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Wave Size/boat Size


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Found the following tips on the maritime website and wondered if fellow boaters agree?? oh and I like the official term "getting scary"

Maritime Link

Wave Size/Boat Size

It is vital to know the performance capabilities and limitations of a boat before buying. Take great care to select a boat which will be able to handle the types of condition you expect to come across.

A Cautionary Note

The tables below are indicative only and do not reflect the performance of any particular design or model of craft. It should also be remembered that a combination of factors such as currents, tidal streams and geographical features can create dangerously unpredictable conditions. An example of this is when a fast running tide or current is flowing over a rock shelf or sand bar against a contrary wind.

Bold is Boat Length then underneath Wave Height followed by Boating Conditions

3.5metres

1.0 metres heavy going, limit of safety for this sized vessel

0.8 metres speed reduced, water comes aboard, care required

0.5 metres speed reduced, some pounding at speed

0.2 metres gentle patter of water on hull, no spray, comfortable

4.3metres

1.5 metres for the experienced only, lots of heavy water thrown aboard

1.2 metres throttle backed right off, lots of spray, getting scary

1.0 metres speed reduced further, green seas taken on the decks

0.8 metres speed reduced, some pounding, spray taken aboard

0.5 metres maximum cruising throttle, slight bumps, spray thrown clear

0.2 metres no spray, comfortable ride, gentle patter of water on hull

5 metres

1.8 metres limit of family comfort in this sized vessel

1.5 metres steering through seas individually and using throttle at times

1.2 metres dead slow, waves break on deck, lots of spray

1.0 metres half speed, spray and green seas come aboard

0.8 metres slight speed reduction desirable, moderate pounding, some spray

0.5 metres set cruising throttle, slight bumps, spray thrown clear

0.2 metres no spray, armchair ride

6 metres

2.0 metres dead slow, occasional big seas break aboard, for the experienced skipper only

1.8 metres dead slow, steering individually for the seas

1.5 metres windscreen sprayed, green seas on foredeck

1.2 metres half speed, lots of spray, water on foredeck

1.0 metres slight speed reduction, spray coming aboard aft end of boat

0.8 metres reduced speed, pounding increases

0.5 metres maximum cruising throttle, some light pounding

0.2 metres great ride, like an automobile on bitumen

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I think its hard to generalise on this subject as I have seen many an idiot in boats such as 25 Berties that could quite easily capsize due to stupidity/lack of experience. On the other hand whilst working in PNG regularly fished out of a 18foot banana boat up to 40 mile out to sea in BIG seas. Its all about the skippers capabilities as much as the boats I reckon. I did get seriously airborne once though, was on Lake Macquarie and hit the wake of a 60 odd foot police launch. the shape and speed of the launch created a big (1 metre-ish) wake that was spread out a fair bit giving the impression that it was much smaller than it was and silly me hits it and 23 odd knots, no damage to me or boat but gave the water rats a good laugh!

GT

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I like to think common sense prevails.If it just looks to rough for the size of the boat,dont bother.No one fish is worth anybody's life.If it feels comfortable in the boat have a go,if it feels like "I do not know if I should try this,DON'T."This will also save you from embarassment of your pics being posted on the internet and everybody left laughing and shaking thier heads at you.

My boat is 4.5 half cabin and I teamed up with a mate and we went 8km out off Botany.The waves were just rolling.

Another time there was some swell we went to head for some surface fish but it was just a little uncomfortable so we never bothered and just fished inside the bay.

Cheers

Suffo.

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There is a concept of term that gets bandied about in sea survival books called "seamanlike behaviour".

Unfortunately so many don't understand what this is all about.

Davo

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