powerboat in rough seas

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The Best-Riding Center Console Boats for Rough Water

• By Heather Steinberger
• Updated: April 7, 2020

We’ve all been there. A headwind pipes up, and choppy, rough seas dance between you and your destination. You throttle up; you throttle back. You try to help your boat find its comfort zone, and you do your best to quarter the waves.

Inevitably, though, there are those stomach-dropping lurches and the slamming that clenches your muscles and rattles your dental work. Despite your best efforts, you can’t ignore the bangs down below, the ones that make the hull shudder. The ones that make you fervently hope that everyone involved with building this boat did a good job.

That’s a rough ride, even for a rough water boat. And it has happened to all of us, so let’s be honest. Not every boat can provide a soft, smooth ride in snotty conditions, no matter what the glossy brochures say.

We asked three prominent boat designers, and their answers provided much food for thought — regarding how to choose a vessel that’s going to provide a smooth ride, best boat for rough seas, the compromises and trade-offs inherent in your choice, and whether a smooth ride is even what you should be looking for in the first place.

Comparing Displacement and Planing Boat Hulls

Dave Gerr founded New York City-based Gerr Marine Inc. in 1983. He’s designed a broad range of recreational boats and commercial vessels, both monohull and multihull. When it comes to designing a soft-riding hull, he immediately pointed out that there are different sets of criteria for displacement hulls and planing hulls.

Displacement hulls, he noted, don’t pound the way a planing hull will, so they automatically provide a softer ride. To maximize this, designers need to ensure three things: a good roll time, good heave characteristics and deadrise forward.

“For the roll time, we have a formula,” Gerr said. “Every boat has a natural roll period, which is 1 to 1.1 seconds times the boat’s beam in meters. If it’s slower than that, you’ll get that drunken motion. If it’s faster, it’s going to feel snappy and uncomfortable.”

For example, a boat with a 6.7-foot beam ideally should have an approximately two-second roll time. And, Gerr added, a reasonable deadrise forward will make the vessel even more comfortable.

The formula for heave, however, is more complicated. It involves the weight of the boat and the water plane area. The lighter the boat is, and the greater its water plane area, the greater the heave motion will be.

“A wide boat with a large water plane will bounce up and down violently,” Gerr said, “but if you have a small water plane compared to the boat’s weight, that heave will be slow. If it heaves too slowly, you’ve got a wet boat.

“You want to have your roll time and heave in the target region, and then add that deadrise forward,” he continued, “so you won’t have pounding in chop.”

For a planing hull this is hard to achieve. By nature, these hulls are snappy and heave more while trolling or drifting; planing cancels that out, but you can still pound.

“What you really want is more deadrise,” Gerr said. “Just remember: The greater the deadrise, the slower the boat [for the same weight and engine]. That deep-V hull is going to need more power.”

A designer, he said, has to juggle power and what is good deadrise on a boat for optimum comfort.

“You put a deep, high deadrise at the forefoot to get the boat to lift its bow out of the water, or you’ll have steering problems,” he said. “You design it so it planes higher, and then you control it with trim tabs so you won’t trip over that forefoot.”

Deadrise is a difficult thing to visually assess at a boat show or in a dealer’s showroom, so how can a boater ascertain if a soft ride was a design priority? Gerr said the length-to-beam ratio is a dead giveaway.

“A long, slender hull is going to have a softer ride, as long as the designer got the roll time right,” he stated. “A wide, shallow hull isn’t going to perform as well. And if you’ve got a high superstructure, you’re going to have increased roll and handling problems.”

Of course, less displacement means it’s a smaller boat inside. You’re going to have to go longer to get the same live-aboard space as that shorter, wider, taller boat next door, but the good news is that your boat is going to be faster and more fuel-efficient than the fat, high version of the same length.

If you are talking deadrise, Gerr said he likes to see a minimum of 17 degrees for offshore boats, although he observed that’s still a bit shallow. Deep-V hulls are considered to be 21 degrees or more. Consider this if you’re looking for the best deadrise for rough water.

“I’d say look for a deadrise of more than 20 degrees,” he advised, “and a length-to-beam ratio on the waterline that is greater than 3.5 to 1. Those two characteristics give you a pretty good idea that the design is intended for a soft ride.”

How Does a Boat Hull Handle in Following Seas?

