[martin182]

hey all, i have a newbie question about navagating a 182 Shabah thru rough waters. last weekend my girlfriend and i left Huntington beach and went into the open ocean at around 10am. the weather was awesome, there was hardly a breeze and the water seem to be that of a lake. our plan was to head south and go to Balboa Island just south of Newport Beach. we got there without any problems had lunch and decided to leave around 2pm. well thats when the excitement started....we quickly noticed that the water was much different. i noticed that there was no other boaters around, and that the water was very rough. i stayed close to shore just incase of any problems and supposing that the closer to shore the shorter the waves. i wonder if anyone knows why the water got so much rougher and if my choice to stay close was a good choice or if i should of gone further out to avoid the the rough seas? did the time play a part?

new guy trying to learn fast,

Martin

[Zackattack]

That sounds exciting. Likely the condition change was either tidal or weather influenced or both. The tidal changes can realy bring big changes in condtions, especially when that change takes place, you can get tidal rips and very sharp waves that will hammer you to pieces since thier power is from below. Im sure Oregondunes can tell us some stories of the Columbia river and coastal wind and tidal influenced changes.

Mornings are generally calmer than afternoons for wind though. And then evenings calm down again, its usually influenced by temperatures I believe. If you have a Coast Guard boaters class available I would sign up for one it is a very good education from experienced skippers

So, none of us are really going to know the answer to which place was better, shore side or open water. Sometimes you have to just make those decisions based on what you see and then react. Keep that bow up and white knuckle it back to your marina.

At least your experience has been a good one. Is your girlfriend willing to go again?

[ShabahZ280]

If you don't have one already, buy a VHF radio---one with a WX (weather) band. Turn it on and listen to the forecast before you head out. I always check before leaving or heading back to the marina.

Also, if you have a smartphone, you can visit "mobile.weather.gov" for the NOAA National Weather Service Forecast mobile site. You can enter your location, and see any existing weather bulletins or warnings. There's also a marine forecast in many areas. There's also a wide array of apps you can download with weather radar, NWS alerts, and things like that.

Navigating open sea in a 182 sounds a little risky if the seas get rough. I'd seriously advise you to invest in a VHF radio, a GPS, all the necessary Coast Guard equipment (and possibly even more), and get a Vessel Safety Check from the CG Auxiliary or Power Squadron. They'll check to make sure you're prepared for everything and give you a decal. If nothing else, it's a professional's opinion that you're safe and ready.

Mother nature can change her moods very quickly, and I've been stuck in a few situations like that before! Just try and stay one step ahead of the game by being prepared, and if the weather looks like it's going to turn, perhaps it's time to start heading back, or stay and wait it out. Also take note of other boaters. If no one's going out, there's probably a good reason!

[martin182]

Thanks ShabahZ250 and Zackattack, I did learn a lot about cutting the waves at no more than 45 degrees and to stay close to shore. I appreciate both of your advice on what equipment I should have and recomending the safety coarse. I am going to buy a radio before I head out again and look into the safety coarse. Also, I think next time I will turn around and wait for the water to calm back down before heading out, even if i am far from home. But just so that you guys know, that 182 Shabah took a licking and just kept ticking...lol. Well I better get back to resting my tired muscles from Sundays white knuckle, rollercoaster ride back to HB. Oh and the girlfriend is ready to go back out, just as long as I promise a smoother ride. Thanks again guys.

Martin