V boats - rough water handling

[bgreene]

Originally Posted by peiserma

This phenomenon appears to have been first investigated in 1861:

http://www.boatingmag.com/skills/sea...ng-wave-height

http://www.answers.com/topic/wave-height-2

P.S. I'm not trying to call anyone out on their estimates, just presenting some information as food for thought.

There's a video readily available showing aircraft carrier hitting a reported 90' wave.
It's a rough day, and the ship hits a set of two - take a look.

Anyway, most of us probably do over estimate wave height, but rough is rough. If you're looking up at the wave tops from the boat - it's rough alright.

Any more stories with details ?

[SkunkBoat]

I took these in the Med...These were 30' ish

That's a 450ft frigate bobbing up and down. I'm on a 550ft destroyer trying to come along side that oiler to take on fuel....we didn't get any. Kept popping the hose and spraying the deck with JP3.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by SkunkBoat

I took these in the Med...These were 30' ish

That's a 450ft frigate bobbing up and down. I'm on a 550ft destroyer trying to come along side that oiler to take on fuel....we didn't get any. Kept popping the hose and spraying the deck with JP3.

Man that brings back memories... Worst one we were ever in was in the tail end of a hurricane in the Atlantic.. Wind was down but the seas were still pretty high... Finally had to abandon the refueling...even on the leeward siide the waves were too rough to get close. The tanker kept drifting in, impossible to hold course. From one tin can sailor to another...thanks!!!

[Kracker Jack]

Originally Posted by peiserma

This phenomenon appears to have been first investigated in 1861:

http://www.boatingmag.com/skills/sea...ng-wave-height

http://www.answers.com/topic/wave-height-2

P.S. I'm not trying to call anyone out on their estimates, just presenting some information as food for thought.

You ever fed a white marlin up hill in 10 to 12 foot ? I have! lol!!! No $hit!! i sat in on a charter my brother was mating on and they insisted on fishing that day and the captain let them have there way. One of the guys broke his ankle going to the bathroom on the way in and the rest of them stayed mostly sick all day ( they were from Ohio). We went 1 for 2 on the white ones that day and caught one yellow fin. we broke the inlet that morning it was a ****ty 8 foot and steadily got bigger the further we got off shore. we were on a 50 foot custom carolina boat. roughest ive ever been in. Really didnt need a wave chart that day instead we had 65 total years experience combined to judge the wave height.

[Kracker Jack]

Originally Posted by SkunkBoat

I took these in the Med...These were 30' ish

That's a 450ft frigate bobbing up and down. I'm on a 550ft destroyer trying to come along side that oiler to take on fuel....we didn't get any. Kept popping the hose and spraying the deck with JP3.

Skunk, awesome pics!!!!

[SkunkBoat]

well, back on the subject of waves...

There's 3-5 and there's 3 -5. One can be ugly and dangerous and one can be a beautiful day on the water. The wind and period of the waves tells the story. A long period (8,9, 10 seconds) from a far off storm and a light local wind can be a great day even though the forecast 3-5 or 4-6 looks bad. You absolutely can't rely on the wave height forecast alone. Look at surfer websites to get detailed height/period/direction/wind. And look at the beach cams. ANd some guys can look at the local NOAA bouy data to see the real data and the trend.

And here in NJ there can often be a "Small Craft Warning 4-6ft winds NW 20-25kts.." But that NW or W direction means its flat from the beach to 1/2mile or more. I catch more stripers in November on days like that than in any other month or sea condition.

[peiserma]

Originally Posted by Kracker Jack

You ever fed a white marlin up hill in 10 to 12 foot ? I have! lol!!! No $hit!!

Like I said, I wasn't trying to call anyone out on their estimates of wave height; I was just presenting some information that i thought might be pertinent to the discussion. What you do with the info is up to you. I think the majority of people on this site are very experienced and can estimate waves just fine.

