Wave Heights versus boat size

Mark T · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:44 am

Have heard many of you say 3-4 footers the Four Winn's boats do fine in, but at what point, and I realize it depends on boat size, do you wish you had not gone out ?

Our boat is 24' and Lake Michigan is 3-6' today. I won't take out the kids, but I also don't want to not know how to handle the boat in case we are out there sometime and the big waves start.

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:02 am

I have been boating on lake Michigan for 20+ years. The waves are not the same on LM as they are on an inland lake or ocean.
They are spaced from trough to crest differently. So sometimes 3 to 4 foot waves on LM will be unmanageable on a 24' boat.
Wheras on an inland lake 3-4 foot chop and boat wakes are no problem. You also have swells on LM that will be much deeper than
what the actual wave height is. Could easily be 1 foot waves with 5 foot swells. Not a day to make time on LM. You can go out, but it's
far from flat conditions with 1 foot waves.

If the forecast (NOAA) says 3-6 foot waves, I would be staying off the lake in a 24' boat. When they say "small craft advisory in effect" they mean it. The forecast below is not what you want to go out in in your boat. Even a 30 foot boat will not be comfortable.
LMZ844-011530-
ST JOSEPH TO SOUTH HAVEN MI-
348 AM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...NORTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 25 KNOTS BECOMING NORTHWEST. SHOWERS LIKELY
UNTIL MIDDAY... THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON. WAVES
BUILDING TO 3 TO 6 FEET LATE IN THE DAY.
.TONIGHT...NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 20 KNOTS BACKING WEST 10 TO
15 KNOTS TOWARD DAYBREAK. MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
LIGHT SHOWERS...THEN PARTLY CLOUDY OVERNIGHT. WAVES 3 TO 5 FEET.

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:15 am

In my experience in a boat less than 30-35 ft anything over about 4 ft waves and it is very uncomfortable.

It depends greatly on the type, period and direction of the waves.

3 ft rollers that are spread apart are easy for pretty much any boat to handle. 3 ft breakers, closely spaced could pose great danger for a boat in your size range.

Also, if the waves are "confused", in that they don't have consistent direction, it is very hard to run the waves. You end up zig-zagging all over and make very little headway.

I would not head out on Lake Michigan when they are predicting 3-6' waves with your boat. In fact I have usually limited my ventures onto the big lakes to days when they are saying 2-3' waves max. Ideally, you can wait for the 0-1' days.

A few years ago I was on Burt & Mullet lakes in 4-6' waves with my old 18' Cuddy. While the boat handled it great, it wasn't comfortable...and probably not too safe. What you have to understand is that these waves had a period shorter than the length of the boat. So, when I was going down one wave my bow was already starting up the next one. Luckily this old boat has an awesome bow design with a ton of flare. Only once or twice was I concerned that I was going to stuff the bow. But just as the bow was getting low the flare took over and kept it up above the wave. Barely a splash on the front deck.

The newer designs have a much lower bow with very little flare. In fact your boat has a bow design that seems like it would pierce a wave more easily than ride up a wave. That would concern me.

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:24 am

Here is a LM video from a 1990 225 Sundowner. It says 6-8 footers, I don't buy that. They are not that big. As you can see, the boat handled the conditions, but for me, it's not a pleasant day of boating. I suspect these guys were out for only 1/2 hour or less , then went back and drank more beer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kqOldVauto

Mark T · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:55 am

Thanks for the link to the NOAA site, put it on phone so I can check before heading out. Will stay in today, and maybe try 1-3 footers first, to get a better feel for the boat.

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:03 am

This is an App I have on my phone that has NOAA data, as well as local conditions.
http://www.bluefinengineering.com/marine-weather

Another one that I always use before going out, and to check once we are out.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... _now&hl=en

Wet Doggg · **Joined:** Fri May 19, 2006 11:15 am **Posts:** 682

In that video those waves are not even close to 6 -8 feet. 4 footers maybe. I will not go out if it is going to be anything over 3 footers...and even those depending on the crest/swell can be uncomfortable.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:53 am

That video? I'd say 2-3 foot average. I've been out in 6-8ft in the ocean in a small CC, when you're in the trough it's like you're in a bowl of water. To someone that isn't used to boating it can really scare the crap out of them.

Bliss36 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:04 am

Mark T wrote:

Thanks for the link to the NOAA site, put it on phone so I can check before heading out. Will stay in today, and maybe try 1-3 footers first, to get a better feel for the boat.

Mark,
The NOAA forecasts are a great reference, but they aren't always accurate either. One of our best and "flattest" days on the lake was during a small craft advisory. We almost didn't go out because of the warning, but once we drove to a lakefront park we saw the lake was glass. This was a rare occurrence. We have also had some miserable days when the forecast called for waves 1 foot or less.

A basic rule of thumb for our end of the lake is if there is a north wind stay at the dock. Last weekend we were at Boaters Beach and the winds changed from SW to North and within 20 minutes 3/4 of the boats were heading back to dock. We use the smoke stacks from the nearby power plant as our wind guide while we are the lake, but we also check the radar on our phones at least once an hour looking for building storms we can't see yet. It's amazing how quickly that lake can turn ugly.

Decision · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:57 am

You have received some good comments above. So many people describe wave heights so differently.

Lake St.Clair is a fresh water lake approximately 25 miles in diameter that has a average depth of only about 20 feet. This is where the majority of our boating is done and we have boated on this lake for about 18 years or so.

When the winds are forecast to get above 20 kph and the winds have a majority of the lake for fetch that is when I know we could start to have a problem planning against them without banging the boat.

Funny thing is when the VHF radio calls out a wave height of only 0.4 of a metre, this almost always translates into a wave height that I would start having difficulty planning against provided the wind has decent fetch over the water for the waves to build. Go figure?

Our lake also has the closely spaced waves that tend to make boats "pound" to get over. These same waves spread out could be a piece of cake for a 16 footer.

It all depends on where you boat, depth of water, wind direction, fetch, and time the wind has already been blowing for, your passsenger comfort, and whether the wind is to increase or decrease and of course the distance you wish to travel as to some things to consider when making your decision(s).

Mike.

MichaelB · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 1:23 pm

thanks for the link to the marine app Capn!

In response to the waves we have a 328 and I generally try to stay in with anything predicted over 3 feet. Our Vista is a pretty wet ride and we've been in 4 to 5's with water splashing to the top of the isenglass, crossing Lake Michigan.

As most have pointed out, it's generally not enjoyable to be out just for the sake of being out. You're stressed, your guests may be stressed and its not worth the pounding you take. just my two cents worth anyway.

jvthundercat · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:40 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE8JYeeqaXQ&feature=related

You want to see some large rollers, go to about the 3:00 mark in this video.
I've been in close to that with a few boats close to 30ft. Very uncomfortable feeling
and time to get out.........

ardy · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:46 am

I have had different boats out in various conditions, some quite rough and I had to have my wits about me on those occasions. My thinking is even if you and your craft are able to cope with the conditions, if it isn't enjoyable why bother. After all we go boating for fun.
hope this helps
Ardy

Mark T · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:26 am

Thanks all, Admiral and I waited until the waves died down to 3-4' and went out so we had a clue on how to handle the boat. Told kids where the will was and who to contact if we didn't make it (LOL). Was quite easy going with the wind and direction of waves. Could not believe just how different it was going back into them. Much much more difficult. Overall a great bunch of info and now we feel much more comfortable should a fast storm blow in while out there.

www.iFourWinns.com

Wave Heights versus boat size

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