Dealing With (Inconsiderate) Wakes

[winthrop fisher]

that happens ever where with power boaters and you did the right thing by talking to him...

but it will happen again...

sailors take the time too learn the ropes,
sum power boats just jump in and go...
winthrop

[Kevin Kaldenbach]

Once I was going under a bridge with questionable clearance, bumping the boat forward a little at a time as we watched the mast. A power boat came zipping along and yells to me "wow you only have 6 inches". My reply was, "about the hight of your wake"!!

[Troy Scott]

Years ago we decided we should have a pile of bumper-stickers printed with the one word OBLIVIOUS in large capitol letters. These would be, of course, for certain drivers. Apparently there is still a great need for such a thing. The trick would be to surreptitiously apply the sticker. At any rate, the captain, IF he even noticed, would probably miss the point......

[mike ritenour]

Back in 1999 we were upbound on the Erie Canal approaching Lock 17. As required by the low bridges, our mast was securely strapped to the deck for the anticipated nasty crossing of the Oneida Lake portion of the canal.

A fair ways out of the lock, we observed, a very large motor yacht rapidly exit the lock and a bunch of fishermen shaking their fists and running from a series of wakes, that were quickly over running the concrete wingwall. I tried to raise him on the VHF, but no answer.

In a very short time the 78' Hatteras motoryacht "SeaDozer" came storming by, 60' or so off our beam, going full tilt boogie, leaving behind her a series of six foot wakes.

Pinned in by the canal channel, I had no where to go. I yelled down to crew to hold on and I took my best angle on the wave train.

LaVida took the first one very well, however the second wave quickly rolled over her deck before she could rise and meet it.

With her bows nearly 3' underwater, the wall of water wrench the mast from its mounts, snapping a 1" nylon strap on the bow portion of the tie down and taking the mast top almost completely over the side.

At the same moment the mast twisted from its mounts, my crew member was coming out of the companion way and the mast struck her in the head, pinning her between the mast and the companionway. A cotter pin quickly slicing through her cheek and into the interior of her mouth.

Racing to pull the mast off of her, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the helmsman (later to learn it was the Captain) on the vessel give me the flying finger of fate. Thankfully I did not have a gun or I would have pumped that *(&*&&^$%^%#$#@ boat and its Captain full of holes at that moment.

Longer story short, we had "SeaDozer" arrested at the next lock, the NY State Police held them for about seven hours, they paid a bail and were on their way.

My crew had extensive medical bills, which after a year were eventually paid. Without a lawyer we would have had to eat them.

Even with a ticket from the NYS Police, we were never successful with the USCG in having the Captian censured.

I actually saw the same boat again a few years later while we were transiting through the Welland Canal. It was the same Captain and I rejoiced in presenting him with his flying finger of fate. Once again I was lucky I didn't have a gun handy.

Rit

[Joe Myerson]

Rit,

Seriously speaking, your story is a good argument for NOT having firearms onboard.

Even with a ticket from the NYS Police, we were never successful with the USCG in having the Captian censured.

That's an interesting comment.

My catboat was almost swamped by a Hatteras raging through Woods Hole Passage at top speed. We took water over the gunwales, but didn't actually sink -- I wrote down his name and hailing port, but never took any action.

When I told the story to a former colleague, who's a licensed skipper and operator of a water-taxi service, as well as a boating writer, he said I should have lodged a complaint with the USCG. If nothing else, he advised, there would have been a hearing, which might have helped teach the heedless skipper a lesson.

All water under the bridge, or over the gunwales, anyway.

--Joe

[Kilgore]

Mike's story makes my blood boil.

The bigger the power boat the bigger the douche.
This country needs a good old fashioned guillotine powered revolution.

[John Vigor]

Perhaps it was inconsiderate powerboaters that H. L. Mencken was thinking about when he wrote:

"Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats."

John V.

[JimMc]

Just an observation...

I like to take pictures. In traveling up and down the ICW, I've noticed that if I raise my video camera to my eye, the approaching power boat slows WAAAAAY down. I suppose the last thing they want is video evidence.

If you don't have a camera you want to risk at sea, simply buy an old non-functional one at a yard sale for $5. For this purpose, it works just as good as a Nikon.

Cheap, simple, non-combative solution.

Jim.
---------------

[tartansailor]

Just an observation...

I like to take pictures. In traveling up and down the ICW, I've noticed that if I raise my video camera to my eye, the approaching power boat slows WAAAAAY down. I suppose the last thing they want is video evidence.

If you don't have a camera you want to risk at sea, simply buy an old non-functional one at a yard sale for $5. For this purpose, it works just as good as a Nikon.

Cheap, simple, non-combative solution.

Jim.
---------------

That's a good idea.

Dick

[Joe Myerson]

n/m

[Steve Laume]

The ones I hate the most, think they are doing you a big favor by dropping off of a plan, just to the point that the stern squats way down. The perfect attitude to create the maximum wake. Great if you wanted to practice jumping or surf their wake but not so good for close quarters passing.

I don't think these guys are intentionally creating the biggest wake they possibly can. They are just absolutely clueless, Steve.

[mike ritenour]

A friend and fellow Cape Dory owner has a pretty aggressive method of dealing with wake creating idiots.

If they are approaching him, and won't respond to his requests for a clean wake passage, he points his bow directly at them, changing his course to keep his bow locked on their bow.

This impending collision course seems to unnerve the offending boater, although his reasoning is to cut the fetch of the wake to the smallest distance. He says that as the vessels get closer, about 90% drop off their wake producing speed.

If they are overtaking him and he has maneuvering room, he will do a quick 180 degree course change and once again head straight for them.

Sounds like chicken boating to me, but it seems to work for him.

If and when that remaining 10% call his bluff, as they surely will, I'm sure we will read about the nasty details, here on the board.

rit

[chase]

A nutty friend of mine started taking a baby doll on their ICW slogs. They'd keep it handy and she would swaddle it conspicuously if a "dozer" type boat came along. I think she wrote an article about it in the local sailing rag. They rarely got rocked and she got her kicks toying with those guys. It would not surprise me if she dropped it overboard for effect if anyone ever really crossed her.

Chase

[Neil Gordon]

If they are approaching him, and won't respond to his requests for a clean wake passage, he points his bow directly at them, changing his course to keep his bow locked on their bow.

I pondered how this might jive with the nav rules...

Pull out the plotting board, parallel rules and a pencil and you'll find that unless you are on a reciprical course (or the same course if you're going faster, which probably doesn't apply here), you can't actually collide with a moving object by pointing your bow at it.

[Troy Scott]

Neil, Of course (no pun intended) you're right. But I'll bet this maneuver does often have the desired effect. Rudeness and ignorance often go hand in hand, so maybe there is a pretty good chance a would-be wake maker would notice and respond to this very basic "don't mess with me" signal.

Are you over 2500 yet?