Dealing With (Inconsiderate) Wakes

[JWSutcliffe]

I am sure we have all had to deal with wakes from inconsiderate power boaters before. Late yesterday afternoon I finally reached the point where I felt that action, instead of just silently cursing, was called for. We were anchored at the outer edge of a quiet cove with a number of other boats (all power.) I had just taken the dog ashore and was preparing to reboard Oryx when a 22 foot or so twin outboard fishing boat came blasting into the anchorage, pushing up a 3 foot wake as he passed me. I ended up on the floor of the inflatable in an undignified heap.

As my wife reminded me that we really needed to be heading out, I started up the outboard and followed the offender into the cove. Without being offensive, loud or overly confrontational I caught up with them at the end of the beach and we had a chat about the need for manners (and more judicious use of throttle) when entering a crowded anchorage. They actually reacted in an apologetic manner.

Maybe the right thing to do, maybe not - but the net result was one powerboater that will probably think next time.

[Neil Gordon]

Without being offensive, loud or overly confrontational I caught up with them at the end of the beach and we had a chat about the need for manners (and more judicious use of throttle) when entering a crowded anchorage.

Unfortunately, for the most part it's not possible to have that conversation.

Yesterday I was on a broad reach, starboard tack, in a high single digit breeze when I was passed close on my port side by a power boater who actually waved as he went by. He didn't have a clue as to what his wake was doing.

Separately, now that it's September, I suppose, those using the channel into my marina simply ignore the Harbormaster's no wake buoys.

Better education might help. I think most of the offenders (but not all) are "front focused" and have no idea what's going on behind them.

[Jim Davis]

This was learned on the ICW. Call the boat on VHF 16 by name and "thank" him for the wake, followed by the appropriate descriptive term. In some areas the marine police or sheriff's patrol will stop them and at least give them a through safety inspection. Do not use your boats name.

I do like the quiet conversation idea, but as Niel points out it isn't often we get to talk directly to them.

[Joe Myerson]

Not to be a snob (why not?), but I sometimes think those three little words, "No Wake Zone," constitute a very accurate intelligence test.

Like Neil, I was sailing in a light breeze recently when a powerboat passed very close to me, on a parallel course, throwing up a nice 2 1/2 to 3-foot wake. My sail slatted, my boat rolled, I almost slid off the cockpit bench.

And they waved.

What could I do but wave back? They just didn't get it--they weren't trying to be offensive.

As a follow-up to Jim's suggestion, I recently heard a boat call the local marine patrol on Channel 16, switch to the working channel and complain. He described the offending boat and the direction it was heading.

The officer indicated that he would check out the boat in question.

Let's hope the skipper of the wake-laying boat wasn't as nosy as I am.

--Joe

[KDreese]

This summer I was on starboard tack passing another saillboat heading the other direction the opposite tack. There was ample room between the two boats and we were not in a channel so to speak but lots of deep water on either side... an open style fishing boat (32 feet maybe?) went flying between both boats leaving a huge wake between the two boats (white water everywhere). Both boats rolled, sails slatted, I was almost thrown off my cockpit seat, water over the bow into the cockpit the whole deal. Both sailboats skippers expressed our displeasure to the power boater at which point he casually... without looking back... took his left hand from the helm and tilted it backward with the middle digit extended... he had obviously done this before and had a well learned response. I guess I shouldnt expect the boaters to be any different than the drivers in Massachusetts but it was really not a cool or safe thing to do.

[drb9]

here.

Darin

[drb9]

here

The other link works, but why not go with something that can be mounted on the foredeck?

[Jim Davis]

I have one, however by the time I could get it ready the "lard butted wake draggier" would be long gone. I use it for rendezvous', salutes and RC duties. It does speak with much authority and when fired while alongside a pier been known to cause problems for passing dog owners - I will give them a plastic bag on request. I am careful with nearby infants since it can damage their ears and always call out "Fire In The Hole".

I still prefer the VHF radio call with their name, the problem and a few choice non-FCC approved adjectives.

[Oswego John]

Here's another tale of the guy who left an inconsiderate wake. Sorry that I can't tell you about the final end of the story. I never asked and I'm glad that I don't know what happened.

