6-8 foot ocean swells, 65 ft. Yacht---rocky boat ride?

Question

Research for a graded writing piece---need to make it believable! Actually, I went on a whale watch where the seas were calm for awhile, but coming back (2 hours) it was pretty intense, people were seasick, but this was a much bigger boat! How would a 65 ft yacht handle 6-8 foot swells. If I go any higher on the swells, I do not think it would be believable, because normal people probably wouldnt take the risk with such an expensive yacht. Any input on ocean swells or boats much appreciated.

Answer 1

6-8ft swells would be the ride of your life! you better make your peace with God... Because you might be standing infront of him pretty soon.

A boat that big would probably be able to take that sort of punishment But normal people would never sail in that weather.

Answer 2

The height of the swells is not as much a consideration as the interval or frequentcy of them. 8 foot swells 30 seconds apart would be a piece of cake. 8 foot swells every 5 seconds would be quite a pain in the butt, however a 65 ft yacht should handle them fine as long as you're not trying to set a speed record.

6 to 8 foot breaking waves would make for a very nervous ride, but a 65 footer should handle them head on.

Answer 3

We have a 27 foot Boston Whaler Outrage on Lake Erie that I have no problem taking out in anything up to 12 foot seas.  The oceans have more extreme variable in wave height.  When I was in the Navy, we were in 30+ foot seas.  A 65 foot yacht would have no problems with 15 foot seas under a good captain, if the vessel is seaworthy!  I forgot to mention that Boston Whalers are unsinkable and that I have a great respect for the waters I boat on and a strong faith in god, to give me the good judgment to know when to head to port under bad conditions!

Answer 4

8 foot swells, definitely makes for a rocky ride. !

But it's all how ya handle it.   Some people  get seasick rowboating on a still lake, and others, can handle the biggest swells.

Once, when I was in the Navy.... (USS Blue Ridge, LCC 19----Lost and Continuously  Circling , was the joke) ...a typhoon we were trying to out maneuver near Japan, was approachng fast, and posed a real threat.  We thought we could skirt it,

----- but the typhoon had other ideas and took a nasty dog leg turn right at us.......and we ended up sailing straight into  it.     WHOA!!!! >>>>that<<<< was a RIDE!!!!

Our Bow was 35 feet above sea level, and we had waves crashing over the bow...........

Most were puking their brains out........but, I LOVED it.............ran and got my camera..........and then hightailed it up to the bridgewing, and took some AWESOME Photo's...!

d**n near got blown overboard.........lost my hat.........but it was worth it...........excellent photo's!    HUGE waves!!!! and we were a BIG ship!    There were footprints on the WALLS after it was over.............we took some heavy rolls.

Boy,that ain't kidding when they   say "stow all gear" .

If it wasn't nailed , strapped or welded down..........it went crashing to the floor.

Definitely an "E" ticket ride!

Answer 5

The book "Storm Tactics" describes how to handle a boat in big storms. It may be helpful.

You can search youtube for some videos, but they don't give you a idea of the size of the waves.

People cross the ocean in smaller boats.

Answer 6

A 65 foot boat is pretty seaworthy and should have no trouble riding over 6 to 8 foot seas. What influences the motion is the angle that the boat is heading in relation to the direction from which the swell is coming (ahead or on the bow she'll pitch: from aft or on the quarter and she'll roll) and also the length of the swell (crest to crest). Speed also plays a considerable part and too much can be dangerous!

You can make a boat crash and bang about or you can make it ride the swells quite nicely!

Answer 7

with the exception to the weasel guy, most people on here are wrong, to the guy with a 27 ft boat in 12 ft waves...are you sure they are 12' not 12" .....12' seas would sink the average 27' boat(except for a Boston whaler), but it would be a horrible trip. Back to your question, your 65 ' would handle the swells okay, but it would not be a pleasurable voyage, people would get seasick.

Answer 8

It should be no problem at all for a blue water (off shore) capable boat. One thing to keep in mind is defining swells versus waves. A swell is usually very wide (low frequency) and the angle gives the boat a rather gentle up and down motion. If the water motion has a higher frequency (waves closer together) it gives you the quick rise and fall and there you will get the nose of the boat diving at a sharper angle with a subsequent wave breaking over the deck, picturesque and sometimes uncomfortable but not necessarily dangerous if you handle the boat in a prudent manner.