Spearing Waves with your boat
 

So had the family out today to do some boating.... Ran into a situation when we speared some waves :eek2:... 3 in a row. First time this had happened to me in 10 years of boating. Wind blowing at us current of the river impoundment going with us and a wake from a boat created a perfect storm.

Well It freaked my wife and daughters out... They were in the front (open bow). Soaked us all. Just happy we were not going fast at all.

Just looking for someone to confirm that I did the right thing by pointing the boat into the waves? :thinking:

I mean I do not think it would sink us or anything (20 foot boat), but it could put a lot of water in her...

What kind of boat? Have the ability to adjust your plane, ballast?

I have a 21' boat. I find that if I'm driving into the waves, then it is best to trim my boat flat - the idea is that you want the bow of the boat to cut through the waves. Trimming the bow up would cause the waves to slap against the flat part of the bottom of your boat, which is uncomfortable. When I'm driving with the waves, I will trim the bow up. If you trim the bow up when driving with the waves, it will keep you from cresting one wave, and crashing into the base of the next wave - a situation which can cause the bow of your boat to submarine - not safe or pleasant at all. I find that taking the wave at a slight angle makes it easier to maneuver. If the waves are large, you want to accelerate up the face of the wave, then throttle down when you reach the crest of the wave (or risk launching the boat into the air). If the waves are huge, then get the heck off the water! Boating is supposed to be fun, right? You don't want to put yourself, your family, or your toys in danger.

Disclaimer: I am not a sea captain, and although I have about 500 hours on the water, and take my boat out at least a couple of times each month, I learn something new every time I go out. It is a good idea to take a safety training course, such as Americas Boating Course.

Also, here is an excellent write-up called Swell Navigating.

Be safe and have fun!:thumbsup:

I find that going head-on or at a slight angle is best.

That said, I drive bathtub boats, mostly. Not even close to 21'.

My 20 footer just likes to hit them at about 45mph and keep going but thats what u get when u got a 454 big block in a 20 footer LOL.

You would be better off at a slight angle rather than head on. Another thing is to be sure to have your weight distributed properly and proper trim. On smaller boats this is more important of course. How fast were you going? I have found this only happens to us while going very slowly and the bow is down. Usually it is good for a laugh or two, but causes no harm, well except to a sandwich or two....lol