Planing Speeds

[Blueby]

I was wondering what speeds peoples boats typically begin to plane at?

I have a bit of a "comute" to get out to the broadwater with some lengthy stretches with 6 knot speed limits and I find that at 6 knots my 5.5m stessl is in that in between stage - just starting to get up onto the plane but not quite which is a real pain in the arse. Either I do 5 knots and keep the boat level or take a chance and get onto the plane at 10 knots and risk a ticket. The bugger is I create less wash at 10 knots than I do at 6!

I have a mate with a 5 m runabout and he manages to get his boat to plane at just over 6 knots so I was wondering how other boats compare - what type of boat have you got and what speed does it plane cleanly at?

cheers
JB

[revs57]

JB,

I had a 4.5 mt tinnie and 6 kts was the inbetween too...I was pulled up by the water police and warned...I argued that my GPS was showing me just under 6 kts...it was explained to me that its not like the road rules, but judged by the wash, like you on the plane it threw less wash, but as I had it explained, the issue is to be off the plane with no wash...just can't seem to get it right!

Rhys

[Rusty_Hook]

What's the go on the Coomera river, Blueby? Is the whole stretch to the Broadwater 6 knots? I see many big cruisers planing through there past hope Harbour doing more than 6 knots and throwing up big wakes.

[Blueby]

From the western end of Sanctuary cove to the freeway its 40knots but from sanctuary cove to the broadwater its nearly all 6 knots / no damaging wash. I cant see the difference between the two areas in terms of needing protection from erosion and yeah you are right some of those 40 footers at 30 plus knots throw up some mighty big waves onto the banks >:(

[gogecko]

I also fish this area of Coomera to Paradise Pt a fair bit. (or should I say, I go boating?). I was confused about speeds, so I rang the waterways authorities and was told "its a 6 knt limit where its posted as such, but no limit where its not posted".

This confirms the areas that Blueby says.

From the way the locals use it, youd think the rules are 'big boats with the money to pay fines can do any speed, and boaties who care for the environment can do 6 knts". As they say in law school, a law thats not enforced, is not a law at all.

[familyman]

JB I have a similar problem except I have to pass by the local waterways office on the way :(
It is an 8kn limit for rec boaties who care,any speed for the pro fishing boats with their Hawaii surf sized washes and the same for the riviera brigade in their cruisers. >:(
Oh well ,what goes around comes around ;D
cheers jon

[The_Walrus]

As is usual with the law,

Damned if you do and damned if you don't. :o

Luc

[Needmorerum]

Not sure what mine planes at. Will have a look next week. I know it will plane at low revs, something down around 2500-2800. I've heard that the CC's will plane at lower speeds than some others.

It's a pain knowing that your creating more wash at the slower speed than you would at the higher speed. Lucky for us we only got a couple of hundred metres before hitting the harbour, just enough time to get rods up into the rocket launcher, and bait into the tank to thaw out.

Corry

[SeaSaw]

To be able to plan at 6 knots - that would be good. ;)

Mine starts getting up at about 12knots and is planing cleanly by about 14. ::) ;D ;D

Cheers,

Mark

[mako_5.2]

Blueby

I look at it as a good warm up and cool down for the motor when heading out of the creek. I have often thought about giving a wakeboard a go when just off the plane I can push a decent size wave. Are you happy with your Bluewater?

[Blueby]

Yeah Mako very happy with it - goes well off shore and nice and stable at rest. Tons of fishing room in the bluewater set up. There are better boats out there but not for the price IMHO. Busy putting all the fruit on at the moment - live bait tank went in the other week, anchor retriever last week to save the back etc etc.

Like I said in the post the only thing that irks is the planing issue - the stessls seem to bog down before they rise onto the plane a bit more than some - must be the Track rails -but once on the plane they seem to add to the ride so would rather have them than not. Agree they would make a pretty decent wake board wave - might have to invest in one for summer.