Handling passing boats wakes

sfc2113

GreatGrady Captain
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When I go out the local channel it is very heavy traffic. It is a close channel, local channel here in Barnegat, NJ is know as double creek, or DCC I travel it often to go out the inlet, I was wondering if anyone could tell me a better way to handle the oncomming or passing boats wake. Seems I have to slow down to off plane to avoid the slam after hitting the first wave of a wake and this upsets the boat behind me. As I can understand. And by me the boats are lined up in a parade style line going in and out, sometimes you get the occasion impatient boater and zips around you and give me the double whammy. I have tried tunning head on a and riding up on it broadside, but it may just be the design and have to deal with it.

Was hoping for a tip to make the ride a little better for my guests.

ps:
In case you are one of the people who fish this channel, I usually slow down so not to swamp you :) .
 
Have you tried taking them slightly of the bow? By that I mean if the bow is your "12 o'clock" position try taking them at the 10 or 11 position (or 1 or 2 as it may be)
 
LI Grady said:
Have you tried taking them slightly of the bow? By that I mean if the bow is your "12 o'clock" position try taking them at the 10 or 11 position (or 1 or 2 as it may be)
You have to be carefull. I once was riding behind and aport of a larger vessel that made a decent wake. I steered slightly to starboard to take the wake at an angle but instead of cutting the wake, and due to the narrow angle of attack, the wake rode up my starboard side and tilted my boat over to port enough that I was looking straight down into the wate on the port side. Scared the you know what out of me, broke one fishing rod and make me have to swear to my wife that I would never cut a wake like that again...:)
 
I know that feeling.

I was talking about taking on coming waves. When having to "break" out of the wake of a boat in front of me I've found that taking a much sharper angle away and extra throttle works to get me out from the effects of the wake. The sharp angle makes the wake similar to a following sea.
 
Since you might be with much larger boats than yours as well, who don't have to slow down for anything, you have to be careful to keep you and your crew safe. A boat wake can re-steer your boat and take control from you, especially if you are behind a bigger boat in it's following wake.

If the channel is wide enough, I'd move to the right and stay off plane until the waves and thier big boats leave.
Or time you entry to stay away from larger boats and enter when gaps are created.

If someone has to slow down behind you, too bad, but if they are not skilled and large may run over you. ie semi on highway behind you.

I used to run some nasty channels near Jones Inlet and back to Seaford on Sunday afternoons, I never missed a day I left for Montauk.

Just be glad you are not in a 16 ft bowrider, and take your time and pull up if you have to. It probably doesn't amount to loosing much time anyway.
 
I have an 89 Overnighter with a 200 hp Johnson on it. Ive found that by trimming the bow down and adding throttle (speeding up), I'm able to cross most wakes without pounding. How much to trim the bow down and how much to speed up depends on the wake - size, period, direction, etc. but with practice, you get pretty good at judging the adjustments you need to make.

Before I started doing this, I was passed by larger boat going a lot faster than I was. He came by on the port side and his wake wasn't very big. I didn't change course, speed up or slow down. After the second or third wave of his wake passed under us, the bow dug in and we veered sharply to port. My wife, who was sitting in the passenger seat ended up on her butt on the deck and I was thrown against the side and was unable to counter the turn.

After that experience I've been much more careful in wake situations and started experimenting with trim and speed which is how I arrived at my current practice. However, when I'm in unfamiliar waters or see something out of the ordinary, I will slow down and usually drop the bow down, too.

Gary 89 Overnighter
 
I know the area all too well being that I fish the ocean almost exclusively and come out of Waretown directly into Oyster Creek. Just to paint a picture for those not familiar with Barnegat Bay I believe the average depth o the bay is something like 3'. The channel is deeper, but might be as skinny as thirty feet wide in a few spots. Unless it is high tide, you do NOT want to venture outside the channel while cruising.

As far as overcoming wakes from other boats, I agree with what others mentioned, especially gwwannabe. Approach the wake at a silght angle, drop the bow by tucking your engine before approaching, keep your throttle the same and raise your trim again afterward. You will naturally lose a little speed by doing this and prevent slamming or splashing your crew.

I strongly agree your do not want to get caught in another (larger) boats wake while running parrallel to the waves. As I taught my son after a rough lesson learned, "Either cross the other boats wake or drive behind it, do not hesitate once you are about to cross the wake." Kind of hard to put in words, but it can get real unpredictable if you get caugh in another boats wake.
 
I had a similar experience trying to overtake a party boat while in a 17' runabout...........almost turned over..........had to hold my son in from falling out.........called inexperience..................:)
 
I regularly travel DCC and OCC, on the weekends and it is a NIGHTMARE. In many cases I think it makes sense to throttle down, come off plane, take the wake...and come back on plane. Although doing that 6 times between Barnegat Inlet and Waretown can be very frustrating.
 
GOA said:
I regularly travel DCC and OCC, on the weekends and it is a NIGHTMARE. In many cases I think it makes sense to throttle down, come off plane, take the wake...and come back on plane. Although doing that 6 times between Barnegat Inlet and Waretown can be very frustrating.


dude, After 6 times , I just goto put put mode all the way thru. I did hear a rumer that the NJ FG is trying to make that a no wake zone.
Not sure if tru but that would kidna stink. I dont wan to have to go all the way out to oyster creek channel. Just wish people would not fish right in the middle of the channel markers at low tide.
 
Being carefull overtaking the boat ahead of you even at an angle, you may steam out of the channel and bottom the boat on low moon tides.

That's when grounding can readily occur, taking out a prop if there are rocks doen there.

Stay tucked in, hang on, and suffer for a while.
 
BobP said:
Being carefull overtaking the boat ahead of you even at an angle, you may steam out of the channel and bottom the boat on low moon tides.

That's when grounding can readily occur, taking out a prop if there are rocks doen there.

Stay tucked in, hang on, and suffer for a while.

I usually stay behind the boat in front of me if going a reasonable pace, unless there sight seeing, slow crusers, taking pictures, ect I go right past them with a few toots of the horn. No problem getting out of another baots wake, she seems to handle that fine as long I take a sharp turn out and run foward of them.

It is the on coming traffic wakes I that I have a problem with. Slams Me HARD :shock:

It does handle the inlet chops quite well though, I am supprised and feel quite comfortable going in at outbound tide with the washing machine affect of that inlet, the old girl takes in like it was made for it.
 
I was referring to the on-coming traffic...other wise I just follow the boat ahead of me regardless of how fast or slow they are going
 
I have a 25 footer and I back it down upon coming across some party boat wakes coming at me close by, otherwise my back or teeth may go as well. I will overtake them full on plane, but not head on.

We are not for getting banged up, the boat can take it. I can do without the impact at 30 mph.

So don't think it's much different with a boat that much bigger than yours.
 
Know that inlet and channel well. Although I hate to say this and it might suck, the area needs traffic control traffic on WEEKENDS. Between navigating boats, wakes and the idiots who feel it is their right to fish the channels, it is the pits. They need to slow it down and clear it out on the weekends ONLY. All the fish in the world would not be worth the beating those people must take in their small boats drifting the channel.

Point Pleasant Canal is just as bad if not worse with the strong currents in boat wake combination with the impatient A-Holes who navigate it.

My Advice Take off a day during the week, It's much much nicer.