Michael Peters founded Sarasota, Florida-based Michael Peters Yacht Design (MPYD) in 1981. Originally specializing in high-speed boats and offshore racing, MPYD now brings its fusion of performance and aesthetic standards to a wide variety of boat designs. When asked about the search for the perfect soft-riding boat, Peters laughed.

“Think of these ideals: soft-riding, dry and fast,” he said. “Now, pick two.”

The softer-riding a boat is, the wetter it is, because it doesn’t confront the wave. Rather, it splits it. If you want to knock the water down and push it away, then you’ll feel the impact. Boaters clearly need to consider these trade-offs when seeking a soft-riding vessel, but Peters has a more important cautionary tale to share. It’s natural to think of head seas and a soft-riding hull together in the same scenario — but what happens when the boat turns around?

“That’s a different story,” Peters said. “Following seas can pick up the stern, and the sharp angle and deadrise can cause the boat to bow-steer and broach. That’s a much more dangerous situation. It’s uncomfortable to hit the seas on the nose, but it won’t kill you. Boats go out of control in following seas, not head seas.”

Simply put, a hull that is too pointy forward and too flat aft will have an increased risk of broaching. Boaters should look for a hull with deadrise spread evenly — no extremes, such as a professional offshore racing boat’s sharp deadrise throughout the hull. The best boat hull for rough seas must be able to handle following seas.

“If you’re going to have fine forward sections, you’ll balance the hull by putting a lot of deadrise aft,” Peters explained. “You’re looking for recovery, a bow that doesn’t plunge and that can regain its buoyancy in a following sea.

“In our forward sections, we always run a convex section that’s puffed out,” he continued. “Some curvature helps dissipate wave energy and impact. Concave sections look like they’ll provide a softer ride, but they actually focus the energy.”

Peters’ advice to boaters is twofold. First, avoid those extremes. They’re not necessary for most recreational boaters. And second, make sure you have a good grasp of where and how you’re going to use the boat. An offshore cruising boat might not be the best choice for a river or inland lake.

“Lakes can be much harder for running a boat than the ocean, where you have long swells rather than steep, breaking seas,” Peters said. “Just make sure you’ve planned for the worst conditions you’ll run in, not the best, and never, ever sign a contract without running the boat in the intended conditions.”

Some boats, he said, are not designed to be the best boat . Sometimes the goal is to provide the best accommodations for the hull’s length and beam, which can mean creating a vessel that has a lot of windage, high freeboard, a high center of gravity and a very wide beam for its length.

“We don’t get to design the best boat in all cases,” Peters said. “No perfect boat? No kidding. But every boat appeals to somebody. One guy might love this particular boat, and he wants that 6-foot-4-inch headroom, while another guy is going to hate the compromises.”

“You always have to be aware that the more you emphasize space, the less boat it’s going to be,” he warned. “And it’s counterintuitive, but what looks good might not be good at all.”

Peters also advised inquiring about a preferred design’s origins. Was it designed in-house at the boatbuilding facility? Was it designed by a naval architect? What are his or her credentials?

“Some people might not care, but it will help you better understand the design,” he said. “With a car, we accept that all the engineering is done correctly, and we can choose our favorite based on appeal alone. With a boat, you should think about engineering and stability calculations, not just styling.”

Finally, Peters noted that good hull designs stand the test of time. With most major advancements taking place in hybrids, like stepped hulls and multihulls, the average boat owner is going to be looking at hull designs that haven’t changed much in 20 or 30 years. And that’s OK.

“Most people just want a good family boat,” he said. “I’d say stay in the middle. The hull should look familiar. That hull from 30 years ago is still a good hull.”

A Boat’s Soft Ride is Subjective

Peter Granata, owner of Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina-based Granata Design , has been designing boats since the early 1970s. With a number of award-winning designs and patented ideas under his belt, he’s firm in his conviction that the soft-ride discussion really shouldn’t be about the boat. It’s about the people involved.

“First of all, the hull ride is felt rather than measured,” he said. “And, it’s based very much on your own individual perception of what the boat looks like and what you expect it to deliver, plus your experience up to that point. It’s very subjective.”

Soft can be a relative term. A boater who is downsizing from a 60-foot yacht to a 30-foot pocket cruiser might find the smaller boat has the worst ride he’s experienced to date, whereas a boater jumping up from a 16-footer will say that 30-footer provides the best ride he’s ever had.

The most important questions a boater can ask, Granata said, are: How well does this design meet its intended purpose, and what can it do for me?

