water over the bow?

[mrwatersking]

Of course my 2006 Lxi has low free board but unfortunately I run her in rough water from time to time and when I am in a speed zone it is a bear keeping the occasional wave from coming over the bow. (There are some big boats in the Chesapeake.) It seems to be worse since I added the wakeboard tower.

Other than keeping riders out of the bow and gassing the engine when needed, are there any other tricks to keeping the front of my boat dry? Does anyone make a cover to wash the water overboard or block it from coming in?

[85 Barefoot]

Of course my 2006 Lxi has low free board but unfortunately I run her in rough water from time to time and when I am in a speed zone it is a bear keeping the occasional wave from coming over the bow. (There are some big boats in the Chesapeake.) It seems to be worse since I added the wakeboard tower.

Other than keeping riders out of the bow and gassing the engine when needed, are there any other tricks to keeping the front of my boat dry? Does anyone make a cover to wash the water overboard or block it from coming in?

you could put a snap on bow cover over it. Depending on the shape of the peaks and troughs of the waves, that influences the best angle to attack them. 10-15 probably the best big wave speeds

[CumminsBu]

I have a tonneau cover on mine and it does help, but does no good it you need rider to sit in the front. I have found that if you need to go slow. Have the boat in gear with no throttle, any add throttle seems to push the bow down. Until the boat starts to plane and the bow is pushed upward.

[Bill_AirJunky]

One thing I teach new drivers is to be patient when your turning around to pick up your rider. When the rider goes down, slow the boat down to idle speed, wait to turn the steering wheel till the boat falls off plane. As you come around, watch your own wake.... be patient & watch it go by. Then go idle speed (or a little over or under) in behind the wake.

It's amazing how much easier this is than negotiating over your wake combined with all the others out there.

I liked the bow cover on my 205. But occasionally we'd take a wave so big it would go over the bow cover, up the windshield & all over the spotter & driver. Was always a ton of fun, till the stereo got wet & didn't work anymore.

Be patient & the stereo works longer.

Edited September 13, 2011 by Bill_AirJunky

[SunriseH2OSkier]

I've found that the safest way to take some of those larger waves is into the side of the boat, rather than head on. The boat will rock side to side pretty good, but I've never taken water over the side that way. Conversely, I have taken the full brunt of a wave over the bow and absolutely swamped the boat. Mind you, I'm not on the Chesapeake - the largest boats on my lake tend to be surfers behind 23-25 foot wake boats. But as you know, in the '03-'06 RLXi every wave looks pretty big.

[Surfer Dude]

Great advise Bill. I was taught the same thing and now teach new drivers the same thing.

[davemac]

Great advise Bill. I was taught the same thing and now teach new drivers the same thing.

Yep...just like saying goes...."Friends Don't Let Friends Power-Turn"

[Foatin' Doats!]

Great advise Bill. I was taught the same thing and now teach new drivers the same thing.

My buddy (and I unfortunately) found this out the hard way. He was pulling me and came back around to get me. The ladies were riding in the bow, where they like to lounge, and the bow ballast was full. He turned around to get me and was in a hurry because the lake was very busy. Ended up taking his own wake over the bow, which wasn't much, but remember I said the lake was busy. Another boat had just passed (they were surfing) and their wake was right behind our own. The bow hadn't recovered from the first wave and slam! The surf wave hit us and it was BAD. Lot's of water in the bow. He did however have the presence of mind to put the boat in reverse, and back the boat out of the wave. All this, while I sat helpless in the water watching this play out in slow motion! Lost an amp because it was mounted really low in the port locker. It was an old one I had laying around so not a big loss. Looking back, all I can do is laugh at the sight of him doing circles in reverse while water washed back out over the bow and other boats in the area looking at us like, "What is wrong with those people?!". Hopefully someone reads this and takes the water over the bow situation seriously and heeds Bill's advice.

[MalibuTime]

I've done more chili dips this year than ever, some on purpose, but others by a bit of surprise. Gassing it so your bow is well up (imagine an I/O starting out) pretty much mitigates any water over the bow, but your passengers need to be ready or they may go flying, that is the biggest constraint for me. So if I see impeding unintended chili dip I warn everyone to hold on so I can gas it a bit, otherwise you just take the wash.

[swankrides]

Yep...just like saying goes...."Friends Don't Let Friends Power-Turn"

[kengrutza]

I've learned this lesson the hard way too.

My main goal is the safety of my skier/boarder in the water and with runabouts it was no problem but my Sunsetter is a low slung affair and it has taken a nice big gulp of lake water over the bow on a few occasions.

I have learned to side the wakes instead of fronting them. My kids think it's so much fun to try to "rock the boat" as we do that but...it keeps the water in the lake!

[stumpf101]

I go across the bay every once in a while and I have found that its a lot easier to take the waves at as much angle as you can. Every once in a while one will sneak up you you and I just idle down and have only had one come over the bow once or twice.

[wakechick3]

One thing I teach new drivers is to be patient when your turning around to pick up your rider. When the rider goes down, slow the boat down to idle speed, wait to turn the steering wheel till the boat falls off plane. As you come around, watch your own wake.... be patient & watch it go by. Then go idle speed (or a little over or under) in behind the wake.

It's amazing how much easier this is than negotiating over your wake combined with all the others out there.

I liked the bow cover on my 205. But occasionally we'd take a wave so big it would go over the bow cover, up the windshield & all over the spotter & driver. Was always a ton of fun, till the stereo got wet & didn't work anymore.

Be patient & the stereo works longer.