To say that he kept it on a straight line is a bit misleading. With such a strong current surging behind the vessel it's more likely that he had no rudder control at all, and therefore was simply lucky that forces acting on both sides of the rudder(s) were even. This could have ended quite differently.
aussie balls and seamanship, also cat hulls were the popular hulls for surf life saving and small fishing fleets wherever surf or bar crossings where to be encountered back in the day (think 23' shark cat). epic
Nicely managed captain! I have been in a similar situation with a motor boat. In our situation we had to exit the sea because short on gaz. Your choice needed guts. Must have been fun!
@captkirkconnell 4 ft. mini keels and big rudders help. Keeping weight out of the bows is really the rule that all cats should observe. You'll notice that Saltonay never looks like putting the bows under. That situation would have meant a whole different result......I did not deliberately put myself in harms way, I expected to enter without drama, but sometimes in sailing that's not what happens.
i was there.. the skipper had been watching the bar for hours. ended up ignoring the warnings - which are regularly overstated anyway - and went for it - good stuff - great pics - thank goodness it wasn't a tragedy though - damn close. at least there would have been good pics either way.
KEEP ITUP MATE ,TOP STUFF , I KNOW HOW THAT FEEL S , I RAN THE WAVES IN A TYPHOON NO POWER ON, NO SAIL ,UP HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES RUNNING FOR SHELTER, NERVOUS AT FIRST BUT ONCE I KNEW THE BOAT COULD HANDLE IT NOT A WORRY , JUST RAN WITH THE WIND ,AWESOME
Hats off to you Ian. Just wondering, how much steerage did you have as the stern is lifted by the crest? I note there is a veer to port as you surf down the face.
WHOE!!!! He did a awesome freak'n job!! I bet he was scarre'd more like he had his heart in his throat and adrenaline was making him shake!! I know I would be like that!!! But then again I would be to scarre'd to make that move!! THUMBS UP SKIPPER!!! 🌊⛵👌👍
@MrHobiecat This cat's top hull speed is around 9 knots and that wave is moving much much faster than that (thus why it is surfing). It was a seriously risky move that could easily have gone the other way.
A sailing family commenting about a cat that was not at any serious risk stability and multiple wetted surfaces, a hull speed of 9 knots? are you seriously thinking. Check the batteries in the calculator they are flat...... 9 knots ? ?
@crockett207 Mini keels draw 4 ft. and the rudders are quite large. Also has cable steering not hydraulic, this gives a much quicker and responsive result to the slight 'veer' she responded very well and really did what she was supposed to do. I must say however that I did not expect to be in that situation, i expected to enter between the sets without having to deal with what eventuated.....best laid plans of mice and men etc.
I was a tad busy at the time and didn't look at the log or the s.o.g on the G.P.S. When I checked later the log had recorded a reading of 32.4 knots. I can't explain this reading adequately , as we were not doing that kind of speed, at least I don't think so That speed may have been hit momentarily as the log is in the port hull and with the combined forward momentum and the water flow upward on the face of the wave..maybe, I dunno.Estimates put the speed at around 22 knots.
@belsloan Nice work! Just think of it this way: you can come across that and more at sea in a midnight gale, with sails up. So consider this just a nice little test showing that the design can take a little following sea--as she should. Nevertheless you steered her smartly--you really had no choice, looks like the wave chose you not t-other way 'round.
my 35 feet long 15 ton fishing boat with a top speed of 9 knots 7 knot economical speed wouldnt like that rough sea wery much 😁 i sometimes went out pulling nets if nessesary in storms, To avoid ghost nets. but in northern norway the fjords are long and deep so you usually dont struggle that much to get to safe harbour with calmer sea if needed.
@jp002169 its is actually an azure 40 designed by grainger and built by brian perry,before brian started on the perry 43 i think you will find that grainger also designed the perry cats,for brian,
is the hull, keel and rudders standard? That is very hard to control a pearl like that. Sure the Capt knew what to do but you need some cooperation from the hull also. Can all cats do that? anyone know?
In fact my pants remained unmarked. the true honors should go to Bryan Perry, the designer and builder as she handled the situation beautifully...............Hell of a rush though! ian sloan. Skipper
I love the fact that none of the safe place experts read your comments or didn't realise who you were. Well played on surfing that wave. Balls of steel, mate!
Its all about the rudder. Often powerboats have small rudders directly aft of the propeller. Once the wave accelerates them to high speed, the prop wash on the rudder is non-existent and they lose control authority. In a sailboat, especially lightweight boats designed to surf, control authority increases with speed. So when powerboats get overtaken by waves, they are in danger of turning sideways and flipping. But sailboats have a better chance of being kept straight, as long as the skipper acts fast.
Nice how all those armchair sailors with zero sailing experience are motivated to display their ignorance to the world. Sorry, snowflakes, but real men take real chances. The skipper waited for the light and determined that the waves, while large, were not treacherous. Still a gutsy move. Well played!
Experienced sailor here. Real men dont take chances. You literally have it 100% wrong. Its takes far more balls not to do something to endanger yourself and others. Jackass.
He nearly broached the boat surfing down that wave... his rudders were barely in the water! If he'd gone over, rescuers would have risked their necks to save him. Not cool in So many ways!
fourty year olds living in their mum's basement comes to mind....reveal it by framing the situation differently, say you actually had a life, and had had a real sexual relation with something that didn't have a high pressure valve, you might see how foooolish it sounds running down somebody with genuine talent and a real life.
