Big water/bad weather boating advice thread

[Meathead2]

Ì have alot of rules for boat hunting for waterfowl. However, number one is put on the life vest or wait in the truck until we get back with our limits! I've had good friends I have lost who left mad and never spoke to me again, but I don't have to feel the remorse of losing them they went under because there was not enough time to get to them! Number 2 is keep your butt on your seat! I run a 19' G3 with an ice breaker keel and a 70hp Yamaha. I was breaking through about 3" of ice when I hit thicker ice, the boat went up and this first timer freaked and jumped up and the boat started to roll over. Before the boat rolled 3/4 over luckily I reflex tackled him on the floor before we were rolled into the water. Hadn't read about rule #2 so I thought I'd throw that in as a good safety rule. It was this guy's first time out and his last with me. I've read about the WOT ice breakers and it's not in my safety rules! Rule #3 Don't run with loaded guns! Have great and safe seasons and please pay attention to these fellows on safety they are right on the mark, in that there's never too much safety!

 

[Scott yellowdog]

Hi folks,
Here in Kansas we just had a tragic accident in which 3 duck hunters perished on John Redmond Reservoir in high wind conditions. Since there were no survivors there is no way of knowing what truly happened, but it made me think about how dangerous it can be to be aboard a boat in the winter. I spent the last five years in Florida and Virginia where there are minimum safety gear standards enforced by the Coast Guard.
What I'd like to see happen in this thread is a discussion about things like:
Boat handling in bad weather, safety gear that is relevant to winter boating and/or waterfowling, strategies to deal with things like engine failures and boat damage and anything else that y'all think someone else might be able to use to be safer.
I don't have a lot to share other than that we carry roadside flares in addition to a flare gun in the safety kit...in case we have to beach the boat and light a fire they'll always start and burn hot enough to light even damp wood.
Any suggestions you might have are welcome...it might save a life someday.
Thanks!

Mr black you know a great subject to discuss I've raised up in Kansas with major respect for the big water I now float a 20 ft xpress and I am better off with her but I've witnessed a lake that was making a noise that I can't explain and we ended up swimming to shore when my Yamaha shut off about mid plane the prop wash filled the boat half way and the boat was motionless and the next wave the boat jus went down to where we were floating with no floor now .on my birthday in a 14 ft panther with a 40 tiller Yamaha not at all the rig for the reservoirs of Kansas but my suggestions are. A motor big enuff to help you to escape some wave troughs sometimes on bad days you actually have to use your throttle the whole ride home maybe pay attention to finally heights on your next purchase tying up your decoy bags as a habit is huge. You can surf on a bag of decoys the new bags not so much. I know this is funny to say to all us alpha males but wear your life jackets under power. Cause virtually a joke to think you got the time after a mishap a tactic for the captain is to get to the hill may mean to ride the waves one way then track back in the other direction like the sail boat racers do it may take you off line but makes for a more comfortable ride for a bit do not get in a spot where the wave breaks over stern gas it out and keep momentum always now you got across lake now loading boat somtimes is the worst part load with wind and this may be tricky a good name brand hull is your best friend waterproof matches first aid kit a must they got those e purbs you can buy. I've had to leave boat in Water tied to a tree and walk to truck before which bring to a suggestion be smart be smart sometimes we stay home. Hate it all day but we can go again another day

 

[Scott yellowdog]

Mr black you know a great subject to discuss I've raised up in Kansas with major respect for the big water I now float a 20 ft xpress and I am better off with her but I've witnessed a lake that was making a noise that I can't explain and we ended up swimming to shore when my Yamaha shut off about mid plane the prop wash filled the boat half way and the boat was motionless and the next wave the boat jus went down to where we were floating with no floor now .on my birthday in a 14 ft panther with a 40 tiller Yamaha not at all the rig for the reservoirs of Kansas but my suggestions are. A motor big enuff to help you to escape some wave troughs sometimes on bad days you actually have to use your throttle the whole ride home maybe pay attention to finally heights on your next purchase tying up your decoy bags as a habit is huge. You can surf on a bag of decoys the new bags not so much. I know this is funny to say to all us alpha males but wear your life jackets under power. Cause virtually a joke to think you got the time after a mishap a tactic for the captain is to get to the hill may mean to ride the waves one way then track back in the other direction like the sail boat racers do it may take you off line but makes for a more comfortable ride for a bit do not get in a spot where the wave breaks over stern gas it out and keep momentum always now you got across lake now loading boat somtimes is the worst part load with wind and this may be tricky a good name brand hull is your best friend waterproof matches first aid kit a must they got those e purbs you can buy. I've had to leave boat in Water tied to a tree and walk to truck before which bring to a suggestion be smart be smart sometimes we stay home. Hate it all day but we can go again another day

Gunnell heights

 

[KwickLabs]

After hunting the backwaters of the Mississippi River for many years, I went out in the early
morning to hunt a back bay. Little did I know that getting back to camp was pure luck. After
coming out of that bay, I was soon in waves that were cresting three feet higher than my
little boat. They were going north (river flows south). I sat on the crest of ONE wave and
surfed two miles back to camp on that one wave.

