heaviest seas

[divingsplicer]

i'm looking for feedback on the heaviest, largest seas someone has been exposed to in the 36' single screw trawler model. i use mine as a salvage/sponge/grouper fishing boat so that means offshore. brought her around from chesapeake bay to tarpon springs. currituck sound in north carolina was, so far, biggest rollers i've taken her through app.5-6ft. anybody been in bigger?

[Mariner]

Not sure exactly which model you're referring to, but I had our 36' Express Trawler (single Cat 3126B) out in the straights of Juan deFuca last summer in what I would say was "confused" 4-6' seas. It was extremely uncomfortable, without a doubt, but the boat suffered no damage, nor did the 13' Boston Whaler I was towing. What made these conditions so challenging was not the size of the swells, but rather the randomness of their direction, and the extremely short wave periods. I was taking blue water over the bow very frequently.

The boat handled it well, though, if I had known what I was headed into, I would have done more to secure items in the cabin and on deck. Lots of things clanging around adds to the noise and anxiety of it all. Had it not been for the noise, I probably would have not precieved it as being so intimidating.

[jcollins]

Not sure exactly which model you're referring to, but I had our 36' Express Trawler (single Cat 3126B) out in the straights of Juan deFuca last summer in what I would say was "confused" 4-6' seas. It was extremely uncomfortable, without a doubt, but the boat suffered no damage, nor did the 13' Boston Whaler I was towing. What made these conditions so challenging was not the size of the swells, but rather the randomness of their direction, and the extremely short wave periods. I was taking blue water over the bow very frequently.

The boat handled it well, though, if I had known what I was headed into, I would have done more to secure items in the cabin and on deck. Lots of things clanging around adds to the noise and anxiety of it all. Had it not been for the noise, I probably would have not precieved it as being so intimidating.

This sounds like Middle River on a busy weekend. More like 2-4 but they are coming from every direction. Sucks!

[joreyn]

Mariner, sounds like you were in one of the famous rip tides in the Straits. The one that stretches from Point Wilson at Pt. Townsend over almost to Whidbey Island is just notorious. I have two friends that suffered real serious damage in that rip which happens when the afternoon westerly wind is pushing against an ebb tide. The ocean swells roll eastward while the rip-induced wave move kind of Northwersterly. It's like being in a washing machine. Very hard to anticipate what is going to hit you next.

[Mariner]

Mariner, sounds like you were in one of the famous rip tides in the Straits. The one that stretches from Point Wilson at Pt. Townsend over almost to Whidbey Island is just notorious. I have two friends that suffered real serious damage in that rip which happens when the afternoon westerly wind is pushing against an ebb tide. The ocean swells roll eastward while the rip-induced wave move kind of Northwersterly. It's like being in a washing machine. Very hard to anticipate what is going to hit you next.

precisely. I had actually crafted a more detailed post explaining the effect, but I bumped the "back" button, and *poof* it was gone. So, I shortened up my response and called it good.

That can be a NASTY place when it wants to be. But at other times, it can be calm and beautiful.

[zinbaad]

Sounded for a minute you were talking about a Woman for a minute! Nasty & sometimes calm & beautiful..

[joreyn]

The Point Wilson Rip is just nasty. I usually try to cross early in the day before the winds pick up. Or, go up and down the East side of Whidbey Island, using Deception Pass or the Swinomish channel. Both of those have their own challenges, but nothing like that riptide.