Rough Weather

[xl883lo]

For the 28 owners..........

a)what do you consider to rough to be out at all
b)at what point do you prefer not to go out but could if you wanted to
c)what is the roughest weather you've actually gone through with your 28

For those who have moved up to 32's or 35's could we hear some comparisons.

It would also be helpful if you would give me some idea of your experience level.

Thanks

[backman]

Long answer

And it starts with "it depends". What I will fish inshore or nearshore is entirely different than what I consider too rough to go way offshore. It also depends on sea and wind direction and whether its building or dying.

I will go 40-60 miles out in 3-5's; I won't plan a trip in anything more. However 3-5's offshore means that some of the channels I have to run will have 4-6's with the occasional 7 or 8 footer which i will endure for 5 miles.

I won't do a canyon run unless its 2-3 max; spending the night drifting in more than 3' is no fun.

I have come home from Veatches ( 102 nmiles south of me) in a building northeaster that peaked at Nantucket Buoy at sustained 25 knot winds and 6' seas - there were defintiely 8 footers in there; probably more. The boat was hanging in there at 17 knots; I slowed down to trolling speed for 2 hr's to conserve fuel; then bumped up to 18, then 20, then 22 knots.

You can and I have slammed the boat into steady 4' head seas with the regular 6 mixed in; it will stay in the water at 18 knots and will take more than you can. Areas I transit; specifically Muskegat and Pollack Rip channel can build up standing 6 footers in wind against tide situations - the boat actually performs better on slow plane than trying to pitch your way through the square waves at trolling speed.

I am concerned about 3 things when I run in heavy weather - first something mechanical breaking - shaft; rudder, engine mount which will render me powerless. That leads to the real concerns - concern # 2 of being sideways in steep and large seas. The boat has an alarming roll in more than 4' seas and being sideways in 6 footers could be dangerous - I do not know and do not want to find out! Concern # 3 is taking a wave over the side or stern, putting more weight on deck and making the boat so top heavy it would become unstable.

In all cases I believe my engines are my lifeline and as long as I have the ability to adjust my speed to plane off I can outlast the worst of any storm I might get caught in.

There are some obvious caveats here as to not going out into building weather and leaving before it turns to s***, not after.

From an experience level I have owned boats for 20 years; owned a CC28 for 6 and made 200+ offshore trips and 30 canyons trips; the majority piloted by myself. By no means am I a professional mariner but neither am I a novice.

M

[Oswego]

Backman,

Good answer. I am probably a little more conservative, not because of the boat, but because I am out to enjoy myself and 5' seas in any small boat is not my definition of fun. I also agree with your concerns about beam to a large sea. I carry a 6' heavy duty sea anchor for just that reason. If the engine(s) goes down then I have one more chance ...

3' - 5' is also my limit. Remember, that is the AVERAGE sea, not largest.

Tom

[backman]

Don't get me wrong

If it says 4-6' I'm not going and I look real hard at what 3-5 means on that day.

9' Paratech and 250' of 1/2" rode sits under my V-berth as a just in case for me also.....