Lucky or Good boat handling

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:06 pm

Don't tease us ... show us the video!

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:07 pm

I am out most weekends on the chesapeake in dec have been for years 17 foot boats on up

chauzer · Post by **chauzer** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:31 pm

i love the comments on that page.

DAVIDLOFLAND · Post by **DAVIDLOFLAND** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 7:08 pm

You aren't kidding about the F32 being about the worst in a following sea. I put about 1800 hours on mine, with the original Merc 228's, and it was severely underpowered. It could scare the daylights out you. Fast moving 4 to 8 footers were the the worst. Bigger seas than that, and it controlled better.

I re-long blocked with 350's about six years ago, and that made a world of difference. I've put about 1000 hours on the higher horsepower motors, and have not had a scary broach since. Right after the re-power, I got caught in SCA (10-12 swell, with 4-6 chop at a different angle)crossing the Gulf of Alaska between Monatague Island and Resurrection Bay. It would have been really ugly without the extra horsepower.

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:12 pm

That was not just luck. The captain obviously knew how his boat handled in rough seas and had navigated that inlet before. As one who has surfed for decades (before the pot belly! of course), I can see the break in the pass and could have navigated it ( not in my F26 though-I'd have been home napping).

I am saddened to hear that the Captain of the yacht Water Dog lost his life in that incident.

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:17 pm

Also, RND, I did not know, (as did most of us I imagine) that the Captain of the Water Dog died in that accident.

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 8:17 am

DAVIDLOFLAND wrote:... I got caught in SCA (10-12 swell, with 4-6 chop at a different angle)crossing the Gulf of Alaska between Monatague Island and Resurrection Bay. It would have been really ugly without the extra horsepower.

Wow - can't imagine being caught in 10-12 swell with 4-6 chop in an F32? Head on or following sea?

DAVIDLOFLAND · Post by **DAVIDLOFLAND** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 11:57 am

The swell was coming from just abaft the beam, and the chop was just forward of the beam. Was able to stay on step, so had control the whole time, with plenty of thrust passing the rudders. With the older, weaker motors, I would have been wallowing and streering with the throttles. Done that before, and it is miserable. You have to slow way down, and let the sea pass under you.

reelfishin · Post by **reelfishin** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 7:16 pm

That captain I believe had that well planned. He knew what to do and when to do it. Still a scarry situation.