Big waves and inflatables...

I've been experimenting with my 12.5' and up to 4 footers it's been handling very nice. The one day I took on some 5 footers was ugly due to the fact the boat was totally empty and I was solo.

Took some pictures of 4 footers but just doesn't show how big they are. How big of stuff are some of you running in and what tips can you give?





Here's a small sailboat in 4 footers. They are in the trough of the wave and you can just make out their heads. I tilted it to make it more dramatic.

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

<<How big of stuff are some of you running in and what tips can you give?>>

The only tip I can give is a safety tip: Be very cautious running upwind into a wave. When the bow rises at the crest of the wave, there'a a danger of the wind getting under the bow and flipping the lightweight boat, especially with all the weight at the stern. Be safe. Nice photos, btw.

Larry

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

That's exactly what happened in the five footers but if I have at least 200 pounds in the bow it handles fine. I have run in 10 footers with other peoples inflatables (an 18' SIB and a 14' RIB). We were well loaded with people and scuba gear. They handled very well I thought.

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

Usually don't pass big waves in a perpendicular boat/wave position, do it side ways and throttle down when have passed the roller-coaster wave to avoid jumping, but if the wave has closed...oooops!!! this is the correct way to handle the dramatic and scary sht. situation...must have a confident transporter and op state sib/rib/engine

Happy Boating

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

Inflatable boat + big waves = FUN!

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

I ran into some of those on Spring tide August 15 in Brest France and i got the HELL out of there fast but with a struggle.

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

Last weekend, i had a very scary situation at rough sea, the waves was up about 1 m, my brother with no experience in driving a boat, he got a turn side by side with the wave and when the wave rise up and pushed one side of the boat was about 45 degree and nearly caused the boat overturn.
Another time at rough sea again, the wave was about 1 m height, and we was about 40 m to shore suddenly there was a big wave coming to lift the rear of the boat up and push the head of the boat in to the sea and up again with a lot of water in boat, the fuel tank was nearly sunk under the water level inside the boat, we was so scary at that time. It took 1 hour for the boat to drain itself. From that experience, I think that when the big wave is coming behind, should I go as fast as possible to get away from the wave? please correct me if I?m doing wrong.

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

ZIZON said:

Last weekend, i had a very scary situation at rough sea, the waves was up about 1 m, my brother with no experience in driving a boat, he got a turn side by side with the wave and when the wave rise up and pushed one side of the boat was about 45 degree and nearly caused the boat overturn.
Another time at rough sea again, the wave was about 1 m height, and we was about 40 m to shore suddenly there was a big wave coming to lift the rear of the boat up and push the head of the boat in to the sea and up again with a lot of water in boat, the fuel tank was nearly sunk under the water level inside the boat, we was so scary at that time. It took 1 hour for the boat to drain itself. From that experience, I think that when the big wave is coming behind, should I go as fast as possible to get away from the wave? please correct me if I?m doing wrong.

Click to expand...

Where were you?When i saw that the waves were getting big or they were more like swells and not breaking yet, i got the hell out of there fast with fast power to the marina, had to criss cross tho and not go straight with swells behind me for the same reason you described. Where exactly were you boating when this horror occurred? I would have crapped my pants

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

Glad both of you were able to get out of nasty situations. Waves can really do a number.

The worst situation I saw were two fellows drinking beer on their inflatable, hit a small wave which threw them out. Of course, the drunkards were not attached to the safety lanyard and their inflatable/rib skittered from the open ocean (full throttle) into a cove where I was teaching and nailed a sail instructor in the gut. Full helicopter evacuation for the injured party.

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

CapeAnn said:

Glad both of you were able to get out of nasty situations. Waves can really do a number.

The worst situation I saw were two fellows drinking beer on their inflatable, hit a small wave which threw them out. Of course, the drunkards were not attached to the safety lanyard and their inflatable/rib skittered from the open ocean (full throttle) into a cove where I was teaching and nailed a sail instructor in the gut. Full helicopter evacuation for the injured party.

Click to expand...

OMG, how awful, I thought DRINKING and driving was totally forbidden? That is just plain neglegence. Did the injured survive? I always wear the lanyard it should be mandatory. Its idiots like that that spoil any kind of sports.

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

ZIZON said:

I think that when the big wave is coming behind, should I go as fast as possible to get away from the wave? please correct me if I?m doing wrong.

Click to expand...

If the big wave is about to break at transom's back you must full throttle and get the hell out of there inmediately towards shore in straight line, preferably have engine at a unlock position to rush to shore without engine or transom damage. A year ago while breaking a new sib/engine at the beach shown some posts upwards and while heading to shore crossing numerous white water waves on top, the driver slowed down, the white water wave that was nearly 1.5 mt high caught the sib by the rear turning sib furiously sideways, all 4 passenger fell into sea, including myself, the driver didn't have the safty lanyard attached to him, the boat went drifting alone to shore at some speed pulling fuel tank at back engine.

This funny movie happened 150 meters from shore at a beach that has 10 surf waves one behind the other. Fortunately the sea there was not deep, nobody was injured, cut or beaten with prop and the sib didn't flip with disastrous economic consequences to owner. Incredible, how can white water waves have such power.

Happy Boating

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

zodiac340m said:

OMG, how awful, I thought DRINKING and driving was totally forbidden? That is just plain neglegence. Did the injured survive? I always wear the lanyard it should be mandatory. Its idiots like that that spoil any kind of sports.

Click to expand...

Cheers. Bay Watch and the local authorities came and took the guys (40 years old+) away. The injured fellow had a rupture and required surgery and several days at the hospital. The RIB also came dangerously close to cutting up a few kids in the sailing class. The fellow who got hit by the boat managed to shove the girls out of the way as the runaway boat traveled in between a catamaran before it slid up to shore. When I first detected the runaway and to the point where it curved into our cove was probably less than 50 seconds. Full throttle on a unoccupied boat is something else. We could not evacuate the cove which had quite a few people in the water.

As mentioned by Sea Rider in his story above - having a safety lanyard is a must for me because this is not the only runaway I have experienced. Scary stuff.

Best,

CapeAnn

Re: Big waves and inflatables...

relatively new to SIB's (always had Sea Ray e.t.c. in the past). Although I am fairly adept to handling in moderate to heavy seas, was wondering if an Intex Excursion 5 can handle open ocean. Obviously the light weight is of concern, and common sense approach would be necessary i.e. not trying to go perpendicular to a high cresting swell. Can anybody give me any first hand information on how a light boat such as this would handle? Also given the fact that it will be powered by a Minn Kota 40, it is probably not enough power anyway but thought I would ask anyway.