He provided a wakeboard boat as an example. The expectation is for thrills, not the softness of the ride.

“Soft ride is certainly a measurement when it comes to boat design, but it’s not the only one,” he said. “A designer should manage the ride aspect to meet the customer’s expectation. Does the boat do what it’s intended to do?”

The idea is that ride is less important than function, based on customer priorities. If you’re headed offshore and a dry ride is your No. 1 priority, you’ll want to make sure the hull has enough flare to ensure that the water follows the hull and travels outboard rather than over the deck. If you’re an angler, you might look for hull cutaways in the right spots to support the design’s self-bailing characteristics. Bass anglers seek extra buoyancy forward to support their weight.

With “dockominiums,” deep deadrise is unnecessary because owners place a higher priority on stability at rest, accommodations and space for entertaining. And with water-sports boats, the wake is all-important. Without that, the hull is worthless.

“We get so wrapped up in the specifics of hull generation that we forget someone has to buy it and spend time in it,” Granata said. “A designer has to know how the boat will be used, and you do as well. The boat is for you, not for the guy who made it.”

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How to Drive a Boat in Rough Water

A boat operator is enjoying a day on the water when all of a sudden the weather changes . What can they do?

Get ready to learn how to handle rough water!

Boating in rough water: stay safe! 

When boating in rough water, there are several things you can do to stay safe:

Slow down and be cautious: Be prepared to stop quickly rather than resorting to sudden evasive maneuvers. Adjust your boat’s speed to prevent the bow from getting buried in waves.

Head to a safe location: If you encounter increasingly high seas, it’s best to head to a sheltered bay, cove, or breakwater. If the waves and water make it unsafe to continue, anchor your boat right away and use a marine distress signal to call for help. 

Assign lookouts: If you have passengers on board, make sure they are wearing PFDs and position them at the bow and stern to act as lookouts while you maneuver to safety. Remember that in high wave conditions, other boats may not be easily visible.

Use navigational tools: Both you and your passengers should actively watch and listen for other boats and navigational aids using your eyes and ears. In addition, always use your own navigation lights and other navigation tools such as radar to broadcast your position to other boats in rough waters or reduced visibility.

A storm is approaching: get ready! 

If you’re on the water and a storm is approaching, take these steps to keep you, your boat and your passengers safe:

• Make sure everyone on board is wearing a lifejacket that is the right size and fit .
• Close all hatches and ports to prevent swamping by big waves, and secure loose items.
• Keep passengers low and near the centerline for stability and safety.
• Pump out bilges to raise the boat in the water.
• Consult marine charts for the nearest shelter, noting any hazards, and slowly and cautiously head to the nearest safe shoreline, keeping a lookout for other boats and floating debris.

Navigating rough water during a storm

If the storm has already hit, follow these additional tips for everyone’s safety:

• If there is lightning, unplug all electrical equipment, stay low in the boat, and avoid touching metal objects.
• Position the boat’s bow at a 45-degree angle into the waves for stability. PWC operators should cross the wake at a 90-degree angle. Never attempt to jump waves.
• If the engine stops, drop an anchor from the bow to prevent drifting and swamping. Never anchor from the stern.

Avoiding boating in rough water: watch the weather

You can’t always accurately predict the weather, and conditions can change rapidly when out on the water. Always fill out a float plan before setting out, and be prepared for any eventuality by carrying visual distress signals  and appropriate safety equipment like fire extinguishers on board at all times. 

Stay vigilant by closely following weather forecasts and anticipating shifts in weather conditions.

• Watch the sky: Keep a constant eye out for fog, dark clouds, and lightning, which are clear indicators of approaching bad weather.
• Monitor barometric readings: Rising barometric pressure signals good weather, while falling barometric pressure suggests unfavorable conditions.
• Shifts in wind and temperature: Pay attention to these simple signs of changing weather.
• Westward Awareness: Be mindful of the West, as bad weather typically approaches from this direction.
• Monitor radio and weather channels: Stay alert for information about local weather patterns, especially when navigating unfamiliar waters. Tune in to a VHF-FM weather station. You can trust the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for precise, detailed, and current weather information. NOAA Weather Radio is regularly updated and provides continuous weather broadcasts covering the coastal areas of the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Mariana Islands. Never go boating during fog, wind or hurricane warnings.
• Observe other boaters: Take note of what other boaters are doing. If they are heading for shore, this may be a clue that weather changes are imminent.

