Small boat handling

[55Crestliner]

First off, let me say that I have very little experience with motor boats (although I've been sailing on 12 to 70 foot boats for 20 years).<br />I bought my first motor boat this Spring - 1950's 12 foot Crestliner. This boat has a wheel, and an 18 horse Johnson.<br /><br />Yesterday I took the boat out with my wife and my 2 young boys. This is a busy large lake, with some pretty big-to-me wakes coming from all over. We have had fun going parralell to the wakes, makes for an interesting thrill.<br /><br />I wanted to go out by myself for a bit. I was traveling along when another large wake (1.5 feet maybe?)hit me sideways. This time was a bit different - I came very close to going for a swim. TWICE the boat got way over on it's side, and it sort of hung there for what seemed like a few seconds. I didn't turn the wheel, for fear of upsetting it more, so I just slid my weight more to port to compensate (I was already in the middle). <br /><br />This scared me pretty good, and it scares me more to think if my 4 year old was in there he may have fallen out.<br /><br />As I said in the beginning, I'm mostly used to sailboats - even with my 12 foot dinghy I would never even have worried about angles to waves, it just takes them well. Is this just because of the fact that my sailboat is not going between 20-30mph?<br /><br />Is this just a matter of always needing to be at an angle to the waves? <br /><br />I know this almost ended up an entry for "Stupid Human Tricks", but I thought I'd get a better response here!

 

[sporter]

Re: Small boat handling

Others can give you a more technical answer, but I just try to always angle the bow of my fishing boat (15' Lowe) into the wakes, never want them to hit me in the side.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Small boat handling

Approach wakes and large swells at 45 degrees, and if at all in doubt, just go slower until you get the feel for the boat. It takes a swell at least the width of your boat in height to possibly capsize it, but sometimes you get just the right combination of circumstances and its swimming time. I hope you are kickin' a pfd when you are on these experi"mental" runs ...Good luck.

 

[hise]

Re: Small boat handling

On the sailboat, the centerboard helps alot in stability when a wave hits from the side. Not having that on the motor boat, you need to take on wakes between 45 degrees and head on.<br /><br />--Hise

 

[55Crestliner]

Re: Small boat handling

Thanks for the replies.<br />Yes, I always wear a life jacket, and of course everyone else in the boat. It's just too small in my mind not to.<br /><br />Is it considered just as safe to take a wave at 45 from the stern? I've always done that with the sailboat, it's called surfing But didn't know if it's considered bad form for motoring.

 

[gutshot grouper]

Re: Small boat handling

That boat in the pic hasa really round chine,, where the bottom meets side, and it will roll pretty badly when taking seas on the beam, I nearly rolled out in a 34 foot power boat with a round bottom in quartering seas in florida bay.the next year my dad had a similar experience, and broke the arm off the helmsmans chair while trying to cross the same area,, be careful

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Small boat handling

When you think about it, the daftest place to hang a heavy lump of metal is over the stern of a small, light boat. Fine while it's pushing you along, but not so funny if it dies when you're stern-to in a following sea. Surely much better to meet any wake bows-to than stern-to.<br /><br />Don't you agree that the same basic stability principles apply to small sailboats and small motorboats?

 

[55Crestliner]

Re: Small boat handling

Thanks again, input is really appreciated. I try to learn from mistakes, and not repeat them.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Small boat handling

Chris,<br /><br />Just looked at your boat pics.<br />Beautiful restoration and a great period boat.<br />Love the lower support for the outboard - I'm going to copy it. I've always hated the idea of the transom taking the strain when trailering.<br /><br />Ciao.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Small boat handling

You're boating on lakes, right? <br /><br />I've got a flatbottom fiberglass 15ft'er, and whenever the wind kicks up over 20mph or so sometimes I'm running in 2 - 2.5 ft waves maybe 10 - 12 feet apart. Hitting them head on at planing speed is too hard on the hull for my tastes, and trolling speed usually gets water over the bow. If I have to go that direction I trim up and slow down; still pretty rough. Taking 'em at a 45* angle usually gets me splashed pretty good. I've found that I can maintain pretty good speed running parallel to the waves or at a very shallow angle; have to cut the throttle occasionally to keep from smashing into a wave. I've never come even close to feeling like I was going to roll over.<br /><br />Running with the wind is a lot smoother but if you go faster than the waves you risk slamming into the one in front, or worse, hitting it nose down while riding down the trough. Works better to go the same speed as the waves.<br /><br />I've got plenty of power to raise the bow and get up & over when I need to. That's a nice looking boat; didn't evinrude make an 18hp about that same vintage? Might be just the ticket.

 

[55Crestliner]

Re: Small boat handling

Thanks all. I'm real proud of this little thing, nice to hear kind words. It's fun to see people in VERY expensive and fast boats wave and smile at the docks or beaches where I put in. I just love the fact that it's so old and still being enjoyed.<br />The transom support works great, but now I need to modify it, I'm building a new transom, shape has changed a little bit.<br /><br />Yes, I do only go in lakes, and they're pretty small here. It's the wakes that seem to get me.<br />In reference to Evinrude having an 18, the motor in the pictures is not what I'm running anymore. I have a Johnson 18

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Small boat handling

Your crestliner is a lot like my old fishing boat. Round chines and a flat bottom. The round chines make for not so great planing and a tendancy to roll up on its sides if leaned over too far. A planing boat is also much more bouyant than a sailboat, which can more or less maintain it's angle to the world when taking heavy waves because it is displacing water rather than riding over it.<br /><br />I too prefer to surf following waves and take on bow waves with lots of positive trim and concentration on the throttle over each wave. Those peaky waves that develop downwind of islands on long lakes can swamp you quick especially from behind. Wakes perpendicular to prevailing wind-waves can be very similar. Riding nearly parallel to wakes and rolling over each one at a slight angle can be fun but be aware of how big a wake your boat can handle before it becomes upset. I would generally turn into the wake if it was rolling me too far. Turning away from it only rolls my boat further as the ouboard thrust pushes the boat into a banking turn. You've got to be aware that a 12' boat is just going to reach it's limit a lot sooner than most others. Keep the PFD on and practice in protected areas before taking on the big seas.