following seas

Thanks for all the insight. I probably should have gone in when the wind freshened. Still over 10 miles from port so time wise not much difference for the run out another mile. I was comfortable in it and not worried.

As to surfing the swells which I do all the time as I have done most my life, you would have been dead wrong to surf these. As boat speeds increase and you have a problem then the roll is fast.

I was running out using trim tabs to balance. One of my crew was a 250 lb guy and he was effecting balance. But when I took off to come in I had moved my tabs up and motors up for the conditions.

The speed at which I was rolling was slow and it seemed to slow for the tabs to have that effect. The swells were not only very steep, they had side chop of 3 to 4 foot and I am sure that is what caused me to heel over. There was a lot of this even on the steep faces and I also think that is why you would not have wanted to surf them.

Thatway your right on as always.

I have run many different boats. Some handle it better than others and our dorys have their limits. I was pushing limits being out in that stuff. It would have been very dangerous had I surfed the swells or tried to run with them. It was conditions we should not be out in. So slow speed was my safe speed and as always hand on throttles and hand on helm. I was still having to adjust speed as every swell picked my up and tried to launch me down or roll me over. I was doing lock to lock adjustments with the wheel to keep it going straight.

After running with it for around 6 miles I got past the bad spots where its always rougher, I was able to throttle up and resume surfing my way back. Did not adjust the motors or tabs as they were right and coming into harbor I was hitting 26 knots.

Pick your days and hope it stays nice. When it turns to crapola know your boat is capable as long as you treat it right. Be careful surfing and quartering waves when it gets big. For the surfing part, I am running down the length of the swell (quartering) or I am riding the top and staying there. I don't drop in as I would on a surf board because you can't get to the tail to lift the nose out of the broach. Your lucky if all you get is green water over the bow after "dropping in".

As always may you have a safe day. Out.
 
Lets see, 8 to 10 foot very steep seas with a 3 to 4 foot cross wind chop on top, such seas are fun to watch from shore. I hope to never find myself in them in Sea-Cruz. Even my last sailboat, with a good percentage of the boats weights, in the keel would not have been fun in such conditions.

On the other hand, this forum is great as I have picked up a number of hints to handling a C-Dory in over the top following seas. One of the real benefits of owning a C-Dory.

Ron
 
I too have been caught in that situation a few times and it is not pleasent but if you are constantly adjusting the throttle and quick on the wheel with the bow trimmed up the c dory handles the condition well.
One invaluable item to have is a wheel spinner. You can make those quick steering moves far faster......helps when docking too.

Cheers, Tom
 
I do need to get a spinner! And I agree on the swell surfing. I was referring to wind waves for 98% f my C-dory driving experience. The swell hasn't been a factor for us much yet.
 
I like Bob, he brings a LOT to this place, but I find it very funny that you credit him with questioning your going back out when I did it a page or so ago.......Glad he finally jumped on board, and with that, glad you respect his opinion enough to make you a safer mariner.
 
HI T R

Sorry I did not give you credit. I get overwhelmed with addressing all who responded.

Your experience is right on as well. I re read and agree with your insight. I would not have been there except for oh well.

So I was checking my boat on the trailer. Seems like port tab had not completely gone up. It was down around 1/2 inch when I thought it was up. Also the beginning of the trip I set on the port tank which had more fuel around 2/3 tank and did not change it. Port tank has a couple gallons in it. And my large passenger for whatever reason seamed to like the gunnel behind the helm. I can see my balance was not perfect.

I guess I will have to go out again and see if its better. I drove another boat in similar conditions and it to was bow steering and trying to broach. This was a top heavy vessel and my mission was to take a retired light house keeper out to sight see the light house. That mission I aborted around 4 miles short of the light house and had the same fight all the way back due to swells trying to launch the boat and it being controlled by bow steering. It was awful and I should have turned around sooner.

Problem for me is I spend time in rough water wind surfing and surfing and often feel to comfortable in crazy conditions. In fact I would do rescue missions outside of cg with the sheriff in stupid crazy conditions and had to rescue the sheriff on one of those rescues which was 30 to 40 southerlies and 15 foot swell. I ended my rescue service because I knew I was getting out there. For me, my limiter was often my crew because for me I will live forever.