Before venturing into new or unfamiliar waters, familiarize yourself with local hazards by acquiring local marine charts and asking local boaters and marinas for tips. In rough water, you are more likely to be vulnerable to other dangers, so you should get informed and be prepared to avoid them.

Learn to navigate safely with Drive a Boat USA

Did you know that you need a boating card to legally operate a vessel on over 70% of US waters? When you prepare for your online test by taking a boater safety course , you are not only ready to go boating anywhere in the States, you are also giving yourself a chance to learn about important safety procedures like how to navigate rough seas. 

Our course includes interactive quizzes and instructional videos, all available online. Trust Drive a Boat USA to teach you what you need to know about boating across the States, including New York , California and Florida !

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Techniques for Handling a Boat in Rough or Foul Weather

Sometimes the best way to deal with foul weather is to simply stay at the dock. Great advice, but what happens when you are  boating and the seas turn with little notice?  In this post we’ll explore some of the best practices with respect to boat handling in rough seas. You will gain familiarity with techniques for handling the various types of conditions you may encounter.*

Knowing what to do with the helm and throttle(s), combined with constant vigilance, are key to maintaining safe boating during inclement weather.

6 Types of Rough Seas

Here are six potential conditions you could encounter in rough seas:

• Head sea: A sea that is broad on the bow, coming at an angle between the bow and amidships.
• Broad sea: A sea coming at you between the bow and amidships.
• Beam sea: A sea coming at a right angle to the keel of your boat.
• Quartering sea: A sea coming at an angle between amidships and astern.
• Following sea: A sea coming directly on the transom.
• Chop or confused sea state: A combination of wind, waves and current produces a confused sea that seems to batter the boat from all directions at once.

Each of these conditions mentioned requires a different approach at the helm, and all can present some degree of danger if not handled properly. Being ready to immediately adjust your course and speed is critical in rough-water operations. Keep one hand on the helm and the other on the throttle in order to quickly maneuver in sea conditions that could be constantly changing.

In some cases it may be necessary to go as slowly as possible and still retain steerage. Keep a sharp lookout for other vessels. Visibility can be drastically reduced in rough seas whether from rain, fog or by the simple fact that with the waves and wave sets so high, you may find yourself in a trough every few moments thus reducing your visibility down to a couple hundred yards.

Although transiting directly into oncoming waves may provide the greatest amount of directional stability for your vessel, navigating into a head sea may not be the most comfortable course to steer due to the rapid pitching that occurs when you’re running directly into the waves, also referred to as taking the waves “on the nose.”

Comfort aside, heading into or slightly off the waves does provide the greatest margin of safety. The bow generates the least possible resistance to the waves and rudder effectiveness is maximized. Additionally, the waves are directly in front of you in a head sea, where they are easiest to read and anticipate. You may still have to reduce power on the downward slope to keep from burying your bow into the next wave. Try utilizing trim tabs to help avoid bow slam after cresting a wave. 

When your course requires traveling in a beam sea, there are two options open to you. If the waves are broadly spaced, you may be able to stay your course and ride up and down them without excess rolling.

Otherwise, you can set a broad zigzag course, where you travel with the sea broad on the bow for some distance before turning 90 degrees and accepting a quartering sea for an equal distance. While neither leg may be particularly comfortable, such a strategy will reduce the danger that some beam seas can present.

Quartering Sea

Handling a quartering sea can be difficult and uncomfortable because it not only causes rolling and yawing but affects steering as well. Using a zigzag course may not be very inviting because you would end up alternating between a beam sea and a following sea during every cycle.

The alternative is a combination of wrestling with the rudder to keep the boat under control and delivering enough power to the prop to maintain speed while simultaneously keeping the waves from pushing the stern sideways as this can lead to broaching or capsizing in the trough of a wave.

Following Sea

With respect to following seas, there are many different elements that determine how a following sea will affect you and the amount of effort you will have to exert to avoid problems. The type of boat that may be in most danger in a following sea may be an outboard-powered boat with a low or cutaway transom. The combination of the aft weight of its propulsion and the absence of a barrier to oncoming water make it susceptible to swamping where the water rushes in from astern.

Following seas can propel the boat down the far side of a wave fast enough to bury its bow in the trough or they may push the stern sideways on the way down, causing the boat to broach. This can happen very quickly and has caught many skippers off guard.

