# How much chop/wave action can a Gheenoe take?



## DavidIvey (Nov 26, 2011)

Cross wind with a 1' chop and your weight. Real wet. But that is 17mph with a mud motor. An outboard may be a little different. 

It's either go super duper slow or WTFO. Either way make sure you have a bilge pump.


----------



## unknownbbq2 (Aug 24, 2010)

I've taken 1-2 foot countless times in my lt25, it ain't dry but they actually take it pretty good. It would be better with trim tabs, but I usually get it to where it's just about to get on plane and it's a pretty dry ride then. It also matters how far apart the waves are. If there close, you can usually get the motor on the pipe and scoot right across the top of just about any size wave. But if there far apart, the nose usually takes a pretty good dive, and your soaked.


----------



## jking (Aug 11, 2011)

I ran my classic head on into a 15+ MPH wind running in from the gulf with my wife, son, and lab in the boat. Bounced hard enough to break the battery strap buckle and got wet but never once had a concern regarding the hull holding up or the sea worthiness at all. I would run it alone through some Florida East Coast inlets (not all) depending on the weather but not with the Family, but that's me. I wouldn't do that stuff with a HighSider. In GA I'd run it just about anywhere without concern.


----------



## zeneb (Jun 20, 2011)

> If there close, you can usually get the motor on the pipe and scoot right across the top of just about any size wave. But if there far apart, the nose usually takes a pretty good dive, and your soaked.


I had an interesting little bit of wave riding the last time I was out.  I was third in a line and when we all started the waves on the bank made a reflex set of waves running up stream.  They were probably 8-10 inch range. I was riding on top of them, as you said, and didn't drop down until I'd finished the last wave.  Once I was up to speed and caught up with them, I just had to deal with their wake.  It's really interesting the wave mechanics that happen in a river.

My real concern with riding the river is when you see big wakes, they are usually coming at you broadside and you don't have a lot of room to turn into them.  Mostly people are smart enough to slow down, but if they come around a blind turn, you can get some pretty good waves.

Hooching.


----------



## jds1619 (Oct 24, 2011)

I've had mine in some pretty sketchy situations on Lanier. I took a little water over the bow, but not even enough for the bilge to kick on. That was in high 15mph+ wind and running big water. But as you know this has all been thru the winter. That lake will turn into a completely different place in a month or so when the pleasure boats come out. As long as you keep out of the big water and stay in the creeks thru the summer, you should be fine. You need to get out there with me one morning before the summer crowd hits.

-J


----------



## cmtullis (May 13, 2010)

Lanier can be a [female dog] when the skiiers and tubers and all the other goobers get out there and churn it up. There's a good cove up by the softball fields at Lanier Point Park up in Gainesville. (That's Gainesville, GEORGIA y'all. Not the Gainesville that's the home of them big lizards!)

Meaux and I got swamped good in our High Sider a couple years ago at Lake Seminole due to a couple of goof-balls in pontoon boats towing tubers at WOT while we were trying to make it to the ramp at idle speed. 

Your best bet it to run at WOT when you're coming into waves that look as though they want to come see you in your boat.

(Sorry about the waves/wake last time we were out. It's getting to be nearly time for either you or Jakal to take the lead and I'll follow next time. Y'all are getting to know where the really skinny stuff is now.)


----------



## [email protected] (Jun 23, 2011)

Ive had my classic out in a good 15 - 20 with 1 1/2 - 2 ft. in Matlacha Pass. If you slow too much it was very wet but manageable, but if I throttled up it was a harder ride but the boat took it just fine. I say go fast and hang on. This was all when my boat was stock so Im sure it will be even better now.
If you plan on anchoring in this type of weather then make sure you anchor from the bow, if not you may be taking on water from the stern.


----------



## zeneb (Jun 20, 2011)

SA, outside of that first bit when we all started, the wake wasn't an issue at all, it was just kinda interesting when we all kicked off and got that initial wave action. I think the key is to all start close together to stay ahead of it.

As long as I'm bow into them, I'm fine. The one time a guy jetted past me in a jon boat got a little dicey. I was on my trolling motor and he cut throttle right behind me then jetted off just past me. He might as well have just stayed WOT. I held on and rode it out. I may have to get a small pellet gun or paint gun to voice my displeasure at such rudeness.

gbud, I have a bow and a stern anchor system. The stern is for a drag chain, which I don't really use. I use the bow anchor and run the line to my seat in the back.

