A new, bigger wake

You know the drill..

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kmschwarz
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:17 am

A new, bigger wake

#1 Post by kmschwarz » Tue Aug 09, 2022 10:06 am

Hi All
first post. I Have a 20 ft SunTracker party barge, moored at the marina in Folsom Lake. Thursday night is dinner at the lake, our boating group rafts up and swims, talks, and has dinner, makes everyone use their boat more.

It's in New York creek cove, and you have to go up the South Fork of the American river to get there. Normally, this is a standard drill. Ski boats pass, leaving a wake. Just turn off a little, wait for the wake to die down a bit, then walk the pontoons over the wake, into the now smooth section, and proceed on. Even wakesurf boats are about the same deal.

Not last Thursday. Met a wake surfing boat coming out, while I was heading in. Normal distance apart (with the lake low, there is not a lot of room). As he got closer, I realize this guy is creating a wake that is similar to what I encountered in the San Juan/gulf islands, from large boats, like a Tolleycraft. I quickly realized that i am in a bind. I can't outrun the wake; max speed is about 10 mph. There is no way to run parallel and cross over, the wake doesn't diminish (it goes all the way to the shore), and it would roll me like a clothes dryer. had to turn into the wake resulting in a big wake across the bows, soaking my grandchildren, and putting a 2" wave thru the cabin, and almost out the rear. I realized this guy was overballasted, and was oblivious to his wake, Happened AGAIN on the way home, a large wakesurfer pulling a big wake that could overwhelm my boat, got swamped again.

my only solution so far is when we see these large wakes is to have all passengers move to the back of the boat, and try to get the deck high enough to limit the water entering the boat


Never had to do this before, and really don't want to always be on the watch for some inconsiderate wake weenie
Thoughts?

(wakesurf boats are banned in Alabama, and restricted in Oregon)

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steve1313
Posts: 679
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:33 am

Re: A new, bigger wake

#2 Post by steve1313 » Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:16 am

Welcome to the forum! There's no doubt wakesurf boats can play havoc, especially with a smaller, slower pontoon like yours. But for the sake of accuracy, the Alabama "ban" never passed and the Oregon restrictions are just for one particular stretch of the Willamette River. Here's a great article that outlines what's happening across the country: https://www.nmma.org/press/article/24016

On the lake I primary boat on, it's become a big issue as well. They've already enacted a couple of no wake surfing zones, in some of the narrow stretches that have lots of docks, but it's still a pain. I'm not a fan of the huge wakes, but those boaters just as much right to enjoy the lake as I do, as long as they use some common sense, which most of them do. I'm fortunate that my tritoon can go right over the top of most of the wakes, or I can outrun them if I need to.

Not much you can do but try to avoid them the best you can, and realize that sometimes it's just going to get wet onboard!
Steve
"Serendipity" - 2017 Sweetwater 2286 WB Tritoon w/ 150HP Yamaha
Slipped at Lake Anna, Virginia
Primary Residence: Richmond, Virgina
Lake House: Lake Anna, Virginia

Horsepen
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 10:39 am

Re: A new, bigger wake

#3 Post by Horsepen » Tue Aug 09, 2022 3:36 pm

Well Steve, you are one lucky guy. Like me, I can outrun them or run over their wake. Unfortunately, most folks aren’t as fortunate as us. I guess they will just have to deal with it as best they can. And like you, I could give a rat’s ass about the damage they do to other docked boats or boat houses or the shoreline itself. Screw um. The wakeboat guys are endowed with the god given right to do just whatever the hell they want to! I guess the rest of the boating public will simply have to learn to deal with it.

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Rick McC.
Posts: 417
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:12 pm
Location: Weeki Wachee, Fl

Re: A new, bigger wakedown

#4 Post by Rick McC. » Wed Aug 31, 2022 7:39 pm

Horsepen wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 3:36 pm
Well Steve, you are one lucky guy. Like me, I can outrun them or run over their wake. Unfortunately, most folks aren’t as fortunate as us. I guess they will just have to deal with it as best they can. And like you, I could give a rat’s ass about the damage they do to other docked boats or boat houses or the shoreline itself. Screw um. The wakeboat guys are endowed with the god given right to do just whatever the hell they want to! I guess the rest of the boating public will simply have to learn to deal with it.
Well; I call bullshit on that!
I’m sure that you’re being sarcastic; but that crap doesn’t go on down here.
Well, possibly it does; but since I never go out on any lakes, I don’t know.
I go down the river and out into the Gulf.
Rick

Sights are for the unenlightened.

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