In large, steep seas usually found in open waters, you will find yourself increasing power as you labor up the backside of a wave or swell and having to throttle back to control excess speed on the way down the other side to avoid burying the bow. The tricky part is to avoid slowing to the point where you lose steerage and the sea can push the stern aside. If you sense that happening, immediately steer in the direction the stern is being pushed and apply as much power as necessary to quickly maneuver back to your original intended heading. make sure trim tabs are up and engines are slightly out to help keep the bow from submarining. 

In an extreme situation, such as navigating high waves that are rolling over the bar of an inlet, the best course is to work the throttle carefully so that you maintain a position just behind the crest and ride it in until you reach calmer water.

Chop/Confused Sea

Now let’s discuss chop, otherwise known as a “confused sea state”. Larger boats usually are unaffected by chop, and most smaller craft can handle it easily to a point. However, when opposing wind, tide and current combine into a sea of confused 3- or 4-foot waves, piloting the smaller boat will require close attention.

There is no specific way to handle such a situation. The best practice here is to simply reduce speed and maintain a good lookout. Deal with the oncoming waves that are the most precarious. This slow approach will allow you to steer into each peak or trough individually to keep the boat under control. The situation will make it difficult to maintain a course exactly, so keep an eye on your heading and position as you go.

Navigating in rough seas is a skill that must be learned through experience. Conditions vary greatly, and every boat responds with its own handling characteristics.

Maintaining your boat in good shape, knowing how to rig it for foul weather, and having a plan in place will go a long way to ensuring your safety.

* Yachts360 strongly advises against boating during adverse weather conditions and this post is for general information only, not a guide and therefore Yachts360 holds no liability. Use extreme caution and good judgement before each and every boating session. 

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Boating Tips for Rough Seas

• By Capt. Dave Lear
• Updated: August 22, 2022

Unless you’ve got 50-plus feet of fiberglass underneath you, you’re not immune to stormy weather conditions. Run offshore this time of year and sooner or later you’re going to get caught in high winds, big seas or both. Large sport-fishing boats in rough seas have the length and beam to handle the slop. But small to mid-size vessels are at greater mercy. If you slow down and drive accordingly, potentially hazardous situations can be avoided for small boats in rough seas.

“In the summertime, sooner or later you’re going to have a big line of thunderstorms, 40-knot winds and 6- to 8-foot seas between you and the dock,” explains Marcus Kennedy, a tournament competitor on the Yamaha professional tour. “Novice boaters in rough water don’t realize that and they panic and don’t know what to do. But all it takes is common sense to drive a boat in rough water. If you tack like a sailboat with quartering waves off the bow or stern, you’ll have a better ride and make better time. Safety is always paramount.”

Kennedy, who fishes a Yellowfin 36 center console from Dauphin Island, Alabama, often makes long runs to find fish in adverse seas. During a recent out-of-town king mackerel event, he ran 100 miles down Florida’s Gulf Coast to take advantage of calmer nearshore water before angling out to the Dry Tortugas. The final southwest track let him run in a favorable trough.

How to Drive a Boat in Rough Water

“You want to plan your route to optimize the boat’s running angle with the sea conditions,” Kennedy says. “Avoid a dead-head or beam sea whenever you can because it’s nearly impossible to make any headway. During tournaments we partner with another boat and stay in sight or radio contact in case of emergencies. And you should always carry twice as much fuel as you think you’ll need. Boats in rough water and seas gulp the gas.”

Capt. Frank Crescitelli, a New York charter captain and tournament contestant, faces similar conditions off the Atlantic seaboard during the summer months. A run from New Jersey’s Long Beach Island to the Hudson Canyon is 96 miles. Heading south to the Baltimore Canyon is a 92-mile leg, and Crescitelli often targets bluefin tuna out to 40 miles. And he recognizes the best path back to port is not always the one he took offshore.

“I never head out if I know I’ll have two rough rides,” he says. “Our prevailing summer wind is southwest and I can deal with that one way. But I always plan on the possibility of deviating from my course if necessary. I’d rather zigzag or return to a different port if it means a smoother, safer ride.” Crescitelli runs a Regulator 32 center-console for his offshore charters, and radar is an essential part of its onboard equipment.

“I check the forecast beforehand and constantly monitor the radar and Sirius weather during the day,” he says. “I avoid storms whenever possible. My radar has a 50-mile range, so that gives me plenty of time to react. But I always know the compass heading home in case we lose electronics or have electrical interference.