The next week I bought a much bigger boat and instigated a new rule for hunting. "Do not
go hunting when the wind forecast "approaches" over twenty miles per hour." Soon after that a
new rule was followed, "If it begins to get foggy turn around immediately and find a shoreline."
That was an interesting morning. Did you know that a circular path will go back to where you began?
The owner of the duck camp described a situation one foggy morning when he suddenly encountered
the steep wall of an empty barge (right in front of him). It was just sitting there waiting for the fog to lift.

I am 82 years old now and have quite a few rules that I follow. Just recently, I began a new rule. "Do
not whack weeds along the shoreline of my goose pond for more than an hour.....every other day."
It is given that I will run out of gas before the weed eater does. Notice I said "pond"....no more big
water hunting (or a boat). I do not even walk to the pond. UTV's are safer than boats.

 

[Scott yellowdog]

Hi folks,
Here in Kansas we just had a tragic accident in which 3 duck hunters perished on John Redmond Reservoir in high wind conditions. Since there were no survivors there is no way of knowing what truly happened, but it made me think about how dangerous it can be to be aboard a boat in the winter. I spent the last five years in Florida and Virginia where there are minimum safety gear standards enforced by the Coast Guard.
What I'd like to see happen in this thread is a discussion about things like:
Boat handling in bad weather, safety gear that is relevant to winter boating and/or waterfowling, strategies to deal with things like engine failures and boat damage and anything else that y'all think someone else might be able to use to be safer.
I don't have a lot to share other than that we carry roadside flares in addition to a flare gun in the safety kit...in case we have to beach the boat and light a fire they'll always start and burn hot enough to light even damp wood.
Any suggestions you might have are welcome...it might save a life someday.
Thanks!

I too have had a couple of situations where once we sank a 14 ft w 40 ho out of nowhere my Yamaha shut off the prop wash filled the boat it restarted off we go way overweight she cut off again down we go we survived but my point is Again in Kansas it got so bad that no idea the four of us had was 100 pct safe so we walked out leaving the boat we walked maybe two miles to truck but we were alive and I'm jus fortifying what I've already read choose the safest route because even getting soaked to the bone can do you in be safe brothers

 

[Sandyhicks]

Put those big waves at your back and just slowly ride the in. You can beach anywhere and stay safe. You can always get someone to take you back to get the truck.

 

[Scott yellowdog]

After hunting the backwaters of the Mississippi River for many years, I went out in the early
morning to hunt a back bay. Little did I know that getting back to camp was pure luck. After
coming out of that bay, I was soon in waves that were cresting three feet higher than my
little boat. They were going north (river flows south). I sat on the crest of ONE wave and
surfed two miles back to camp on that one wave.

The next week I bought a much bigger boat and instigated a new rule for hunting. "Do not
go hunting when the wind forecast "approaches" over twenty miles per hour." Soon after that a
new rule was followed, "If it begins to get foggy turn around immediately and find a shoreline."
That was an interesting morning. Did you know that a circular path will go back to where you began?
The owner of the duck camp described a situation one foggy morning when he suddenly encountered
the steep wall of an empty barge (right in front of him). It was just sitting there waiting for the fog to lift.

I am 82 years old now and have quite a few rules that I follow. Just recently, I began a new rule. "Do
not whack weeds along the shoreline of my goose pond for more than an hour.....every other day."
It is given that I will run out of gas before the weed eater does. Notice I said "pond"....no more big
water hunting (or a boat). I do not even walk to the pond. UTV's are safer than boats.

I took have rules regarding wind and water respect is the word I grew up in a 14 ft bud boat with a 40 hp Yamaha 2 stroke best ever made well it will sink and I sunk it I now hunt in a 20 ft xpress but same rules apply . Wet is cold dry is warm simple right. Be careful always

 

[Tendo]

Bad weather isn't worth it, even if you have a well insured boat and a $0 deductable. Your family doesn't deserve to get a phone call saying anything other than: "I shot a limit and I'm back safely at the marina."