at 12kts. I am very conscious that rocking the hell out of a yacht can upset the sails so we always stay well clear and I have to say that we normally get a friendly wave from the yachtie so I'm surprised by your suggestion.

Rob

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[[2574]]

Talbot,

Yes, that experience can be just as frightening in a motor boat as in a yacht - my last boat was a semi displacement 30' 15knot boat and off Calshot we had a 45 foot boat pass within 20 feet at probably 25kts - it just about turned us over and frightened the whatsit out of us. But that wasn't the thrust of my post, regrettably you get inconsiderate folk in walks of life.

Rob

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[qsiv]

Hmm - a sunseeker passing a 1/4 of mile off shook all the winds out of our sails, so I'm not convinced - particularly bearing in mind that we displace close to 30 tonnes.

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[ianwright]

I trail a line from a Walker Exelsior log with 75 ft of line to the spinner. Faster boats, 10-12 knots will use around 100ft. So your 50 yards should be fine.
Trouble is us sailing types just don't like noise and wash at all, as you have discovered. So if you can keep clear by as much as you can manage it will help to keep us all pals .
Thanks for asking.

IanW

<hr width=100% size=1>Vertue 203, Patience

 

[bedouin]

Thanks for the consideration. I have often thought that the hull characteristics of a modern planing motorboat must make it very difficult to be considerate to others - they don't look particularly easy to manage when travelling at the sort of speeds most cruising yachts sail at.

Contrary to what many motorboaters believe, this is much worse in light winds. In light airs an inconsiderate MB can leave a yacht literally dead in the water and it then takes a few minutes working the sails, and course changes, before the boat regains its momentum. Very frustrating when it happens repeatedly.

Now when the winds are >F5 you really hardly notice the wash from Motorboats at all

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[[2574]]

Yep, understood. We try our best.

Rob

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[[2574]]

You're right about control at slow speeds - but it does depend on circumstances. My boat has twin outdrives - we don't have rudders - so we depend on thrust from the outdrives for directional control - just like your Seagull outboard but add 450hp!

The worst scenario for slow speed control is a busy, narrow, speed restricted channel when going with the tide. Portsmouth harbour is a good example. If leaving through the small boat channel on a spring ebb the water is belting through and we are being washed through on top, we then have to do three knots in excess of water speed to have directional control. You can then see how easy it is to be doing 7 knots which is too fast for comfort. We had the worst experience of this situation this year in the entrance to the Golfe du Morbihan when we had a big tide ebbing out at a huge speed - we had our engines ticking over and found we were doing 13 knots over the ground!

The planing hull gives terrific control at high speed though - which is why it's no problem (or time) to dance behind you yachties and keep off your backs!

Rob

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