My brother-in-law and I were sailing one morning back in the early sixties with his young son and my oldest boy. We were in a 21 foot, brand X, chlorox bottle. We were in the western end of Long Island Sound, off Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy and heading west toward the new Throggs Neck Bridge.

My son called out "Hey dad, wow, look at this." I looked up and behind me to see this huge three story apartment building roaring up on us and leaving a wake like a destroyer. Holy @#%$.

I came about as quickly as possible, our bow toward this idiot. We went dead into his waves and we porpoised like crazy. It was a bad situation. I looked up to see a real captain's captain at the helm of the flying bridge.

I'll never forget him. He looked like Tojo grinning at us. He had Coco-cola eyeglasses and a big, fat cigar in his mush. I could tell that he was the real thing because of the white, $60 captain's hat he wore, the one with all the egg salad gold braid on the peak.

The jerk made two (costly?) errors. THe first was that he gave us the one finger salute as he sped by. The second was that he had one foot high, gold letters across his transom stating the boats name and its home port.

Well, let me bring you up to speed. My late brother-in-law was the gnarliest, meanest, nastiest person you hope you never met when he was crossed. He had recently come home after more than five years of island hopping in the Pacific Theater. After he got his ruptured duck, he got called back in the reserves. He had an outlook on life like a chipped toilet seat, and he had a very short, trigger fuse.

After the flagship was out of sight the waves settled down. My b-i-l asked me if I had a pencil. He started to write. It was the ship's name and home port. He told me that he didn't want to forget it. I foolishly asked him if he was going to report the incident He didn't answer me but just stared at me with two emotionless, steely eyes. Oh-oh, my bad.

Did I mention that he was a demolitions expert in the service.

For the next month I never read the paper or listened to the local news. I honestly was afraid of what I might find out.

For the longest time I emulated Sgt. Schultzie in Hogan's Heroes.
"I zee nottink'"
"I hear nottink"
"I know nottink"

And the subject never came up again.

O J

[Duncan]

Here's a Hobie Cat solution - LINK

[Bruce Bett]

The ones that bug me are the ones on the river. The Saint Clair River is the worst, but I've seen it on the Detroit River as well. These guys are very social and like to convoy. You get 5 or 6 35 to 40 foot powerboats coming up the river on plane about 50 to 100 yards apart. The first one passes, and about the time you would like to turn into the wake the second one is on top of you ready to t-bone you if you do. No they don't get it. All I can do when that happens, and it happens all the time, is hang on and take it on the beam and fantasize about building a <a href='http://dangerouslyfun.com/spud-gun'>potato cannon.</a>

[Joe Myerson]

Duncan,

I knew I wasn't the first sailor to say, "Where's that heat-seeking missile when I really need it?"

Bruce:

One of my worst experiences was heading into the Connecticut River with the wind running against the current, which was pretty much like a washboard.

Just as we entered the passage between two stone breakwaters, a large cruiser sped by, throwing up a wake (he seemed to start accelerating at the large "No Wake Zone" sign). The wave combination was excruciating.

That heat-seeking missile would only have made matters worse, I suppose.

--Joe

[M. R. Bober]

I have heard that a boat at anchor can reduce the wakes of those passing through by simply having a crew member sit on the forward deck cleaning a shotgun. I do not know this as a certainty.


Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster (where the power boaters are quite polite), VA

[Troy Scott]

is to live well. We all despise the rude boater. But, if we allow them to make us angry and ruin our day, they win. OTOH, if we go our own way and truly appreciate a quiet anchorage at the end of the day, we win. But then again...., I sometimes just want to slap the SOB....

[Steve Kuhar]

I have found that nothing that I can do or say is going to infuriate the wake throwing morons as much as they infuriate me, so I have pretty much given up trying.

What I have found is a technique that seems to help, at least for wakes from overtaking boats. I have found that if I hold my course just until I feel the stern lift from the first wave and then turn into the wake just hard enough to attempt to "surf" down the backside of the wave I will settle in the trough with only a minimal roll. A slight turn back toward the course line seems to carry the boat through the second and subsequent waves with little problem. It takes practice (we get plenty of that on the Gulf Coast) and it doesn't always work, but when it does it is almost a pleasant experience. Try it, it will give you something positive to think about while the idiots climb up your stern.

Steve Kuhar