“One of the biggest mistakes people make is running directly for the dock whenever a storm blows up,” Crescitelli adds. “But sometimes it’s better just to ride it out. Most of these summer storms are fast moving, so if you make slow forward headway keeping the bow into the wind, it’ll often blow right by. Otherwise, it could follow you the whole way home and make for a long, miserable ride.”

Knowing your boat’s performance characteristics is also important in how to drive your boat in rough water, says Capt. Dan Stauffer, who runs charters out of Ocean City, Maryland, aboard a classic 31-foot Bertram with twin diesel engines. Stauffer says his hull handles predictably in rough seas yet is also relatively light for its size. He added 1,000 pounds of lead ballast to help keep the bow from porpoising.

“Two years ago we got caught in honest 10-footers,” he said. “I was standing on the bridge looking eye level at the waves. I’ve also been sandwiched between two storms when the straight-line winds were so strong it stalled the radar. But that doesn’t happen often, maybe only a dozen times a year out of 120 trips. If I can’t get around something, my first reaction is turn into the wind, slow down and idle until it moves on by.

How to Trim a Boat in Rough Water

“Some guys never even touch the trim tabs and that always makes me scratch my head,” he added. “It’s all about the tabs. If you tab down in a following sea with certain hulls, you can turn it into a submarine. With my boat, however, I add a little to get that bow down in a head sea so it’s chewing the waves. You have to know how your boat performs under different conditions, and tabs are the great equalizer.”

When Crescitelli encounters rough seas, he has his crew stay nestled in beanbags in the cockpit. He also carries a Winslow life raft aboard, and the emergency ditch bag is tied within reach at the leaning post.

“Don’t ever get into panic mode,” he says. “If you do, you’ll make bad decisions. Things have to be really bad to get out of a 32-footer and into an 8-foot life raft. So I’d rather slow down and safely surf the waves home in the boat, even if it takes more time.”

Safety and Boating Tips for Fishing Boats in Rough Seas

• Slow down. Slower speeds allow better reaction time. Adjust the throttle to ascend/descend waves to avoid taking on water.
• Use the trim tabs carefully. Too much down tab can force the bow into oncoming waves, while no tabs allow the hull to plane as designed.
• Keep an eye on the radar or satellite weather. It’s always easier to go around a storm than through one.
• Tack into the waves rather than take them head-on, if possible.
• Alter your course to take advantage of more favorable sea conditions.
• Carry plenty of fuel.
• Know the tides and locations of shoals before running an inlet.
• Wear a life jacket.
• File a float plan.
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How to Drive a Boat in Rough Water

Any experienced boater can attest that a sunny day on the water can turn rough in an instant. That’s why knowing how to drive a boat in rough water is a skill every boater should have.    We recommend that you avoid venturing into the water when there’s bad weather on the way. And even if the forecast calls for calm seas, check the weather conditions before you go. Of course, traveling through choppy waves is sometimes inevitable. That’s why our Discover Boating team has put together a step-by-step guide for boating in rough water. Keep scrolling for everything you need to know! 

Your Guide to Boating in Rough Water

If you’re a newer member of the nautical community, we recommend staying on dry land whenever rough water is predicted. But of course, sometimes you don’t have a choice. When that happens, follow these guidelines to keep yourself and your passengers safe:

1. Check Weather Conditions

Regardless of what it looks like outside, you should always check the weather before you go. And if heavy winds are forecasted, we recommend saving the sailing excursion for another day. Additionally, keep an eye out for severe weather alerts and advisories. 

2. Prepare the Boat for Navigating Rough Waters

Before you set sail, confirm that all your equipment is functioning as it should (maybe even check twice!) This includes checking the engine, bilge pump, guidance lights, and other safety features .  You should also familiarize yourself with your boat’s hull , as its shape affects how it handles waves and choppy water. In addition, we recommend traveling with as little on-board weight as possible. Leave unnecessary items in the car or at the dock and pack only the essentials. This keeps your boat light and maneuverable.

And if you do bring something valuable on board, make sure to store it in a dry bag. (You’ll thank us later.)

3. Prioritize Safety

For boaters, safety always comes first! Ensure you have properly fitting life jackets for everyone on board and ample safety equipment . Additionally, ask your passengers to remain seated while the boat is in motion. And if you need to move about the cabin, do so carefully. Furthermore, you should avoid sailing solo in rough water. An extra set of eyes will help you spot obstacles in the water, and boating with company is much more fun!

