Do I suck or is it my boat?

[family affair]

Showing that video as a training tool for people new to power boating is equivalent to recommending to new dirt bike owners that they enter a motocross race to learn how to handle their new bike.

I can definitely relate to that analogy.

 

[Halfhitch]

I can definitely relate to that analogy.
View attachment 26504

That brings back memories. My old 400 Maico would probably be a dog in today's MX world.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Yeah... the last few seconds of the video with them jumping waves was quite fun to watch. The rest, imo, just takes time, practice and a little bit of knowledge on boats and how they work.

 

[JRuss282]

Im siked!

 

[Ekea]

Love that video. The acting skills of the couple in the cc are impressive. Getting the absolute tar pounded out of them and they act calm and collected at the helm - with a death grip on the seat and wheel. The slow motion helps to hide violent jolt the bodies take on impact.
J Russel, I'm sure you know better, but I don't advise launching your 282 off massive waves like in the video to get better at piloting. But if you do, please be sure to have someone video documenting the event!

who is advising him to launch off waves like that? the principles in the video are sound guidance applicable to most sea conditions

 

[Ekea]

Showing that video as a training tool for people new to power boating is equivalent to recommending to new dirt bike owners that they enter a motocross race to learn how to handle their new bike.

the principles in the video are pretty basic, not really advanced level boater tips (the hard over turn at speed may be advanced, but its not what the OP is looking for). just because they are demonstrated in pretty heavy swell doesnt mean that they only apply to those seas or that one should seek them out

 

[family affair]

who is advising him to launch off waves like that? the principles in the video are simple and sound guidance applicable to most sea conditions

No one is advising him to launch, but maybe he is a "hold my beer and watch this" kind of guy. Who would want to miss a 282 airing it out!
I see Halfhitch's point. If a novis tried some of the agressive moves in the conditions the video was shot, they could end up with a handful of teeth or worse.

 

[Ekea]

No one is advising him to launch, but maybe he is a "hold my beer and watch this" kind of guy. Who would want to miss a 282 airing it out!
I see Halfhitch's point. If a novis tried some of the agressive moves in the conditions the video was shot, they could end up with a handful of teeth or worse.

the fact that he is asking the question he is implies to me that he is probably (hopefully) not a "hold my beer" kind of guy. if he is i would love to see a 282 air it out too.

the head sea and trim principles presented in the video should serve hem well in the OCMD and Chesapeake chop that he is talking about.


another point that hasn't really been brought up in this thread yet is the combined effect of wave height and period. if you have 3 ft at 3 sec (ive seen it on the Chesapeake), its gonna suck period. OP, are you aware of the "1:2" rule? typically if the ratio of height to period is worse than 1:2, you it wont be a pleasant ride. for example 3 ft waves at 6 or less seconds would beat you up pretty bad. 3 ft waves at 10 seconds would be a much more pleasant day

 

[JRuss282]

I do not know this rule, but do now. In addition we have not talked much about but of course - it exists. Example OC MD inlet or say 3 miles out. We always get the same stuff (August) Mid afternoon say 2 or 3 o'clock, tide running out of inlet, ocean going another direction, wind going someplace else (Coming broad side) and all the 50' + footers coming in makes for one hell of a mixed mess of seas... Please don't get me wrong, we are doing better and fairly well the 3 to 4 at say 10 seconds or more are an easy ride, but wind and closer and confused seas add to the mix that only experience and a lot of it will make me better.

 

[Chessie246G]

No one is advising him to launch, but maybe he is a "hold my beer and watch this" kind of guy. Who would want to miss a 282 airing it out!
I see Halfhitch's point. If a novis tried some of the agressive moves in the conditions the video was shot, they could end up with a handful of teeth or worse.

I aired out my 264 a few weeks ago. Wasn't intentional, but it happened... Heard the engine rev off a washing machine wave. Nailed the landing! LOL

 

[coldpizza]

take a look at this. taking a head sea starts around the 1:55 mark, followed by how to trim the boat, that being said, just watch the whole thing, its only 5 min.

grady white how to handle - Search Videos

www.bing.com

I really liked that video. Thanks for sharing!

