Best way to cross cruiser wakes

[searaycer]

damn straight... my 17 foot checkmate is a wake jumping sob...slow down, trim down, hit it at a right angle and punch it as you go through and it is smooth sailing... all in seat time, and boat feel.

 

[afr]

You want to go just fast enough to clear the hole and ride the top of the next swell. I like the second one back from the transom of the cruiser but, it will appear to them you are getting too close. It is possible to get a lot of air and still get a smooth ride and landing.. Thing is if you mis judge it can be ugly..

yes sir :iagree: i got really good at it in a small boat

 

[BY U BOY]

You want to go just fast enough to clear the hole and ride the top of the next swell. I like the second one back from the transom of the cruiser but, it will appear to them you are getting too close. It is possible to get a lot of air and still get a smooth ride and landing.. Thing is if you mis judge it can be ugly..

ditto. I had some people freak out on a cruiser and start waving me off like i just ran over the dog or something. The Scarab loves to fly.Trim in throttle back then pin it when the bow hits the wave gives me a nice smothe landing.

 

[HPBoats83]

Well the popular opinion seems to be to use it as a ramp and go for it :driving:

 

[Ratickle]

Well the popular opinion seems to be to use it as a ramp and go for it :driving:

Small story here....

Out in Oregon, Columbia River, runnin a 15.5 Glastron Carlson with a 235 Evinrude (the 135 it came with wasn't big enough). Thought I was Bond, James Bond......

Tollycraft Yacht Fisherman, think they were 72', cruising up the river max cruise. Those things put up the smoothest 5' wall of water you ever saw. Somewhere in the mid to upper 70's, goosed it right at the launch point, first wave about 20' or so off the stern of the Tolly........

Passed him looking down at the guy driving on the bridge. Can't believe we lived and the boat actually, mostly, survived. The guy with me never got in a boat again with me.....:sifone:

Landed stern first by the way, broke both seats and the foot rest, the boat did stay right side up, but when we hit the motor was completely under for a bit then popped out, jumped, and went over forward.

 

[CRC]

Good thread topic. I'm in the same situation on the Great Lakes where I encounter lots of freighter and yacht wakes. I used to slow down and jump them head on and hope I don't stuff it. Recently I found that they are sometimes not as harsh if I just slow down and take them at an angle and drive over them. Last week I tried that and found my boat "surfing" on top of a huge wake and I couldn't get off of it! I ended up cutting the throttle. I am in a smaller boat; A Donzi 22 Classic. BTW, that second crash video is scary as hell.

 

[samsation]

Lots of lakers on the St. Lawrence where I live. I find it makes a big difference which way the laker is going relative to your boat. generaly much nicer and softer landing when you are going in the same direction. but all the lakers are different and it depends on weather they are loaded or not as to the size and spacing of the wake. I always do a test run at slower speed to check things out before really going for it. I sometimes will do 2 or 3 passes if they are nice. as long as its a wide open area with no other traffic and you stay far enough away they dont seem to mind. I often get a thumbs up from the crew. you just have to watch out for the jet skis