Safest way to cross another boat's wake?

[MJohnson]

I usually try to cross at an angle. I'm talking about the normal wake from other boats, but what about the giant waves from barges or these huge pleasure boats also? Then I usually slow almost to a stop and go head on slowly over them.

[Seanfishy]

Personally, i don't slow down for em at all. I also know my boats handling and capabilities very well. I take my little 14ft cat out 30-35mi offshore in summertime. Ive been in the stuff that scares most people and chose to learn from those experiences.

A lot of it is simply your experience in both your ability to handler the wake, and your boat's ability to handle the wake along with knowing exactly how the boat will react to it at speed.

If there are ever any any doubts, do exactly as you do and SLOW down and keep the bow into them and you'll be fine.

[Mrs. Crappie Stalker]

Depends on your boat. In the boat we have now (Ranger 619vs), we've cut through head on with ease. Even so, I've been in other fiberglass and tin boats that have taken water over the bow from large "pleasure" boats. As far as a barge is concerned, I'm all for being extra careful when they're throwing a big wake. I've seen too many headlines about fishermen capsizing and drowning from barge incidents.

[kickingback]

Idiots that run by you at full speed should be reported if you are in a smaller boat. It is unsafe to wake another boat and should not be tolerated! Report to lake patrol or game wardens. I have a 16' Jon and have run through many wakes and ALWAYS I turn to the wake to go over it perpendicular to keep from getting water in my boat.
I have successfully reported two boats and both boats were stopped and either given a ticket for unsafe boating or were lectured on boat safety. Either way it made them slow down around others and be more safe.

[DockShootinJack]

For large wakes I slow down and cross them at 90degrees or very near.

[clfarms1]

depends on the wake, sometimes almost stopand head into it, sometimes just run through the swales if the are far enough apart.

[Hanr3]

I have a 14' Deep V boat that is 4' wide. I don't slow down. I take all waves at an angle, at least 60 degrees. If they are small waves Ill run parallel to them. Boat gets a good side roll, but does not take on water.

Barges scare the hell out of me. I can't hear them coming and they are as long as hell. The waves off the barge don't bother me, they are minimal at best. What scares me is a big arse boat can sneak up on me and I hear everything. Fishing on the Illinois River has its challenges, barges and Asian Carp are just the most obvious. My gunnels are only about 1' above water line. When Asian carp jump they are head high.

Make sure you have lifejackets and wear them when traveling.

[DockShootinJack]

I crossed the prop wash of an ocean going tug docking a group of barges at speed years ago in a 14' foot bass boat that had more horse power than I had good sense. The prop wash wash rolling a mile across the river. Came real close to hitting a bout marking the channel from being pushed off course. I can close to needing a change of under ware and developed a healthy respect for the power of tug boats.

[Clear Solution]

I see this from both sides, both fisherman and operator of a big boat.

By by trade, im a tugboat captain, and then I fish as many days as possible when I'm not working. My line of work is ocean towing(ships/barges/ oil rigs on the east and gulf coast with a few trips thru the Panama Canal every year, roughly 280-300 days a years on a boat), but I got started on big riverboats handling 12-45 barges at a time. I've seen a little bit of everything.

The safest way to cross a wake is at slow speed and on a 45*. This allows the swell to pass under you, without sticking your bow into the next wake. Head on can be ok, it can also be sketchy, stick the bow or if the wave is big enough dunk the transom (remember, most of us only have a 15-20" freeboard before we load with people and gear). Other things to consider are wear and tare on your boat, all boats flex. Aluminum boats develop leaks when the flex a lot, fiberglass boats develop spider cracks in the gel coat. This can ruin a boats finish and value if you were ever to try and sell. Speed wise, go slow, like a pro- you can see what is on the front side of the wake, what is on the back side? A very steep drop to the next one, a log, ect, you never know. Going slow allows you time to make better informed decisions than just hauling tail and pumping wakes like a mad man

For maneuvering around tugs and tows, if you can't see the pilot house windows, the man in the chair can't see you. The longer the tow (ahead) the bigger the blind spot in front of him. Keep in mind we can't spot on a dime, heck, some times it can be 1/2-3/4 a mile before all headway is arrested. Same goes for turning, if your on the edge of the channel and you see us coming, give us some room to work. This also goes for tug towing behind them, having to stop quickly can be fatal if we don't have room to get out from in front of the barge/ship were towing, stopping the tug just means the tow behind us will run us over. Were just trying to put food on the table, crowding us would be like me trying to play golf in your place of work. A cheap, $100 hand held radio can make everyone's day much easier. The tug could call and say hey, it's gonna be tight on the turn, you mind scooting over a bit or let you know if there more traffic coming, or let you know that your positioning is fine.