Read Next: Life Jackets, Vests & PFDs: How to Choose the Right Fit

4. Reduce Speed

If you’re out on the water and the seas suddenly get rough, slow down! As you can probably imagine, the faster you travel, the harder it is to control your boat.  If you aren’t sure how fast you should go, adjust your speed to the size and frequency of the waves. If you drive too slowly, your boat might get stuck in the troughs. And if you travel too quickly, you can lose control of your vessel and capsize. (Neither is a good option – trust us!) Essentially, you should opt for a speed that allows you to ride the waves comfortably while staying stable. Note that choppy waters hide debris and unexpected hazards. Stay alert and watch for sudden big waves (or other boats) heading your way. 

5. Stay on Top of Waves

The key to navigating a boat in rough waters is to stay on top of the waves instead of running straight through them. Essentially, this protects your boat from taking the force of the waves, keeping it stable. To stay on top of the waves, reduce your speed and position your boat at a 45-degree angle towards the waves. That way, you hit them head-on. Additionally, keep your boat’s bow high either by trimming your outboard motor or using the trim tabs.  Another thing to avoid is making sudden maneuvers in rough water, as they increase your risk of capsizing. Instead, change direction slowly and steadily.

6. Secure Belongings 

When the water is choppy, you’ll want to stow or tie down all chairs, coolers, and fishing gear. And we recommend keeping as many of your belongings as possible in the closed compartments. That way, you keep flip-flops, sunscreen, and sunglasses from flying away and damaging your boat or its passengers.

7. Stay Calm

Understanding how to navigate a boat through rough seas can be challenging. However, staying calm and collected is vital. If you feel overwhelmed and have to be on the water, we recommend dropping anchor and riding it out. Do your best to find a safe harbor or cove and wait for the storm to pass.

Your Boating Experts

Wondering how to navigate a boat in rough seas? We hope that today’s article gave you the answer. As experts in the boating industry, our team equips boaters with the necessary resources to make the most of their nautical adventures. Visit our boating blog for more guides like this one. 

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How to Handle Boating in Rough Seas and Nasty Weather

Heavy weather and rough sea conditions can be a dangerous combination when you're out on the water. As careful as you might be, weather and water can still take you by surprise.

In the summer boating season , heat waves bring high-pressure fronts and can bring on storms pretty unexpectedly.

And there are worse things that can happen to you than getting seasick, especially since you already know how to prevent and cure a wobbly stomach .

The good news is there are steps you can take to make sure you're not heading straight into the mouth of a storm where you'll be boating in rough seas. And there are steps you can take to stay safe when you're not in an ideal boating situation .

We'll help you prevent more serious problems posed by rough seas here. In addition to reading this post, you'll also need to learn about safety considerations such as basic boating navigation  and keeping essential safety items on board .

Pay Attention

1. check the forecast before venturing out (and use common sense).

A good boater knows to always check the weather forecast before leaving the dock. Cloud formations and wind conditions will tell you a lot (if you know how to read them).

Back in the old days, we had nothing but the local radio. If you weren't listening to the local radio constantly, you might have found yourself in trouble. Nowadays we have smartphones that chime a push notification for severe weather alerts.

But let's say your phone dies or you lose cell signal . It's a good idea to have a backup cell battery or battery charger, but even that's not enough.

Our cell phones aren't invincible. They die from overheating, they die from playing our music all day and, heck, we even drop them in the water and lose them from time to time. Don't rely on only a smartphone!

Instead, take a hand crank transmitter radio (check price on Amazon) to listen for weather conditions. I still take one camping all the time just in case. Never need to worry about dead batteries or battery corrosion.

2. Calculate wind knots

Wind knots are a tell-tale sign of how large swells will get and whether or not you might encounter whitecaps.

There are several boating apps like Windfinder   to download and even desktop sites like  Wind Speed Convertors .

However, it's also important to know how to calculate wind knots:

1. Capture wind speed, measured in kilometers by an anemometer (check price on Amazon) .

2. Divide the kilometers of wind speed by 1.61 to get the mph of wind speed.

Ex: 100 kph 1.61 = 62 mph

3. Next, convert mph wind speed to feet per hour, then divide by the number of feet in a nautical mile.

Ex: 62 mph x 5280 ft = 327,360 feet per hour

327,360 feet per hour 6,076 feet = 53.8 knots

Note: 5,280 feet is a statute mile. 6,076 feet is a nautical mile.

