Deck Boats and Stability in rough waters (how do you define rough waters?)

Right now I own a Deep-V and I noticed the difference in how rough the waters are in NYS compared to TX. My granddads 1970's tri-hull was great in TX. I do see many people buy and use pontoons and deck boats up here in the bays and finger lakes. I have also seen some of them venture out into Lake Ontario 0_o. In all honesty I rarely go out in Lake Ontario as my g/f dislikes it. Though I have had fun going out on 3ft+ swells that roll off my cuddy.

So when you guys say you hate using it in rough waters, how do you define rough waters? Any feedback from people who boat in the finger lakes/Irondiquoit Bay area would be great.

Re: Deck Boats and Stability in rough waters (how do you define rough waters?)

I live on a houseboat on lake Champlain in Vermont. Its a steel displacement type hull, with the deck sitting only about 16" above the water.
I call rough waters anything over 3 ft, but I've been out in 5ft waves with the occasional 6ft wave. Its not so much the height of the wave, but the frequency. It just batters the boat.

Deck boat... Im not sure I'd think twice about anything. A couple sealed pontoons under me so I don't have to worry about swamping the boat and going down, and I'd go play in whatever weather I could.

Re: Deck Boats and Stability in rough waters (how do you define rough waters?)

soggy_feet said:

I live on a houseboat on lake Champlain in Vermont. Its a steel displacement type hull, with the deck sitting only about 16" above the water.
I call rough waters anything over 3 ft, but I've been out in 5ft waves with the occasional 6ft wave. Its not so much the height of the wave, but the frequency. It just batters the boat.

Deck boat... Im not sure I'd think twice about anything. A couple sealed pontoons under me so I don't have to worry about swamping the boat and going down, and I'd go play in whatever weather I could.

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I have only gone out a few times when it was rough, as my fiance hates rough water. I would get a boat that has a bow cover and wouldn't attempt going out on the lake when it is not so great and shore is never to far away.

Sometimes if it is just friends I will go out on the Lake and have some fun, though the fun only lasts for so long. Before everyone has had enough of been bombarded.

I guess I am wondering in 1ft-2ft swells how are deck boats compared to a deep-v?

Re: Deck Boats and Stability in rough waters (how do you define rough waters?)

Couple of data points - my boat has low sides and even lower bow. I have been out in 3', but it takes on water unless I'm trimmed up and off plane. Not fun.

One other point, I used to think pontoon boats were fairly impervious to rough water, just judging by how they ride through the chop. Last year, we were sitting out front at my parents place on Chaumont Bay. The water was fairly rough, 3-5' waves starting to break. A smallish 21' pontoon boat with 60 hp OB was down in the bottom of my parents cove, and decided to head out into it. We watch as a wave pulled the front end down. Just as it was starting to recover, another hit the deck and flipped it end for end. We went out (in my fathers Triumph) and got the 4 people, the boat was washed up on the rocks that evening. Seing that, I'm not so sure the pontoons are that great on rough water.

Re: Deck Boats and Stability in rough waters (how do you define rough waters?)

DuckHunterJon said:

Couple of data points - my boat has low sides and even lower bow. I have been out in 3', but it takes on water unless I'm trimmed up and off plane. Not fun.

One other point, I used to think pontoon boats were fairly impervious to rough water, just judging by how they ride through the chop. Last year, we were sitting out front at my parents place on Chaumont Bay. The water was fairly rough, 3-5' waves starting to break. A smallish 21' pontoon boat with 60 hp OB was down in the bottom of my parents cove, and decided to head out into it. We watch as a wave pulled the front end down. Just as it was starting to recover, another hit the deck and flipped it end for end. We went out (in my fathers Triumph) and got the 4 people, the boat was washed up on the rocks that evening. Seing that, I'm not so sure the pontoons are that great on rough water.

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The deckboats I am looking at look like your typical vhull, but have a little wider bows. More of the runabout looking like ones and less of the trihull w/ pontoon layout. Though I see your point how a wave has more area in the bow as it is wider to push the bow down. When I have been out in my cuddy I typically try to stay ontop of the swells, though every now and then I hit a crest and water can splash into the cockpit.

Re: Deck Boats and Stability in rough waters (how do you define rough waters?)

I'd say anything over 3' and/or conditions that cause you take on excess water across the bow would be "rough" conditions for me, but I'm a wuss about that sort of thing, and I only have a 14' tinny. As far as I know, the ocean, lakes and rivers in my neck of the woods aren't going anywhere any time soon, so I can always wait for better conditions. Just think what would've happened to those folks if John wasn't there. Regardless of the conditions, make sure you always have some way to bail out your vessel in a pinch. Automatic bilges are great, but I would also keep a manual scooper and/or pump handy. Most old sailboats even have built-in manual bilge pumps for that very reason. An old gallon milk jug, or bleach bottle works great and can bail a lot more water than you might think. Be prepared, be safe, have fun, stay dry.


"The sea will reveal all of your mistakes."
-Sailor's proverb

Re: Deck Boats and Stability in rough waters (how do you define rough waters?)

soggy_feet said:

Its not so much the height of the wave, but the frequency. It just batters the boat.

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Soggy brings up a really good point that may be worth emphasizing. We generally determine that it is too rough to venture out into the Pacific Ocean when the "period" (the time between waves/swells) is shorter than the "height". For example, I've taken divers out in a 14' swell with an 18 second period and everyone has a great time. Alternatively, I've been out in 8' seas with a 6 second period and the boat is getting beat up badly and the Admiral is asking, "are we going to die"...

Pontoons, Cats and Tri-hulls offer a lot of deck space, but tend to pound very hard going into a large swell and don't benefit from quartering into the seas as much as a Deep Vee would. Also, be careful on the pontoon boats with canopies. I've seen more than one flip over when a swell started to roll them and the wind caught the canopy and pushed them over.

YMMV,