Posts: 433
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin | I've been out in some crappy stuff and I don't think the boat has as much to do with handling waves as the ability of the driver. It's possible to have the best boat out there and put in the hands of a fool, it's a recipe for disaster. Charts can't compensate for that.
Of all the boats I've had, the common theme is this: they all handle much more than I can.
I've been on LOTW-Sabaskong Bay in an Alumacraft deep V 18.5'er when they forcast 35-40mph wind with gusts 50-60mph later in the day. It was a waste of time. The only places we could fish weren't the places the fish were, and even with good planning so we could ride the wind home, it wasn't much fun. Yeah, it was barely doable, but why? Early 80's I was on Lake Michigan in building waves, slightly whitecapping 4-7 footers at the end, in a tiller 16' Ranger 1600V. Caught fish in the big rollers but again, thinking back on it, not much fun at all, especially the part where we wrapped the prop up in line while fighting fish on both sides of the boat at the same time. Leaning over the back with the long shaft motor up trying to untangle the prop was a real trip. I do remember a 24' cruiser with canvas top next to me that disappeared every other set of waves and it wasn't more than 100 yards away at times. I was even on Superior's Keewenaw Bay in a shallow draft 14'er with a six horse trolling in six foot rollers. Light breeze where we were but there was one heck of a storm out on the big lake somewhere sending us rollers that wouldn't quit. It was fun and games trolling with the rollers, but on the trip back we'd loose half our speed climbing the rollers and then go racing down the back sides with the motor sounding like it was going to fly. Unique experience for sure.
A lot has to do with the water you are fishing. Lake Michigan and Superior get those big rollers going and that isn't near as bad as that nasty short chop on Winnebago. Erie was similar to Winnebago, the shallower open water is just different than the deep stuff with the wave frequency, and frequency is a lot harder to compensate for than wave height some times. So I don't see how there could possibly be any kind of chart to figure out what a boat can handle safely, too many variables. I think the best way to find out what you can handle is take the boat out in rougher conditions till you hit your limit. If you are trying to find a boat to buy, check out what all the other fishermen are running on the lake you plan on fishing, bum a ride and check them out. Or get a test ride on a good rough day? |
