Predator tri hull dangerous boat in open water

[Jeremy]

BayDog I am wondering if I am doing it all wrong.

In my short 6 mths with my fibreglass Baysport 575 I have taken about 4 waves over the bow. Mostly from a momentary look away for other boats etc.

Partly because I was pushing it a bit to find limits and partly because of an odd oversized wave.

Is it as rare in other boats?

Sounds far too much to me. Is this punching into the swell or in a following sea? Sounds like you either need to adjust the trim or back it off a bit to suit the conditions.

[WalrusLike]

I know this is drifting off topic but it's worth pursuing I think because we all agree we should drive to the conditions.

The tri hull wouldn't have been in trouble if it was all done differently perhaps. So I want to learn.

In my case... Not confusing spray and waves... I am talking green water 2 inches thick sliding up the foredeck to windscreen.

It's happened heading into chop when I've fallen off the crest of the first and the next is way bigger. Bow goes down takes a sip then pops up. There is a lot of buoyancy in the topside bow area so it's never worrying... I doubt it can sip more than four inches or so in foreseeable conditions... but when it does, that water is a moving sheet over the cabin top.

As I said... inattention while looking stern wards for other traffic and pushing too hard almost deliberately.

It probably also was at those times when I was trying trim in to see if ride is smoother with more bow cutting through.

So it really is a very rare event? I must have been closer to the limits than I thought I was...

[TREVELLY]

A mate of mine some decades ago had an early model 16 foot quinnie and it was skinny at the front - sure it was designed for flat river rather than offshore but we took it out often and the front spent more time under the water than on top - we named it the submarine - thank goodness it had a screen and even so we would return from a fishing trip looking like Santa Claus with dried salt all over our face and bright red eyes - ahh those were the days.

[BayDog]

that is a little concerning walrus. you might need to fiddle with your setup and the way you drive and find the best combination. i have never taken a wave over the bow in my 4.55m tinny. good luck

[Smithy]

Short sharp waves in glass boats can be a problem. Pressure waves on bars for example. They are that close together you can't fit in them. Wind V tide situations in Moreton Bay would nearly replicate that. That is why Baydogs 4.55 tinny has never had a problem yet Walrus has put his nose through them. The 4.55 boat is light and fitting in between them but the glass boat is spanning them. At trolling speed in short sharp stuff my 7.7m boat I can scoop up waves that roll up my windscreen. Have worn what felt like a full 6" of water over the top of my screen going through Pancake Ck bar on a run-out tide in my 5.8m platey and normally you wouldn't call it a bar but the tide can run hard through there and wore the odd one over the screen in my mate's 5.5m Seafarer (Seaspearer). It was usually more in a following sea situation when he didn't back off enough as you fell down into a hole in Moreton Bay coming home in a summer NEer. In a headsea, back off a bit more so you are at the position where you are just starting to bog down and fall off the plane but that is when you nose is at its highest. Harder to do with a 2 stroke as they want to get up on top and race away on you. I am a fan of foils as they let you plane at slower speeds. 4 strokes are better there too as you nearly run whatever revs you want.

[Bull]

I agree Smithy Ive taken waves over the front of my boat more than a few times when trolling its 7.2m

[WalrusLike]

Thanks guys.... Makes sense now.

I have been considering a foil but hate drilling into my shiny motor.

Also considering trim tabs but I think foil first.

[Chimo]

WL

You will find benefits from both.

Re holes. Blue tack works a treat, not that you are ever going to to take the foils off once you have them.

Being able to run slow with your nose up in big chop does help to keep the nose / screen etc away from greenys.

Cheers
Chimo

[netmaker]

Thanks guys.... Makes sense now.

I have been considering a foil but hate drilling into my shiny motor.

Also considering trim tabs but I think foil first.

know the feeling. i was reluctant. my 30 merc is the only new motor i have had. but i asked myself: will i sell it? not likely. will it help? dont know. took the risk and i'm glad i did. totally stopped my cavitating problem at no cost of speed. i just wish i had drilled the holes straight. used to cruise straight no hands, now if i let go i'm like a 1 legged duck

[Fed]

Move some weight to the back Wal, tabs won't lift your bow and even trimming way out with a foil would be marginal at best.

[Jarrah Jack]

Re holes. Blue tack works a treat, not that you are ever going to to take the foils off once you have them.



Cheers
Chimo

Don't know about that Chimo. I think Murf is having second thoughts about his foil. Something about some hairy moments when the waves are breaking from behind. Its put my foil plans on hold or should I say foiled some of my plans.

[murf]

Don't know about that Chimo. I think Murf is having second thoughts about his foil. Something about some hairy moments when the waves are breaking from behind. Its put my foil plans on hold or should I say foiled some of my plans.

sounds like a diff set of circumstances, I am so rear heavy and try to get my nose down going into 25knot plus seas but when going into a following sea with two diff direction seas with the nose trimmed up its hard to pic and when it peaks up and you start surfing with the wave and the boat lists to one side it does a power turn because of the foil in relation to the boat trim IMOP when on a neutral trim on the motor it behaves much better without the brown stains

cheers Murf

[johncar]

Just remember that Tabs or Foils won't give you any more bow lift, in fact only give bow down and stern lift which in Wal's case may make his dipping the nose worse. I would be thinking along the lines of trying to move some weight aft and use a little more trim out in those circumstances when you are burying your bow.
I am surprised that you are dipping it in a head sea unless waves are breaking, it is far more common in a following sea where you have short sharp pressure waves where you certainly don't want too much stern lift. A little bum heavy can be helpful and safer.

[stue2]

I have heard reports of foil doing everything you thought they would plus some things you didn't expect like steering offline. Because one foil was slightly different to the other.

Some boats have decks above the water line shifting the center of gravity to the negative but have self draining decks. Others have decks below the water giving great stability.
Knowing your boat is a prerequisite to safe boating. Common sence is the other.

I know of a lot of boaties that have copped a greeny in a lot of different boats. Most of these guys will admit they should have come in earlier. Others have just found a hole.
All of us could remember a moment we wish we never had. Maybe we were lucky maybe skill took care of it

I have seen plenty of fools fishing in boats not fit for where they were fishing. Neither of the prerequisites listed were in use. Unfortunately there are no regulations to stop these fools fishing as they will be there anyway.

[Smithy]

Just get a LZ brand one from BIAS. About $49. Used to be $40. Cheapest around and no handling vices as they angle up. Had them on my last few boats and we have put them on a lot of friends boats. Transformed a couple of them. Certainly helped my Stabi when I repowered my Stabi with an F150 as it was 30kg heavier than the original DF140.