A couple of years ago me and some friends were out on my 24' pontoon cruising around the James River, in Va., near Hopewell. We were on a course that crossed the path of a large cruiser, probably 40+ ft long, traveling at a pretty good clip. I slacked off to let him go by, as whether I had the right of way or not, I didn't feel it was in my interest to challenge him. In my lack of knowledge of approaching the wash, I hit it straight on, at 90 degrees. This wash was about 4 ft waves. We went over the first one and down into the trough. When the next one hit it came over the bow and put about 3" water along the entire deck and soaked everyone but me, as I was behind the pilot's console and had a windshield. Lesson learned, I think I should have approached this wash at a 45 degree angle.
Now for my question. If a 40+ ft cruiser put out 4 foot waves in his wash, what happens when something even bigger is cruising past and I need to cross their wash? I don't know how deep/tall a wash can be off of large boats but I, in smaller boats, such as this 24' pontoon, or an even smaller v-hull or flat-bottom jon boat, would like to know the best way to handle a large wash without swamping the boat, if that's possible.
Will the wash be smaller if it's farther away from the boat that created it? If I see a cruise ship coming up the river should I just turn around a run the other way? (cruise ships don't come up the James River where I am, but big barges, tugs, and other medium cargo ships do)
I have not seen info addressing this in the lessons I have been studying in my boating course.
Thanks,
Chris
Now for my question. If a 40+ ft cruiser put out 4 foot waves in his wash, what happens when something even bigger is cruising past and I need to cross their wash? I don't know how deep/tall a wash can be off of large boats but I, in smaller boats, such as this 24' pontoon, or an even smaller v-hull or flat-bottom jon boat, would like to know the best way to handle a large wash without swamping the boat, if that's possible.
Will the wash be smaller if it's farther away from the boat that created it? If I see a cruise ship coming up the river should I just turn around a run the other way? (cruise ships don't come up the James River where I am, but big barges, tugs, and other medium cargo ships do)
I have not seen info addressing this in the lessons I have been studying in my boating course.
Thanks,
Chris