Kachemak Bay 7ft seas

catdogcat · Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 1:38 pm Post subject: Kachemak Bay 7ft seas

Decided to take a trip over to Seldovia Saturday morning based on the weather report predicting 2 ft seas. It was 4ft the whole way there. Boat handles 4 ft seas great. On the way back to Homer I got caught in about 7/8 foot following seas that were breaking. The boat seemed to handle it ok except for one huge wave that hit me from the side. Did my best to turn the bow into the trough but it was a little late. It seemed like the boat listed completely sideways and anything that was loose fell to the starboard side. As this happened the stern seemed to slide out from under me turning the bow back into the wave. Scared the crap out of me! Shocked

All said and done the boat did level out just fine and I tacked the rest of the way home. I now see what Red Fox is referring to when he talks about the benefits of added weight in the stern. I think the sliding of the stern would not have happened if the would have been an extra hundred pounds in the stern. In the future I am going to avoid anything over 4ft, if possible.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 2:57 pm Post subject:

catdogcat-

Ride 'em cowboy!!! Sounds like a lot of scarry fun! Did you take on any significant amount of water over the side or stern ("get pooped on") with the big one? Joe.

B~C · Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 3:01 pm Post subject:

arrg, large, steep, following seas will produce a large pucker factor. Turn into the slide and throttle'er up. Glad to hear that the boat rode it out and you didn't get wadded up & rolled

Sawdust · Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 3:32 pm Post subject:

No flat-assed small boat I've ever run likes heavy following seas. Even running a charter out of Westport with a 50 footer I avoided that situation. Takes ample power and a well-balanced boat. Weight aft may, or may not, help... if the boat is properly balanced (e.i. no forward weight bias). Even moved the puking passengers aft when things got puckery.

Got to have enough power to stay ahead of the crest if lots of wind -- or expect some water in the cockpit. The splashwell fills easily... even fills when I'm pulling a shrimp pot when the weather makes up.

Dusty

Redƒox · Guest

Captains Cat · Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 5:16 pm Post subject:

I've got twin 45 Honda's and last year when heading down the Chesapeake towards Norfolk/Portsmouth and the ICW, with about 20 knots of wind behind me and 4-5 ft seas, I had to travel about 15 knots to keep up with the swells. I was running directly before them and when going down into the trough, frequently hit 23-25 knots Shocked

. I had lots of extra gas in the stern (4-6gal tanks) along with full main tanks.

Although exciting, and requiring lots of attention to keep the boat pointed down swell and wind, I never felt like we were close to broaching. The tops were blowing off the waves though and if we'd have opened the cabin door, we'd have gotten a facefull!

If my bride had been there Smile

instead of an old RADM shipmate Laughing

, I'd be a bachelor today however!

Charlie

Redƒox · Guest

Right on! Thats got to be about the best point one can make for Twin Fourstroke set-up Thumbs Up

that weight factor, right where it's needed Idea

Myself I have a really heavy-assed little kicker to make up for it Thumbs Up

Power-Tilt Electric Start 8-Hp Fourstroke Wink

Sealife · Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:41 pm Post subject:

I think it's not only the added weight in the stern (and absence of weight in the bow), but the better tracking that twins give you. Since switching to a twin setup, I've noticed a dramatic improvement in handling in following, quartering seas.

Mike - Sealife

Otter-BelleHavenMarina · Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 9:29 pm Post subject:

One of the best lines in C-Brat posting history:

"Even moved the puking passengers aft when things got puckery."

Hats' off to Dusty.

Sawdust · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 11:12 am Post subject:

Thanks Tom!

Gotta go clean halibut today so needed a lift Laughing

...

Dusty