Go home setting for large chop on Lake Lanier

[Maellaro]

I’m just getting used to my new boat (2019 RZX3) and what setting do you use to cross a large lake with a lot of chop? Currently, I’m running 19-21 MPH on taps6. Somewhat doable, until I get to the main channel.

[boatwakes]

Bring the taps to 1 or 2, it turns the boat into a pizza cutter through the slop. All depends on swell size and the direction you're heading relative to the wind chop and swell. General rule is not to go straight into it but about 10-15 degrees at an angle. If you're going down swell, you can bury the nose and submerge the boat if you punch into the back of the next swell (rare on a lake but I've salvaged boats that have sunk because of it). Go slow and ease into the power until you feel safe.

[Maellaro]

Thank you. Heading out today and will play around with the Taps settings.

[Sublimer23]

For a smoother ride does anyone in addition to running taps at 1 run with full front ballast?

[talltigeguy]

For a smoother ride does anyone in addition to running taps at 1 run with full front ballast?

It would be just fine to do that if the chop is small. If the waves are big, then more weight might become a liability.

[talltigeguy]

Bring the taps to 1 or 2, it turns the boat into a pizza cutter through the slop. All depends on swell size and the direction you're heading relative to the wind chop and swell. General rule is not to go straight into it but about 10-15 degrees at an angle. If you're going down swell, you can bury the nose and submerge the boat if you punch into the back of the next swell (rare on a lake but I've salvaged boats that have sunk because of it). Go slow and ease into the power until you feel safe.

I almost sank my Tige because of this at Lake Mead once. Really large waves, and I am traveling in the same direction as the waves. I came over one, and knifed into the back of the other. Water went over the bimini, through the boat and lots of it went across the sunpad. When it was said and done, I had 6 inches above the floor. Thankfully, just floating with a bilge full of water was not enough to sink us. The bilge took care of it and I had no problems after that. And I learnt to be more careful.

[Bamer]

I almost sank my Tige because of this at Lake Mead once. Really large waves, and I am traveling in the same direction as the waves. I came over one, and knifed into the back of the other. Water went over the bimini, through the boat and lots of it went across the sunpad. When it was said and done, I had 6 inches above the floor. Thankfully, just floating with a bilge full of water was not enough to sink us. The bilge took care of it and I had no problems after that. And I learnt to be more careful.

Holy crap!!!!! What size waves are we talking about?


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[SONIC]

Holy crap!!!!! What size waves are we talking about?


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It doesn't take that much, 2-3 foot waves with the right spacing can be dangerous if you'e going dead in line with them.
in my experience it's more the spacing (period) than the size.

They can be spaced really close together where the whole boat is riding on 2 waves and you're fine, or really far apart so the trough is big enough to hold the boat and you're fine.
The danger comes in when they are spaced just right (wrong?) for the stern to be up on the crest of the rear wave right as you come into the front one.
The angle of the boat is such that the bow just wants to cut right into the wave in front of you and bam you're underwater.
I've got a lot of time in offshore boats and it can get sketchy even in small waves.

[BrentP]

Yah. I can vouch for this. You don’t want to attack these big rollers head on. Here on Travis, a 40 to 50 footer will come by hauling *** or just at plane speed - both are bad. They create a wake spacing that as it bounces back and forth can get absolutely perfect for a 22 foot boat to fall into, so to speak. We took one over the bow, cleared the windshield and woke the kids up on the back. Hah. Water temp was low too so it made for a chilly ride home

IMHO, I keep the boat planed down (TAPS 1), and focus hard on attacking the big wakes at an angle so you roll across them if going with them, or kind of skip across coming at them (don’t broad side them completely). Don’t slow down too much, but I’ll come down into the low 20s if it’s real rough.

Inboards need power to control them, losing too much speed/power can lead to losing control a bit

Anyways, just some things I’ve noticed. Also, don’t go to the lake when it’s so rough your head falls off. Or go find 30 footer to chill on


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[Germaine Marine]

Rule of thumb is to track the direction of the waves and trim the bow for a more Bow 'Up' attitude and then slow down and crank through it. People get in trouble when it gets big and they trim the boat bow down and then try and drive through it all. No need. Get the boat bow high and slow down to 18-22 and just cruise back with enough bow rise to see yet clear **** that is 3-4 feet with ease,.