What would you do

Locozodiac · 07 June 2014, 05:29

If being 15 miles at a off shore island with other boaters around and when about for all to return to same port surrounding water turns windy & choppy to give a very unpleasent water ride, not that awfull to put your life in jeopardy though ?

Key points :
No nothing between island and port, you're with different type of vessels, sailboats, catamarans, yachts, cruisers around. Towing is not possible or even boarding you boat on somepone else's boat. Be creative...

Happy Boating

willk · 07 June 2014, 09:36

Get tucked in behind a cruiser and follow it's wake home?

The Bass Stalker · 07 June 2014, 09:49

Good idea. Sleep the night and become 'Bear Grills'

The Gurnard · 07 June 2014, 10:22

Im not sure from your wording if I am with the other boaters.. hence responsibility comes into the equation or not. So I will assume that the other boaters have nothing to do with me.

First..I do go to remote islands in very small boats and have some experience of this type of situation.
The Ailsa Craig is an open sea crossing ten miles from the nearest land...and I have visited it in my 12ft hard shell boat as in this photograph. It is powered by a 4hp engine so only goes at slow displacement speed. It is certainly not a boat to be out in during a chop.

Before I even contemplate such a journey..I will know the weather forecast.. tide times .. and currents in the area. Preparation like this ... for such a journey is the very basics ...as far as Im concerned.

However we can all get caught out by a wind and waves at any time so I would do what I always do in such situations.

Stay on the island until I was happy to return.

I know from experience ..in my area at any rate.. that the wind often gets a bit stronger at the turn of the tides. If the weather forecast before I left was predicted as good.... (I wouldn’t go in the first instance if it wasn’t predicted as good) and the wind got up at the turn of the tide.. I could hope the wind will drop again after the tide change and allow a safe passage home. If not.. generally the wind drops in the evening or early morning ..so I would wait it out on land. It would not be the first time I have been stranded for a day or more. I go prepared for that too.. IMO .. it is all part of the process of small boating to remote places.

I would also listen to weather forecasts on VHF so would hopefully know what to expect. I would probably ask another boater to inform my family of my plans to stay put if I could not contact them.

If I get caught mid sea in a chop that makes me feel uncomfortable.. and that can happen just as easy .. I will turn and travel in the direction most stable for the boat I am in.. example..my hardshell can take a fair pounding going into the waves rather than taking them on the stern. If that meant head back to the island..and sitting it out .. I would have no hesitation doing it.

I have no formal training on small boats...so this may not be the correct answer..but I do have a lot of personal experience.. and I would and do ... do this anytime the situation arises. Missing a day from work.. is nothing compared to risking a dodgy sea.

IMO ..Those that get “creative” are the ones who end up in trouble. You don’t get creative with the sea..it is not interested.

tonymac · 07 June 2014, 10:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gurnard

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IMO ..Those that get “creative” are the ones who end up in trouble. You don’t get creative with the sea..it is not interested.

Fully agree.

Sit it out and enjoy your boating. However Willks idea does sound inviting - depends on your experience and the size of boat of course.

Nos4r2 · 07 June 2014, 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gurnard

IMO ..Those that get “creative” are the ones who end up in trouble. You don’t get creative with the sea..it is not interested.

That's possbily quote of the week there

FWIW, I've done willk's suggestion(ish), but followed a ferry in F8 in my SR4. It was better, but not nice. It wasn't dangerous to make the trip without though, just bloody uncomfortable. I wouldn't have followed a cruiser.Not enough wake.

The Gurnard · 07 June 2014, 10:49

Ahhh there you are Willk... wondered where you had got too ?

Pikey Dave · 07 June 2014, 10:53

Golden rule: when you go to sea, be prepared to stay. Regardless of weather/distance/locale, we always have plenty of bottled water/emergency rations/bog roll & warm clothing aboard.

willk · 07 June 2014, 11:12

There's a bit of drift on this thread. Loco is going somewhere with this

He has a 4m ish SIB with a 30hp engine. He is talking about an uncomfortable "chop", probably a stiff onshore breeze in the afternoon, not a F8. Chop is a term widely used on here, but I know from having different people describe surrounding seas to me as "choppy" that it can mean a wide range of conditions...

When driving larger RIBs, I've often had 4m RIBs and SIBs follow my wake to avail of the smoother water. I don't like it, but "needs must when the devil drives".

dave3235 · 07 June 2014, 11:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Get tucked in behind a cruiser and follow it's wake home?

Im following the cruiser home to as long as I can keep up with it.

Mollers · 07 June 2014, 11:28

A small craft can gain a degree of lee or shelter from sea conditions, off of most larger vessels. Pick the one travelling at the most appropriate speed. Tucking in behind or beside the Scillonian is common practice down yer. Fast cruisers are good.

Locozodiac · 09 June 2014, 23:03

Wilk, yours is a spot on answer, always do same, but that's me. We can't remotedly compare UK sometimes extreme water conditions to the "calm" ones we have down here. Posted same question on other boating forums and received all kind of answers, from checking weather cond before leaving, would not make such a long outing, it's against the law to put people's lifes in jeopardy or you're a nutty professor boating guy.

That's a awesome shot, were you following a carrier, gee what a wide near flat wake, was just for the extreme shot, seems you have near flat water conditions side of wake right ?

The idea is to pick a good samaritan boat to follow, not under flat calm no wind water cond thought, just choppy, windy, wavy enough for a uncomfortable bumpy ride back home. Pick the one with a less speed than the max speed your boat is capable of achieving. That way will not be stranded behinh him if speeding up in the event he feels touted by your uncomfy back presence.

Personally feel very comfy chasing boats that returns back home at less than 20 knots max when using a 18 HP engine and much more speed while chasing faster boats with a 30 HP. How do you get off wake provided that some huge engines produces very high waves at both sides of middle wake. Have you ever ridden on top middle high & wide water hump that some powerful engines and props produces ? it's a fantastic new sport, full adrenalide ride over agitated waters.

BTW, is it legal, ilegal to do so in UK, or not an issue, anyway it's your sole responsability if anything happens to you, samaritan will probably never aknowledge it...

Happy Boating