Tipping Your Hatt

[Pascal]

Even been thru the lower Delaware? That is one nasty body of water when the wind oppose tide... short tall steep square waves!!

The other stretch of water I hate is the NW channel between Chub and NAS. You never know what you re going to get. I once had a U bolt rip out of the Waverunner fiberglass turning it into a battering ram on the top deck.

[oscarvan]

2' seas and 20-25 knot winds.

That there is BS. (Not you, the weatherperson). More than 3 miles from the windward shore that's 4-5-6' seas. In the crappy spots more. If the wind is down Bay, NNW, there is little or no sheltered shore mid Bay and South. Part of the deal with the Potomac is how much water is coming down. In the droughts of August it's relatively tame. When it's moving the effect is worse, especially with the down bay fetch in full force.

Again, keep in mind that up Tangier Sound can be a good alternative. Does require more navigation.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Bad as your day was, it could have gotten a lot worse a lot sooner had you decided to run outside from Hilton Head.

https://www.postandcourier.com/news/...eb17ea997.html

[madhatter1]

Having been caught in very bad conditions twice I have not been through what Randy posted. Lucky I guess. But now spending $ on cosmetic stuff but not on a windlass I can operate from the bridge seems pretty stupid now. I was only considering convenience and no consideration for a situation like that.

All that said even though the 46 is a beast cutting through rough seas I will remain a fair weather boater until I do the windless. I can only imagine how helpless Randy felt with no power and no safe way to deploy the anchor. Also I do appreciate my old school DD's that need DC power to shut down but not to stay running.

Very scary story and glad it turned out well.

[Jammin']

What caused the high water alarm?

[Freeebird]

Bad as your day was, it could have gotten a lot worse a lot sooner had you decided to run outside from Hilton Head.

https://www.postandcourier.com/news/...eb17ea997.html

That would suck for sure. I considered running outside after leaving NMB, but the marine forecast was 4-6’... or 1-2’s if you use the Chessie measuring stick.

Oh yeah, in case you missed it, I never saw less than 10’ of water until we were well into NC.

[Freeebird]

What caused the high water alarm?

You’ve gotta pay attention as I done already told you.

Loose ground.

[Pascal]

What engines did the boat have ? Not DD?

A few years back I did a delivery (non hatt but HOF member). I forgot the details but we lost power somewhere north of the keys. Owner had just spend well over $10 or $15k of mechanicals but reputable professional mechanics had not tightened the battery cables ...

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

That would suck for sure. I considered running outside after leaving NMB, but the marine forecast was 4-6’... or 1-2’s if you use the Chessie measuring stick. Oh yeah, in case you missed it, I never saw less than 10’ of water until we were well into NC.

No, I got it the first time round. I appreciate you remembering me on that!

[SKYCHENEY]

You asked the question about what it takes to capsize one of these boats. I know a guy with a 60MY who got stuck out in Lake Michigan when his Wilcox stabilizers went hard over and wouldn't come back. He and his wife tell of putting the rub rail down to the water level at times.

I would consider a MY to have a much higher cg than a sportfish so I expect the boat will handle much more than you think even dead in the water in a beam sea.

At any rate, I don't want to find out. Heck, I don't want to be dead in the water even if its dead calm. Sorry to hear you had trouble like that. Its always tough running a boat that you don't maintain yourself because you just don't know whats been done or not done.