The one thing I've discovered about boating is it is a little counter intuitive. It looks like the best way to avoid trouble it to go WOT. Skinny water, go WOT and get above it. Big waves, go WOT and hit them head on. It feels like accelerating into an uphill curve on a snowy road. For those of you in Florida, ask one of your retired neighbors from up north to explain that reference to you. ;D

Hooching


----------



## CapnK (Jul 6, 2011)

Hooch -

I ran my 15' RH Original in a solid 2-2.5'+ chop w/a 6hp Merc 4strk that would push the boat to 15mph in flat water. Very wet ride, and the bigger waves would flex the hull when you slammed into them. Not flexed to the point of breakage, but to the point of _"Hmmm, I could stand to beef those hull sides up a bit..."_.  Most of the time you could stay up on top of the waves, but when you ate one, most of it came into the boat, and the boat was brought to a near-standstill.

If I was going to run that boat a lot in that sort of chop, I would strengthen/stiffen the hull sides, put a 10hp on it, add trim tabs, deck over the front and back making separate compartments, add a bilge pump, and put some sort of spray deflector up front to send that bow wave out away from the boat.

In lieu of doing all that work, I bought the Whaler...  

You should be able to handle that kind of chop from time to time just fine. Slowing down helps make it a drier, less "exciting" experience.


----------



## cmtullis (May 13, 2010)

Lowcountry just got me to thinkin'. . . Have you considered runnin' from Clark's Bridge on Lanier up to Lula on the 'Hooch? We did it once a couple years ago in the 15'-4" High Sider. I'd like to try it in the LT-15. I promise you, it was freakin' AWESOME in the High Sider (we got video of a bald eagle!). I am also told that the fishin' in that area really tee's off nicely in late March and through April. So, how adventurous is your elder youngun? Or might your wife feel like joining us one day?


----------



## jds1619 (Oct 24, 2011)

> The one thing I've discovered about boating is it is a little counter intuitive.  It looks like the best way to avoid trouble it to go WOT.  Skinny water, go WOT and get above it.  *Big waves, go WOT and hit them head on*.  It feels like accelerating into an uphill curve on a snowy road.  For those of you in Florida, ask one of your retired neighbors from up north to explain that reference to you. ;D
> 
> Hooching


not head on in smaller chop.  it will beat the hell out of you depending upon how close together the wave/chop is 45-60 degree angle works better


----------



## jds1619 (Oct 24, 2011)

> Lowcountry just got me to thinkin'. . . Have you considered runnin' from Clark's Bridge on Lanier up to Lula on the 'Hooch? We did it once a couple years ago in the 15'-4" High Sider. I'd like to try it in the LT-15. I promise you, it was freakin' AWESOME in the High Sider (we got video of a bald eagle!). I am also told that the fishin' in that area really tee's off nicely in late March and through April. So, how adventurous is your elder youngun? Or might your wife feel like joining us one day?


You let me know when!


----------



## zeneb (Jun 20, 2011)

> > Lowcountry just got me to thinkin'. . . Have you considered runnin' from Clark's Bridge on Lanier up to Lula on the 'Hooch? We did it once a couple years ago in the 15'-4" High Sider. I'd like to try it in the LT-15. I promise you, it was freakin' AWESOME in the High Sider (we got video of a bald eagle!). I am also told that the fishin' in that area really tee's off nicely in late March and through April. So, how adventurous is your elder youngun? Or might your wife feel like joining us one day?
> 
> 
> You let me know when!


I'm game, but I'll have to leave the women folk at home. They are not near as adventurous as yours are.

Hooching


----------



## Rooster (Mar 13, 2011)

Trouty Mouth might just come out of "the Sluice" for this one - if you'de like a fleet!


----------



## cmtullis (May 13, 2010)

> Trouty Mouth might just come out of "the Sluice" for this one - if you'de like a fleet!


I reckon we could pull off a small armadillo . . . or is that armada? From Clark's Bridge up to Lula is a nice little jaunt with some interesting vistas along the way. Gheenoes, RiverHawks and that Towee may just be the ticket. I've seen john boats and small Bass Tracker-type pontoon boats go up a little ways that direction, our fleet of mini-PT boats might just be the ticket for a full on assault on a finned adversary!


----------



## Les_Lammers (Feb 17, 2007)

The RH does not handle rough water as well as a LT 25. I friend had a 15 RH and it almost capsized in rough stuff. Neither are 'open water' boats.

I would not push it unless you want a Darwin award.


----------

