How big of wake is considered 'No Wake'?

[AFD]

as long as i'm not swaying side to side i don't care. GFC, that isn't a wake at all in my opinion.

the launch boats from my marina to the moorings docks and picks up riders right in front of my boat on the next dock across from me, all of my neighbors have said something about one of the "captains" who comes in with a huge wake right to the dock and rocks the whole row of boats. One of my neihgbors told him off the other day but he is one of those people that thinks if it's not a white cap it's not a wake. our docks come off of a sea way and i'm the 5th boat away from the wall with 22 boats on each side of our dock heading our into the river so i am well protected and almost never feel so much as a ripple. he throws a wake the whole way and then slams it into reverse right where he wants to stop and i'm sure nobody enjoys the ride. I hope he lives off of tips, if i was on a mooring i wouldn't ride with him unless he was the only one working and I woulnd't tip him at all.

 

[ttmott]

AON your right people need to get ovet the hang up of putting the boat in and out of gear. I do it all the time and have for 20 years. I was taught to steer the boat at slow speed by engaging one engine or the other.

Not quite so; there are a lot of large boats with single screws and must have sufficient speed so the rudder is effective. Also, at least here in Florida, we have no wake zones that are literally miles long; no one here that I know of (nor is expected to) continuously go in and out of gear to reduce speed and steer. Naturally it goes without saying that manuvering a twin screw boat in tight spaces is best done with shifting the gears partially due to the relatively small rudders and in challenging situations (wind, current, and tight spaces) I use shifting, throttles, and rudders all together. I'll say this; when my boat moves it disturbs the water (there are wakes), at idle speed the wave height is not sufficient to disturb others in the marina. Idle speed for my 400DA is around 6 knots however in tight spaces I pull the gears in and out for control not necessarily the waves. Seems most other resposible folks arond here behave the same as I - no complaints from other boaters or the law who, by the way, harbor in the same marina....

 

[Air O'Nautical]

At night, a laser pointer (from a infrared heat gun many of us have aboard) is a great attention getter for when you get waked in you slip.

I stand by my rule of thumb...if its going to spill a drink from you passing, your wake is too much.

 

[Air O'Nautical]

Not quite so; there are a lot of large boats with single screws and must have sufficient speed so the rudder is effective. Also, at least here in Florida, we have no wake zones that are literally miles long; no one here that I know of (nor is expected to) continuously go in and out of gear to reduce speed and steer. Naturally it goes without saying that manuvering a twin screw boat in tight spaces is best done with shifting the gears partially due to the relatively small rudders and in challenging situations (wind, current, and tight spaces) I use shifting, throttles, and rudders all together. I'll say this; when my boat moves it disturbs the water (there are wakes), at idle speed the wave height is not sufficient to disturb others in the marina. Idle speed for my 400DA is around 6 knots however in tight spaces I pull the gears in and out for control not necessarily the waves. Seems most other resposible folks arond here behave the same as I - no complaints from other boaters or the law who, by the way, harbor in the same marina....

Real name of the game is to get along with your neighbors...

There's no "pass" because, you can't (won't) operate at no-wake with both in gear unless, you really need to for control.
I run a 41 Formula all the time down the channel with one in neutral and the other at idle this gives a nice 5mph and a small enough wave to call it no-wake.
Both back in gear (and rudders re-centered) for docking.

Whats acceptable in different places is real world, I guess...Around here you are expected to follow the posted rules or accept the fine. Our LEO's will sit at the inlet with a speed gun!

 

[Scott9000]

As a new Sport boat owner back on the water after a 10 year absence I can say even us little guys struggle with the definition of no wake. My 190 weaves all over the place when I have it at the lowest speed possible. Give it a bit more throttle (under 5mph) and I see what I consider a wake behind the boat. I use common sense - when I am pulling into our marina between a row of boats I go as slow as I can even if the boat weaves. On the river in the city no wake zones where no boats are docked on either side I go a bit fast even if it makes some wake.

 

[Pyrojodge]

OK, Well I know that I will probably catch some flack over my statement here...

When I am leaving a marina or an area where I have the ability to rock someone's boat I have the throttles at idle, slow as I can take here which is about 4mph @600rpm. When I am going through a no wake zone or leaving a channel to make it to a lake, I use the white water rule that I was taught when I first started out boating.

Look at the photo behind the boat...

Now, If I was leaving this type of wake in a marina I would beat my own A$$. But I am in a marked no wake channel with no exposed boat docks. I always look back and I see white water behind the boat I will bring her back down until I see none. Generally I can run at 900rpm and 6mph and stay in traffic (on busy days). West harbor Lake Erie has tons of boat traffic and we all cruise at different hull speeds. This is how I judge if someone is going to fast, if they are producing white wash behind there boat I will say something. If not they are good to go. It does not take much speed to create white wash in small boats or large boats. Sail boats can fly through the water and not leave a ripple. This is just how I judge myself and others right or wrong.

Let the comments proceed!

 

[NorCal Boater]

Nice post and fun reading. My marina is on a slough in the California Delta. At the north end of the slough is the town of Walnut Grove and the last mile coming into town is all "No Wake." But on their No Wake signs is this definition: "You have created a wake if the wave coming from your boat "breaks" before it reaches the shore." Or something to that effect. I have used this as a rule of thumb. But the law also states that closer than 200' to a dock or structure is considered a No Wake Zone. Unfortunately, wakes don't stop or dissapate at 201'....they keep going.

When I had a 26' boat I used to marvel at how it seemed the bigger the boat the smaller the wake. At 52' and 48,000 lbs. I hardly make a ripple at idle which is 700 RPMs and 5 kts. And the idle speed wakes from other boats barely move me. But as someone said, it's the lack of courtesy from some morons that irk me. These are the same yahoos that tie up a busy launch ramp, play the music loud or drop anchors over yours. Water borne execuion stations may be the cure. :grin:

 

[pilot2fly]

IMHO, if it is enough for a wave trailing behind you, you are making a wake. Even more so, if there is white water on top of the wave. I got flipped off by a bayliner owner yesterday because I had the gall to yell at him for making a 3 foot wall of water in a no wake zone. Are people really that clueless, or is it inherent stupidity?

They just don't care. I had a time yesterday in the Wrightsville Beach area of trying to avoid being hit by others. At multiple points, I had a wall of boats coming at me across the entire channel. Like, hello? I gotta get through too. Seems that everyone was trying to go around each other. Luckily the smaller boats seem to give way to me when they get close. I'm sure that a 30 foot Sundancer coming off plane might be a scary sight to someone in a 18 foot boat.