Thanks for reminding me do a reality check.
 
Reading posts with mouth agape and butt puckered and watertight. My turn will come so im trying to absorb as much as I can. In the meantime ill choose my days carefully. Thanks for the posts on this subject kids. Vern/C-Dog
 
1TUBERIDER, You did absolutely the right things under the conditions. There are reflexes which you develope wind surfing and surfing, which do carry over to boating. You also realize when they do not carry over. I have used these same skills with ULDB sailboats in large wave patterns such as found in a Transpacs, or even in heavy full storm conditions in the N. Atlantic. But the C Dory is a relitatively light boat flat bottomed boat which will accelerate fast, and not be well controlled on the face of a wave.
 
Chine walking at it's greatest is shown at seafair in Seattle every summer. It's what unlimited hydros do when they are on the skinny edge of their skinny envelope. That racking back and forth is hard on everything. You don't need to ever experience a chine walk in your c dory, pull the throttle towards the rear if you're seeing this. Trimmed bow up we can work some ugliness in your dory, keep the tabs retracted and have your crew stay put and you can move thru some nasty stuff. I'm liking avoiding the nasty stuff more and more.
G
 
I kinda thought along the same line of light flat bottom boat without much nose rocker could be the issue for the bow steering.

I checked the buoy reports to give a better report than seat of pants.

When the wind freshened 25 kt gusting to 32

wave height 8.25 feet 5 to 6 sec

As you can see conditions went to sht. wave height combined with chop was a bit bigger and the 5 to 6 seconds kept us being overtaken or pounded depending on direction.

I did not plan to go out in these conditions. The day before it was flat. When I left to cross dragon straight it was slow but no white caps. When we fished, lines were straight down in 40 to 60 foot of water and then the wind freshened and the rest arrived.

My biggest problems were

6 miles from land

following sea for the return

zig zagging or riding the swell along the lenght with 3 to 4 foot chop on the
face only set me up for another type of roll over.


going inside was not an option as there are exposed reefs all over the place

going outside was going to be worse

staying on top of the swell before meant higher speed over 8 knts at times
more and with the bow steering condition I was experiencing, I could not
risk the broach.

so I slowed down and at 5 knots I did not have enough steering input from
props to really have a great helm so it was stop to stop action and lots of
throttle adjustments

And if you think this is easy its not! To some it might be scary,and I did not feel that. To others my adjustments were not enough or Cluck,Cluck but I relied on my experience to stay safe. A lot of this is by feel. I did not have to look back, I could feel the swell overtake and when I did feel the boat accelerate down the face (50 years of surfing), I could feel the boat heel over, so I let each wave pass. Almost pulled throttles into reverse a few times. It was not worth trying to surf because we were alone, along way from shore and the darn bow steering caused me to loose confidence in the boat at speed. In rough conditions these boats can take it but if you don't change speed fast enough you take a pounding. This pounding is the only think I did not like about the hull design and now I may have to add bow steering in tough conditions.

Why do I share this? Its so that you may be safer and return home.

I actually love my little boat and if fits my boating needs very well. So its not for sale. And thank you to all for any input. I know our experience level differs but the brats here are the best.
 
Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts. It enriches all of our experiences and shows how well these little boats perform. The experience on the water is what gives you a leg up in these conditions. The reflexes kick in.
 
I have had many of the experiences you all have had in my 22' Classic in the Cook Inlet. Very good responses about rough seas maneuvering. My boat never failed or scared me in those conditions.
But my reason for replying is those "wheel spinners" referred to were called "neckers knobs" in my day. They do work great on a boat though.
 
amy and karl":1aibd60g said:
Wow, that sounds scary. Did your photog friend happen to get any action shots. Would really appreciate a chance to see those conditions.

Karl
Click to expand...

I suppose if he did take any pictures, as busy as he was, it would have been from the bottom of the sea......LOL...It does sound scary to me. And a good day to be securely tied to harbor dock.
 
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