 

[SkunkBoat]

I landed a 265 Express like a Kaman Seasprite on on a SpruCan...

 

[wrxhoon]

Good video between Sydney heads. She can get very nasty there.

 

[ROBERTH]

In my experience in my 252G Sportbridge model, every trip is different. Over time after getting more and more used to her, I found I could not get the bow down enough to let the front cut the seas more.
So I added some keel weight and found now with tabs, I can put the front down into the seas to ease the launch/land pound ride. It can and will bow steer sometimes like this depending on which way you are running the seas, but most days in rough conditions, I have heavy tabs and also trim down on the motors as well and adjust for the best ride.

I have never buried the bow and have even tried on this model. I was used to getting tons of water in my older 20' non Grady boat so testing the Grady, she does not seem capable to take water over the bow which is amazing and makes me very happy since I feel much safer on those days I have been caught in storms and bad seas. I run 50-60 miles out and back and have plenty of time to adjust for the best ride.

Experience and pay attention to what the boat is doing and it's behavior and it will tell you what you need to do....more tab/bow down or bring it up and increase speed and run over the chop, etc.

 

[rjriordan]

Now on my third Grady (282 Sailfish, 305 Express, now a 330 Express) and all of them respond extremely well to generous use of trim tabs in a head sea, especially the short interval square wave variety. Augment with engine trim.

 

[JRuss282]

So I have been trying various scenarios while on vacation. Keeping the bow down is some situations in stead of trimming up a bit seem to help. I think I may have been over trimming out the motors brining the bow up too high. And I assuming you are suggesting in a head sea use trim tabs a tad to push bow down a little so it cuts into waves?

 

[ROBERTH]

Best to start off with motors at even trim with the surface of the hull bottom. Neutral position. Then use the tabs down to push the deep V into the waves to help reduce the impact from launching up and slamming down. That is what that V is for, to cut the waves. Once you feel comfortable with the tabs, if you need a bit more down, you can use the motor trim down a bit to help augment the tabs.

 

[family affair]

In my experience the engines should be trimmed 1st to get the hull closer to level. If the bow is lifting due to impacting the chop, add some tabs to keep the hull more consistently level in 2 second increments.
However, if it is too rough to move at higher speed and you can't get the stern out of the water to avoid pounding, trim the engines down and add lots of tab to lift the stern. This will get the hull more level and will enable you to cruise faster, smoother, and get better mpg.
Under most conditions, never use tabs in a following sea.

 

[wahoo33417]

John: My two cents - and that's what it's worth!

When seas get over 2', I find that my 282 is sensitive to wave period, or the space between waves, as much or more than wave height. Wave height can, to some extent, be compensated for with engine trim and trim tabs, as you know. And as Skunkboat said, sometimes in those closely spaced waves, going faster, to get on top of the waves, may give you a better ride. I used to find that helpful at times, but the bad discs in my neck don't like that option so much anymore.

Another option is zig-zagging to effectively increase the wave period. For example, I usually head out the inlet and run about 12 miles south and anywhere from 3-6 miles offshore to set up a drift. And our prevailing summer winds are SSE, pretty much right on my nose. In that situation, to increase spacing between the waves, you can zig-zag your way south. Sometimes running more south, sometimes more east. Just another option you have.

Also, as you're running, watch the waves closely. They usually come in sets. Like maybe sets of 5-7. What I mean is, you may be going along okay and along comes a wave that pounds you. Count out the waves and likely you'll encounter another wave that pounds you again. When you get the pattern down, you'll recognize that wave coming and you'll be able to turn the boat a bit to take it at more of an angle. Once you're over that wave, resume your course knowing you'll be doing the same thing again in 5-7 waves. After a while, you won't need to count, you'll recognize the wave you need to take at more of an angle.

And it can't hurt to find an experienced captain whose willing to go out with you and give some real world instruction.

Rob