My safety tip of the day is...

[redneck joe]

Don't go out in this stuff....

Big tall waves

 

[tpenfield]

I've only see wave action on the Great Lakes once. I happened to be traveling on business near Lake Michigan on a windy day and was amazed to see the heights of the waves (guesstimate 12-15 feet). I've often wondered if it is something about those bodies of water that is conducive to large waves?

 

[racerone]

They really are ---" small oceans "---According to some.

 

[aspeck]

Wow! Impressive!

 

[southkogs]

Got caught in about 8' one time on Lake Huron in a small sailboat. Fortunately got off the water fast and easily, but it was enough to teach me a lesson.

 

[racerone]

Have been out in 8' and bigger on Lake Huron many times.---On 30' and bigger sailboats.

 

[redneck joe]

Looks like a whale

 

[rolmops]

These waves on the Great Lakes are a lot more destructive than they would be in the ocean. The wave periods are much shorter which means that instead of 8 or 9 seconds apart , they are 3 to 4 seconds apart. That makes a 25 foot wave in Lake Ontario about as destructive as a 40 to fifty foot wave in the open ocean.
On the ocean , 5 or 6 foot waves usually means that you go up and down without the waves cresting or breaking into white heads. they are just long rollers. In the Great lakes a six footer will hammer you around one after the other in quick succession and make you want to get off the water quick.

 

[racerone]

Left the harbor may times looking forward to the 6' waves.-----Single handed on a 30' sailboat.

 

[Scott Danforth]

The great lakes do have high wave heights coupled with higher frequency, making them more dangerous than ocean travel

 

[airshot]

Grew up in the Port Clinton area of Lake Erie, had a cottage where the old rt#2 ran along the lake front. We saw 12' plus waves crash over the roadway many times and witnessed a number of vehicles literally washed off the road and flipped over !! Great Lakes are to be taken seriously as dangerous bodies of water...respect them or pay the price.....

 

[Lou C]

I think there were 20' waves on LI Sound during Hurricane Sandy.
The Great Lakes are really inland seas.

 

[Ifishmuskie2]

If the wave is higher then your boat is long head to shore. lol.
4’ waves in a 14’ boat is about max for me. I stop Downrigger in 3’ers because it puts too much pressure on my gunnels.
In a Lund Barron 6’ers are no problem.
I heard a story that the charters head for port when waves are over 3’. Many times I have kept fishing and all the charters went in.

What’s your max? Let’s hear some stories.

 

[airshot]

If the wave is higher then your boat is long head to shore. lol.
4’ waves in a 14’ boat is about max for me. I stop Downrigger in 3’ers because it puts too much pressure on my gunnels.
In a Lund Barron 6’ers are no problem.
I heard a story that the charters head for port when waves are over 3’. Many times I have kept fishing and all the charters went in.

What’s your max? Let’s hear some stories.

Charters return to protect their clients....no sense getting sued for injuring your clients. My boat is only a 16' so I draw the line when waves exceed two feet. Can always go another day. When I had my 22', I drew the line at 3' waves, yes it could handle more, much more, but not in comfort. Tossing my passengers around and getting someone hurt in not my idea of fun. Experienced boaters can tell when a boat hull has beer pounded in the waves, then no one wants to buy it.

 

[rolmops]

If the wave is higher then your boat is long head to shore. lol.
4’ waves in a 14’ boat is about max for me. I stop Downrigger in 3’ers because it puts too much pressure on my gunnels.
In a Lund Barron 6’ers are no problem.
I heard a story that the charters head for port when waves are over 3’. Many times I have kept fishing and all the charters went in.

What’s your max? Let’s hear some stories.

Charters return because most clients do not puke over the side as they are told to do and charter boat captains hate cleaning up other people's puke .

 

[dingbat]

I think there were 20' waves on LI Sound during Hurricane Sandy

Block island reported significant wave heights of 30’ with largest at 47ft.

 

[roscoe]

been out in 8-9'ers in a 35' sailboat.
We were under power as there was no wind, it was the morning after
a 2 day storm that passed south of Milwaukee, so we had east wind pounding Milwaukee and making waves. It took a couple days for the waves to die down. We had to move the boat to a different marina, to get ready for the Queens cup race across lake Michigan.

My current boats ( 16 and 18' ) , both have very small splash wells.
About 5" high, 11" x 60". So I call it quits at 18-24" waves because it would not be fun to take a few over the transom.