Best way to cross cruiser wakes

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

The bigger the boat the bigger the wake.. It's all relative. Here is a bass boat hitting a wake. I would call this ugly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UEET...ext=1&index=22

Jump to 1 minute 20 seconds. You could tell what was going to happen..

[BY U BOY]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQs9tloTzTM

[blackhawk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQs9tloTzTM

I didn't enjoy that. Wake up call to how fast stuff happens out there.

[BY U BOY]

Think cruiser wakes and jet ski's are challenging? Read this:

"This stuff took us years to figure out," said Fulbright, who has identified six premier tanker surfing spots, each one with its own name. "People still have no idea where we go or how we do it."

But what has long been a well-kept secret in local surfing circles is now being telecast throughout the wave-riding world. The Texas tanker surfers were recently featured in the documentary Step Into Liquid along with such legendary surfing spots as Southern California and the North Shore of Maui. Last week, the magazines Surfer and Surfing Girl were in Galveston Bay to photograph the guys riding wake.

"There's a lot of characters in surfing, and these guys in Texas are at the top of the list," said Dana Brown, the filmmaker and narrator.

"What they try to surf in, I don't think a lot of people would consider trying it. In a way, they are just as radical as the big wave guys. It seems very Texan ... the ingenuity."

If the channel is a liquid superhighway, Fulbright and three or four surfing buddies ride the shoulder, steering their boats about a half-mile to the side or behind tankers as they pass. As the wave rolls toward them, they jump in and catch it.

Each day, as many as 18 to 20 ships -- 45 feet wide and 250 feet long -- plow through the waters of Galveston Bay on their way to ports in Houston, Baytown and Channelview, according to the Greater Houston Port Bureau. With a belly full of oil unloaded from a "mother tanker" in the Gulf, each one weighs about 95,000 tons and travels between 9 and 12 mph.

At that size, each pushes 35 feet of water from the bottom of the channel into the more shallow bay that surrounds it. The surge has nowhere to go but up, creating a wave that can be (at least) waist- to shoulder-high"

I have had one of these come out of the blue on me. Wife was not amused
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5PsF7y1Jdk

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

He did not hit it square. He did not keep the bow level side to side. He did not trim in or add tab. That boat was large enough it could have marched right across it. Instead he tried to catch air and did. Everything wrong IMO

[Magic Medicine]

He did not hit it square. He did not keep the bow level side to side. He did not trim in or add tab. That boat was large enough it could have marched right across it. Instead he tried to catch air and did. Everything wrong IMO

[blackhawk]

He did not hit it square. He did not keep the bow level side to side. He did not trim in or add tab. That boat was large enough it could have marched right across it. Instead he tried to catch air and did. Everything wrong IMO

I agree he definitely needed to tighten the boat up. Still scary to watch.

[Magic Medicine]

I agree he definitely needed to tighten the boat up. Still scary to watch.

Makes ya sick doesn't it!!! Probably be seeing you at LPL in a couple months, first beers on me

[blackhawk]

Makes ya sick doesn't it!!! Probably be seeing you at LPL in a couple months, first beers on me

It really does! gave me shivers!

Yeah I have to start getting the sled ready soon. It will be here before we know it.

[scwten13]

I was going to make a negative remark after watching the YouTube video of the bass boat guy trying to jump the wake in a (mostly) flat bottom boat to the effect of "Der, flat bottom, skips like a rock. A V- bottom would sail right across." then I watched the vid on the lake of the v-bottom hitting and rolling. Shut my mouth with a quickness!! I agree with the post about things happening way too quickly. Kill switches and good flotation vests may not look cool, but they are there for a reason. Be safe.

[Magic Medicine]

It really does! gave me shivers!

Yeah I have to start getting the sled ready soon. It will be here before we know it.

YES sir Lets enjoy the rest of the summer!!!!

[blackhawk]

Back to the original question I don't see many big cruiser wakes where I boat. But, when crossing larger wakes I tighten the boat up to where everything is close to neutral(slight positive trim, slight negative tab) this keeps the boat nice and level if you get air instead of skying the nose. But every boat is different as to what is the best trim and tab position.

[blackhawk]

YES sir Lets enjoy the rest of the summer!!!!

I will be! You coming up to Torch?

[Magic Medicine]

I will be! You coming up to Torch?

Pretty much staying local this year, not much vacation time this year!! That being said I wish I was!!! I really want to check out Lake Charlavoix.

[Magic Medicine]

Back to the original question I don't see many big cruiser wakes where I boat. But, when crossing larger wakes I tighten the boat up to where everything is close to neutral(slight positive trim, slight negative tab) this keeps the boat nice and level if you get air instead of skying the nose. But every boat is different as to what is the best trim and tab position.

Mine like neutral trim or negative trim. That keeps the boat happy. I like to give the throttles a little push forward right before I launch

[Sea-Dated]

Get an old flat bottom Cig or Apache and plow right through them. you will hardly even notice them.

[t500hps]

Get in some bigger water where the wind blown waves are "big". Unless you want to plow for miles at 20-30 then you'll learn to do this (photographer only lets you link to his photos, not cut-n-paste them)

BTW: This was us last weekend in a poker run:
http://photos.powerboatphotos.com/p2...EA188#hf3ea188

http://photos.powerboatphotos.com/p3...D9EFF#h8fd9eff

http://photos.powerboatphotos.com/p3...B894#h198bb894


but here's a 42 Fountain that didn't clear them well:
http://photos.powerboatphotos.com/p5...6894#h318e6894

another that did:
http://photos.powerboatphotos.com/p5...FEF4#h29e6fef4


BTW: A fish boat site I frequent has a bunch of guys claiming these are 2 ft waves........guess I don't know how to measure them cause they seemed alot bigger than that to me!

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

1's and 2's will bring an occasional 3. Looks like fast water to me.

[Ratickle]

Get in some bigger water where the wind blown waves are "big". Unless you want to plow for miles at 20-30 then you'll learn to do this (photographer only lets you link to his photos, not cut-n-paste them)

BTW: This was us last weekend in a poker run:
http://photos.powerboatphotos.com/p2...EA188#hf3ea188

http://photos.powerboatphotos.com/p3...D9EFF#h8fd9eff

http://photos.powerboatphotos.com/p3...B894#h198bb894


but here's a 42 Fountain that didn't clear them well:
http://photos.powerboatphotos.com/p5...6894#h318e6894

another that did:
http://photos.powerboatphotos.com/p5...FEF4#h29e6fef4


BTW: A fish boat site I frequent has a bunch of guys claiming these are 2 ft waves........guess I don't know how to measure them cause they seemed alot bigger than that to me!

Some nice shots there......

[zero g]

it all in the balance not to much trim, speed ,tabs an you can do safelyyou just got to learn what work best for your boat ps tanker surfing is fun