191 handling.. bow up vs down

[MrWesson]

I got my 191 about a month ago and have been out 5 or 6 times since. I was just curious how you guys take the chop and wakes of other boats. Keep in mind I am in south florida and boat wakes can get pretty large(sportfishers/cruisers).

I have noticed that a bow up provides a bumpy but dryer ride for the most part.

If I hit a decent sized wake with bow down I get drenched as in not spray but a fire hose. The bow cuts the wave into the boat. I usually come off plane and get the bow high to combat this.

if I am in 1-2ft chop a bow down trim will give me a smooth ride but potential for some spray.

was just curious how you guys handle it.

[gran398]

Long time ago a captain showed me a neat trick.


Come into the wake from a 45 degree angle as you usually do....but at the last second turn to the right and ride the wake sideways....yet still crossing it. Takes a slight bit longer...but the passengers stay dry, the boat doesn't bang, and you never come off plane.

Give it a try!

[slvrlng]

Long time ago a captain showed me a neat trick.


Come into the wake from a 45 degree angle as you usually do....but at the last second turn to the right and ride the wake sideways....yet still crossing it. Takes a slight bit longer...but the passengers stay dry, the boat doesn't bang, and you never come off plane.

Give it a try!

X2

You can do this in 3 to 5s also (ask me how I know ) if your motor is fast enough. The only time we would get wet is when I had to steer more west and would catch them straight on.

[wingtime]

Scott, so are you saying to turn towards the wake? so you almost parallel with it? or do you turn away from it?

[gran398]

A little of both. The wake coming off the other boat is in a "V" shape...so rather than banging it at the 45 degree angle...you hang a right and ride the side of it.

As the boats get further apart, the other guy's wake widens out, lowers out...so in essence you have to cross it, but it sorta washes under you as you're going away from him....then cross what's left.

Hope this makes sense.

Give it a try...its really neat the first time

[Georgie]

I've run and handled quite a few small/medium center consoles and in my experience, it all depends on the specific wake to be crossed.  Certain smaller and tightly stacked wakes can be taken head on, while on plane with bow down.  Other taller and well spaced wakes are better taken off plane.  Scott's idea of taking some of them on plane while running nearly parallel to the wake is great as long as the tops of the wake are rounded.  I've taken some that way which were tall and stacked tight and nearly rolled/swamped the boat as the hull flops over the sharp wave crest, so I don't think there's a one size fit's all solution.  My best recommendation is to plan your route based on the size and speed of the boat making the wake, and then err on the side of caution if there's any doubt as to the exact shape of the waves to be crossed.  Rule of thumb, take the larger more dangerous wakes off plane and head on unless the are stacked so tightly that you need to bear off 30-45 degrees to starboard in order to lessen the slope of the descent so the bow doesn't pluge into the trough.  It might be wetter, but it's certainly safer.  

As far as bow attititude in choppy seas is concerned, wind speed comes into play immensely.  Anything over 10 -15mph winds and you can pretty much assume you're going to get wet on any quartering angle.  Generally, I set the trim for bow down into a head see so it slices through the chop and that way you can throttle up and outrun the spray, bow up in a following sea so the bow doesn't plunge into the troughs too deeply (also on a minimal comfortable plane so you don't run into your own spray pushed in front by the wind), and mid-range trim for a beam sea to keep the bow of the boat mostly out of the water but not not so much that it results in excessive porpoising or cavitation.

[MrWesson]

Lots of information to process and will do so.

My strategy so far is to hit them as head on as possible, under heavy throttle, bow way up and just off or coming off plane.

[CLM65]

Your options may also be limited by the particular waterway your are running in.  In the Crystal River and Homosassa River, where the channel is pretty narrow, your only option is head on.  Go outside the channel and you are begging for trouble.  (that's a hint for those of you coming here for the May gathering )

[MrWesson]

Ive finally had some good helm time on the ocean.

found out that if I can maintain a constant speed of about 20mph with the bow down its smooth in 2ft chop and can maintain this speed in 3' but about every 10th wave will send a monster wall of water over the bow due to stuffing it in between rollers.

Bow up pounds in almost all conditions but may keep that wall from coming(doesn't seem to help much).


I have a 19-1 flatback BTW not a 19-6

[Skoot]

Just be careful bro. and remember you have a bay boat.   your boat wasnt ment to handle heavy chop/waves/wakes..  Try to take them like gran states  (kind of surf them if you will, then turn directly into the last 2 wakes.   On bigger chop/wakes your gonna have to use your judement and more than likely slow down and  wait for the wakes/waves to pass.

good luck

[gran398]

Ive finally had some good helm time on the ocean.

found out that if I can maintain a constant speed of about 20mph with the bow down its smooth in 2ft chop and can maintain this speed in 3' but about every 10th wave will send a monster wall of water over the bow due to stuffing it in between rollers.

Bow up pounds in almost all conditions but may keep that wall from coming(doesn't seem to help much).


I have a 19-1 flatback BTW not a 19-6

Skoot makes a great point. If you want to take your ride offshore...you need to respect the platform, and dance with who brung ya.

If she's stuffing every tenth wave...YOU'RE stuffing HER.... she ain't stuffing you.

Pull it back. These boats will take you through hell and back. But that little hull of yours is not an offshore workhorse.

"A boat for every sea....and a sea for every boat". And to prove it....next time you're running in bangers....set the throttle to a nice easy COMFORTABLE ride for captain and crew. Forget how fast. Fast, beat up and wet sucks for your crew.  Get there three minutes later over the course of the run.

If the wind picks up...pull it back a hair. If the wind abates...up a hair.

Let the boat tell you how she wants to run.

You'll get a great feel for your boat the more time you spend running her

[MrWesson]

I usually run her at the minimum planing speed when offshore which is between 17-20mph. I also only go out on nice days.

She handles chop great the wakes and tight rollers are a challenge.

I am going out this morning and it should be a great day. Seas 1' with winds 3mph out of the north. I checked the webcam and it looks like glass.

[Georgie]

Very Jealous.  I'm stuck staring out my office window in plantation wishing I could be you right now.  ENJOY!  

[MrWesson]

Hit the water last saturday and yesterday and the seas were great(for the atlantic).

Saturday was 2-3' rollers with 1' chop nearshore and 5-6 rollers with 2' chop further offshore(11 sec period).

Offshore wasn't super comfortable but safe(never truely) and inshore was nice.

Yesterday was glass until you hit the inlet which was about 2-3' chop.


My take so far is bow down in almost all conditions I've seen. The bow will bury in a following sea if I run over 20mph though so I just slow down. Bow up may keep you dry but I assume because of the flatback will make the ride much rougher.

Very pleased after having some helm time at the bow's ability to cut chop and keeping me pretty dry offshore. Worst conditions so far are tight waterways with nasty wakes.

[Georgie]

Yup. The inlet turns into a washing machine at times.  Not too fun for smaller center consoles.    Stay vigilant til you're safely outside the jetties and can turn north or south.