FWIW, I got my introduction to boating at the Vermilion Yacht Club (on Lake Erie) and my first day "at sea" was was in a little 10' or 12' Gull (that's a fairly small sailboat) with 6ft waves (at least that was the height according to the instructor. Lake Erie is fairly shallow so the waves kicked up kicker than they expected else they would have delayed the first outing). The boom smacked me in the head on a bad jibe at the crest of a wave and gave me a mild concussion. I was maybe 10 or 12 years old at the time (can't remember exactly. weird!). So I do know a little about about rough seas, and I remember that those waves sure looked bigger than 6ft! I would have sworn they were taller than the boat was long. It was an experience I have never forgotten but still think about fondly for some odd reason.

Didn't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers.Carry on.

[bgreene]

We've migrated some from V boats so might as well.......

Worst I ever saw was from my family's 21 T Craft (much like the V ) as a Hurricane was headed offshore up the coast.

Knew it was an incoming tide so figured I'd just zip over towards the inlet and see what it looked like. Bay on Long Island was absolutely flat, no other boaters and headed to the mouth of the inlet.

Sat there in the boat in inky flat calm looking just about 50 feet ahead of me where the wave line started. Unbelieveable with huge seas just beyond that, progressively bigger to monsterous confused breakers beyond. I was very young but not all that stupid as I knew with the incoming if my engine died I'd still be in the flat calm, floating back in the bay. Kind of stupid but much like the camera boats that film surfers on huge waves, close up.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by peiserma

Like I said, I wasn't trying to call anyone out on their estimates of wave height; I was just presenting some information that i thought might be pertinent to the discussion. What you do with the info is up to you. I think the majority of people on this site are very experienced and can estimate waves just fine.

FWIW, I got my introduction to boating at the Vermilion Yacht Club (on Lake Erie) and my first day "at sea" was was in a little 10' or 12' Gull (that's a fairly small sailboat) with 6ft waves (at least that was the height according to the instructor. Lake Erie is fairly shallow so the waves kicked up kicker than they expected else they would have delayed the first outing). The boom smacked me in the head on a bad jibe at the crest of a wave and gave me a mild concussion. I was maybe 10 or 12 years old at the time (can't remember exactly. weird!). So I do know a little about about rough seas, and I remember that those waves sure looked bigger than 6ft! I would have sworn they were taller than the boat was long. It was an experience I have never forgotten but still think about fondly for some odd reason.

Didn't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers.Carry on.

Naaa...no ones feathers were ruffled...relax. We tend to present differing opinions all the time on this site...but it's done for information reasons, not to retaliate or call someone a boob. It's how we learn. BTW, I found that info most interesting.. I've been Navy and small boats all my adult life (40+ years)and that's the first time I've ever heard that. It makes sense. Thanks

[Kracker Jack]

Originally Posted by peiserma

Like I said, I wasn't trying to call anyone out on their estimates of wave height; I was just presenting some information that i thought might be pertinent to the discussion. What you do with the info is up to you. I think the majority of people on this site are very experienced and can estimate waves just fine.

FWIW, I got my introduction to boating at the Vermilion Yacht Club (on Lake Erie) and my first day "at sea" was was in a little 10' or 12' Gull (that's a fairly small sailboat) with 6ft waves (at least that was the height according to the instructor. Lake Erie is fairly shallow so the waves kicked up kicker than they expected else they would have delayed the first outing). The boom smacked me in the head on a bad jibe at the crest of a wave and gave me a mild concussion. I was maybe 10 or 12 years old at the time (can't remember exactly. weird!). So I do know a little about about rough seas, and I remember that those waves sure looked bigger than 6ft! I would have sworn they were taller than the boat was long. It was an experience I have never forgotten but still think about fondly for some odd reason.

Didn't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers.Carry on.

No feathers ruffled here my friend. Actually I completely agree with with you and your post. Yea lake Erie seems like she could get pretty rough!