Passing Another Yacht

What is the proper technique in passing another boat? Something big and slow like ours. I radioed and gave my intention to pass on their starboard and the captain replied back that was ok and he would slow down for a slow pass, and then I passed. The part that I probably need help on is that last part. Do I go just fast enough to pass? Or as soon as my bow is past theirs, speed up to limit side-by-side time? I kept an eye on them and I didn't see any crazy rocking, but I still felt I could have done better.

Also, I noticed that when I turn into my channel to my marina (the entrance is about 1/2 mile from shore) and I am going too fast, it creates waves traveling directly at the shore that make it all the way to the shore with considerable size compared to your normal wake that breaks at a 45 deg angle with the shore. Answer to that is probably to slow down before turning.

Pass the slower boat at no/minimum wake speed, then resume your speed once your stern has cleared his bow. I come back to center before I throttle back up to keep him out of my wake.

I think you answered your own question with the second one.

Yes after agreeing to a slow pass and if the other guy slows down then you should slow down as well to minimize wake. I usually wait till my bow crosses his stern. Then as soon as he is behind, and able to cut in your wake you re good to go.

Staying close to the other boat speeds things up as the slower boat can cut it the wake faster

As to your second question,it s probably the effect of shallow water. When a wake transitions from deeper to shallow water it will get bigger and even break of it s really shallow. Sometimes in a narrow channel with very shallow water outside you will actually see the water being sucked out of the shallows.

Looks like Pascal and I have you covered coming and going. :D

Doesn't hurt to tell them what your speed will be.....

In my case:

"My idle will be 5 knots"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by oscarvan

Doesn't hurt to tell them what your speed will be.....

In my case:

"My idle will be 5 knots"

---

Like anybody cares what your idle speed is?

I've only seen idle speed used as an excuse for making a wake as in, "I can't run any slower than 8 knots". All anybody wants to see is minimum wake, especially if they are the one who offered the slow pass

Many boats do not pay attention to the radio. Biggest offender is sail. In areas We can plane off but get no radio response they chug along at 8-9 knots near the center of the channel. So I pass at 11-12 knots burning too much fuel, going slow, and waking the crap out of them. Wide channels avoids this whole deal. Too narrow channels I just run slow and wait, not going to cause a grounding or rock the crap out of them even though tempted. Nice when they do slow for the easy pass. When we run slow I watch everything in front or behind at all times. I keep myself from getting rocked by paying attention, slowing up, and even taking out of gear to let passes happen. So I view this from both positions.

Then there is always the small boat running slow speed (they have every right to) in the center of channel (WTF?, stay on the side!). and also the 60'express boats running in groups on plane in narrow channels.

We run the Gulf a lot now. BP stays much lower.