No wake

[craigwill201]

Please define a "no wake" and where if applies.

[Deep C]

A no wake zone is simply just that. If your boat is throwing wash behind it that can reach marinas, other boats, fuel docks even in a non designated zone you are responsible for any damage it may cause. If you are in a no wake zone then throwing that same wash is in itself illegal.

I see a zillion idiots ignore those laws. I have sustained damage to rails, pilings, hull itself from said idiots. I've had fuel hoses ripped out spewing fuel and dock lines snapped clean. Worse than that, I have seen on two occasions people injured by wake boarding and unboarding boats. Worse yet they were an old lady and a kid.
What a sucky way to start or end what should be a great day. Thrown between dock and boat, broken bones, all because some ignorant schmuck was in a rush to get some place and couldn't shave a hundred or two rpm off his tach...

I personally can't stand those that push it with no regard for others.

That being said. There are certain places where even though marked as no wake it really is necessary to throw one just to maintain steerage. Places that come to mind are where currents either boil or exceed say four knots which is the speed many boats will start to emit said evil wash...

Jet skis seem to be the worst offenders followed closely by sea rays... I can't put a finger on it? Hull design or just shear stupidity or combo of both...

Some sportfishermen designs, especially high performance high horsepower ones, have idle speeds that would produce heavy wake but this can be tamed by trolling valves or a setting for "low idle"...

[fredhead]

Give you an example of what a wake can cause. Four years ago we were motoring into Lynnhaven Inlet (VaBeach) in our 23 foot Sea Fox when we met a large cruiser going out. This was right in front of the Pilot boats. The wake was so large I had to grab hold and my daughter was knocked to the deck.

I grabbed the mike for the VHF and screamed for them (using the boat name on the stern) to SLOW DOWN!!

Next thing I know there's a VBPD boat hopping up on top of the water and tearing out after that cruiser.

A few minutes later (while we were tied up at a nearby restaurant) in comes the cruiser.......being piloted by a cop.

[joeksr]

Originally Posted by Deep C

I personally can't stand those that push it with no regard for others.

That being said. There are certain places where even though marked as no wake it really is necessary to throw one just to maintain steerage. Places that come to mind are where currents either boil or exceed say four knots which is the speed many boats will start to emit said evil wash...

...

Agree a 100%. But as you stated, ya gotta go faster than the current, if not, your drifting. Whether its ahead or astern. If your running into a 4 knot current and the boats going 6 knots your running at 6 just to make headway. If your running with the current at 4 knots ya gottta do 6 to maintain stearage. Unavoidable.
I try to keep it to a minimum wake and still make headway. It's all I can do.



Ps: I like the 6 mph areas. Is that with or against the current ?

[hubris 1]

Originally Posted by craigwill201

Please define a "no wake" and where if applies.

I have a 170 flats boat, at full throttle it makes NO wake. Now not counting going under a bridge does that mean I dont need to slow down? Or is it, No Wake, No Speed......I am really tempted to go past the coast guard in cape may full throttle.......No Wake, but will they ticket me? I need a court fight. My ex wife was way to easy for me......

[Deep C]

Joe
I live in one of "those" places... The current runs close to four. I maintain six over the surface and grit my teeth as I only make forward progress of about 2 knots over the bottom.

Most of the time its not that big of an issue as I gotta catch a timed bridge back up near our slip. I try to time trips home to take it all into account. I truly hate it though if I'm pressed to make that bridge and the current is running a bit faster on a given day...
As I am adamant about hating wake, I have found I can combat that problem by taking the time to learn where in that river you can get out of the core of the current without running aground. An extra knot gained by that will usually let me catch the bridge...

Remember crawling up a guys scuppers about the wake he threw... His reasoning? "Well boats rock out at sea. The ocean throws way bigger stuff than I do... It don't hurt nothin..."

I had a simple reply... "People aren't getting on and off at sea and the last I looked there were no pilings or bulkheads to keep you company.."

The color ran out of his face. He didn't say what he was thinking... Didn't have to... It was written all over him... "Didn't think of that..."

[Big Fish Billy]

Originally Posted by Deep C

Joe
I live in one of "those" places... The current runs close to four. I maintain six over the surface and grit my teeth as I only make forward progress of about 2 knots over the bottom.

Most of the time its not that big of an issue as I gotta catch a timed bridge back up near our slip. I try to time trips home to take it all into account. I truly hate it though if I'm pressed to make that bridge and the current is running a bit faster on a given day...
As I am adamant about hating wake, I have found I can combat that problem by taking the time to learn where in that river you can get out of the core of the current without running aground. An extra knot gained by that will usually let me catch the bridge...

Remember crawling up a guys scuppers about the wake he threw... His reasoning? "Well boats rock out at sea. The ocean throws way bigger stuff than I do... It don't hurt nothin..."

I had a simple reply... "People aren't getting on and off at sea and the last I looked there were no pilings or bulkheads to keep you company.."

The color ran out of his face. He didn't say what he was thinking... Didn't have to... It was written all over him... "Didn't think of that..."

Originally Posted by hubris 1

I have a 170 flats boat, at full throttle it makes NO wake. Now not counting going under a bridge does that mean I dont need to slow down? Or is it, No Wake, No Speed......I am really tempted to go past the coast guard in cape may full throttle.......No Wake, but will they ticket me? I need a court fight. My ex wife was way to easy for me......

I run up and down the Merrimac and Paskataqua, both run about 7 in and out, I do 6 against and 5.5 with, to maintain steerage, my wake is a lazy 4"-6" ripple....I'm afraid most places No Wake means No Speed as well. We have clammers speeding by our mooring zone putting up a 4" ripple, they get stopped everytime. Problem is if you're going 30 and most are going 6, there's going to be a problem of some sort in a narrow channel.......the Merrimac, unlike any other harbor, law enforcement allows fishermen to fish in and block the channel, so thirty would be a real obstacle course.......

[hubris 1]

Originally Posted by Big Fish Billy

I run up and down the Merrimac and Paskataqua, both run about 7 in and out, I do 6 against and 5.5 with, to maintain steerage, my wake is a lazy 4"-6" ripple....I'm afraid most places No Wake means No Speed as well. We have clammers speeding by our mooring zone putting up a 4" ripple, they get stopped everytime. Problem is if you're going 30 and most are going 6, there's going to be a problem of some sort in a narrow channel.......the Merrimac, unlike any other harbor, law enforcement allows fishermen to fish in and block the channel, so thirty would be a real obstacle course.......

Thats what I think, plenty of room for me to scoot right on by but I dont think they would let me in cape may. I make a 2 inch wake, but I can haul as#. Gonna get me a ticket for being a wiseguy.

[eppefour]

[hubris 1]

Originally Posted by eppefour

Seems like your on to me........