What swell is too much to go out in if wind is ok

[crazywalrus]

Hi - Just wondering if the experienced boaters can shine some light on this for me. The swell this weekend is expected to be 1.9 to 1.7m is that too big?

Thanks Ted

[madmullet]

Hi - Just wondering if the experienced boaters can shine some light on this for me. The swell this weekend is expected to be 1.9 to 1.7m is that too big?

Thanks Ted

i made my rule to be, if you have to think about it too much or you have doughts dont do it, their is always another day.

that sort of swell is not too bad but as long as their is not seas ontop of that or chop inbetween.

thats my thorts

[straddiebrad]

it will depend on what time you head out and what the tide is doing at the time,and where you plan on heading out from where you headed ted also check the distance between swells doesnt look too bad for saturday and gets better during the day.brad

[crazywalrus]

it will depend on what time you head out and what the tide is doing at the time,and where you plan on heading out from where you headed ted also check the distance between swells doesnt look too bad for saturday and gets better during the day.brad

Thanks Kurt

Hey Brad - What sort of Swell period are you aiming for? I am thinking of heading to boat rock or the 24s of the Gold coast. The seaway is probably easiest. Going to head out an hour into incoming Tide and head back in before the top.

[aussie123]

Hi Ted

The swell height is totally irrelevant if their is no wind/chop (technically called the sea) on top of it.

Where the swell height comes into play is crossing a bar so that has to be your main concern.

A 5m swell with no sea will still be a lovely calm day except you go up and down a lot and probably throw up down the burley trail.

If you have a big swell running and can still cross the bar safely or luckily here where you can go around the northern bay to avoid any bar consider your traveling times back home in case the wind does come away because a sea can become very messy and dangerous extremely quickly with a decent swell rolling in.

In any big swell just be very mindful of traveling home in a following sea as they can very quickly spear a boat sideways and bury the bow so the skipper must be on the ball the entire time.

A 1.7m swell with bugger all wind is nothing to worry about once at sea but can cause dramas on the bar depending on what angle they are hitting the bar and how much water is under the boat and also if you have a run in tide or a run out tide with pressure waves.

[PlasticFantastic]

Swell is from the south east and is 10 seconds apart tomorrow morning so Amity bar shouldn't be too bad. I think the low is at 530 so travel through around then as it stops and return on the top and it should be ok. Andrew and I are heading out in the morning and are short one crew member so it might pay to message him to see if you could tag along.

Cheers

Mark

[Eug]

good thread, would also be interested on wind and/or swell direction and their impacts.

[crazywalrus]

Swell is from the south east and is 10 seconds apart tomorrow morning so Amity bar shouldn't be too bad. I think the low is at 530 so travel through around then as it stops and return on the top and it should be ok. Andrew and I are heading out in the morning and are short one crew member so it might pay to message him to see if you could tag along.

Cheers

Mark

Thanks Mark - I have the boys so I will not be able to follow you guys around Popping. I wouldn't mind following you guys out through the bar. Let me know the time you are thinking about heading out and I will follow you out if ok? Would be good to meet Andrew as well.

[ONTHECHEW]

There alot of different things you look at when planning an offshore trip swell is not always the biggest contributing factor.

Tides: this has the biggest effect on the bars, knowing the correct tide time for the bar and how big a run makes a huge difference to how messy it can be. In a perfect world you would always cross a bar on the top or the bottom of a tide as this has the least amount of run, but this is not always possible. But if you can plan your day around tides the easiest time will always be the top of the tide.

Swell: this mainly effects what can happen in the bar. Swell direction is very important as a direct easterly swell will be heading straight into most queensland bars, a southerly swell is favourable for most of our bars as they gain a bit of protection and you don't get the full brunt of it straight on. Once you are offshore swell direction does not really affect you.

Distance between swell: This can be the biggest contributing factor apart from wind that can make for a good or bad trip. Any thing around 4 seconds apart can be very messy even if the swell is small, but anything from 8 seconds upwards is very manageable, 12 seconds plus and you wont even notice the swell.

Wind: Wind will just give you surface chop unless you are out in 20knots plus.

If you are looking at south passage bar, swell from the south is always pretty good. Tomorrow for instance as mark has already said will be very manageable.

Andrew

[crazywalrus]

There alot of different things you look at when planning an offshore trip swell is not always the biggest contributing factor.

Tides: this has the biggest effect on the bars, knowing the correct tide time for the bar and how big a run makes a huge difference to how messy it can be. In a perfect world you would always cross a bar on the top or the bottom of a tide as this has the least amount of run, but this is not always possible. But if you can plan your day around tides the easiest time will always be the top of the tide.

Swell: this mainly effects what can happen in the bar. Swell direction is very important as a direct easterly swell will be heading straight into most queensland bars, a southerly swell is favourable for most of our bars as they gain a bit of protection and you don't get the full brunt of it straight on. Once you are offshore swell direction does not really affect you.

Distance between swell: This can be the biggest contributing factor apart from wind that can make for a good or bad trip. Any thing around 4 seconds apart can be very messy even if the swell is small, but anything from 8 seconds upwards is very manageable, 12 seconds plus and you wont even notice the swell.

Wind: Wind will just give you surface chop unless you are out in 20knots plus.

If you are looking at south passage bar, swell from the south is always pretty good. Tomorrow for instance as mark has already said will be very manageable.

Andrew

Thanks for the info Andrew

[ONTHECHEW]

If you want to meet us at the ramp and follow us out through the bar that is cool. Either pm me or I think you have mark's number give him a call and we can sort it out. You can follow us around to a few spots in close offshore as well if you want.

Andrew

[straddiebrad]

it will depend on what time you head out and what the tide is doing at the time,and where you plan on heading out from where you headed ted also check the distance between swells doesnt look too bad for saturday and gets better during the day.brad

Thanks Kurt

Hey Brad - What sort of Swell period are you aiming for? I am thinking of heading to boat rock or the 24s of the Gold coast. The seaway is probably easiest. Going to head out an hour into incoming Tide and head back in before the top.

i was thinking of hitting up boat what are goning to be doing what ramp u using