And to add, you need to know the rough calculation of a thunderstorm's distance in miles:

(# seconds between flash and thunder) 5 = # miles away

Take Safety Steps

3. wear foul weather gear and pfds.

If you're experiencing heavy seas, be certain to put on lifejackets and USCG-approved PFDs . All it would take is to hit a wave at the wrong angle to send passengers flying overboard. This can be avoided by having passengers sit in the center and lowest part of the boat.

While on the subject, invest in some foul weather gear. In bad weather conditions, cold rains and winds can oftentimes leave passengers soaking wet and chilled to the bone, resulting in hypothermia.

Invest in hooded raincoats or ponchos, any clothing that's moisture-wicking and quick-drying. Wear multiple layers or an extra set of clothes. The key is making sure to cover your head, which releases the most heat.

4. Slow down and turn on navigational lights for visibility

Slow down and maintain your vessel's speed. To lessen the impact of swells, you may also need to angle it at 45 degrees. Even if you're not headed directly toward your destination, it's the safest route.

When slowing down, ask fellow passengers to provide an extra pair of eyes, alerting you of nearby boats and even debris. Even if you have 20/20 vision yourself, nearby boaters may not.

Bad weather can bring torrential downpours and thick fogs, so it's important to reduce speeds and keep a lookout.

You should also turn on your navigation lights. These aren't only for nighttime navigation , they're also for foggy conditions. It allows boaters to see your vessel's bow and stern and from wading too close.

5. Disconnect electrical equipment

If the storm has brought lightning with it, you need to disconnect all electric equipment. Obviously, don't touch anything metal!

Featured boat Safety Product

Check Price on Amazon  - Better Boat's air horn is small and compact for storage but delivers a sound blast that can be heard up to 1/2 mile away. It's small enough to stow in a jet ski, kayak or canoe.

6. Carry an emergency kit and enough fuel

You should have a boat emergency kit  and certain life-saving safety equipment at all times, especially if you're on coastal or large bodies of water. When in rough seas, that's the time you should be breaking certain items out of lockers to have them close by.

You should do the following:

• Have air horns and signaling devices on hand.
• Turn on your VHF marine radio (check price on Amazon) and set it to international distress channel 16.
• Prepare an anchor  and anchor lines  and chain just in case you lose motor maneuverability near shallow water, rocks or otherwise dangerous shores.
• Take out the bailer bucket (check price on Amazon)  in case you have water breaching and spillage.
• Lastly, grab the Dramamine (check price on Amazon) . I have a pretty strong constitution and can handle rough seas, but even strong stomachs can't hack the choppiness of some monster swells.

7. Change course to find calmer conditions

If you have an app or way to check a Doppler radar, you could keep out of the storm's path. If you can't do so, seek shelter in other ways to find calmer conditions. Bridges, coves and even a stranger's dock can act as large umbrellas and wind barriers in a pinch.

Some boaters are afraid to go near bridges if there's lightning. But the reasoning behind this falls into another way of thinking: If lightning strikes the bridge you're under, it's already small odds it will travel in each direction along the bridge back to land. If it's a severe enough storm, I'll take those odds!

Run With the Swells

8. take care in the swells trough.

If you find yourself caught in the lower parts of the swells and riding the trough, take caution. This will begin rocking your boat and could potentially cause it to roll.

Riding parallel with waves may not aim you in the direction you need to go, and it will take you a lot longer to get home, but it's considered the safest path.

You might find more stability with a 45-degree angle inside the trough, too.

9. Be careful when outrunning the swells

Sometimes you can outrun the waves by riding the crests, but it's a fine line. Just remember: Whether it's the wave or your vessel ... what goes up, must come down!

Running ahead of the waves is tricky and can oftentimes result in broaching , which means you crash into the wave ahead - usually from too much speed on your part - resulting in the wave behind pushing the vessel sideways along the trough instead. A sharp turnabout of broaching can lead to capsizing.

10. When heaving to is your only option

If all else fails, the swells are high and your vessel is being tossed around so much you feel like you're not getting anywhere, don't fight against it. Just ride the storm out.

For this, there's only one technique you need: Aim the bow into the swells and wind as much as you can. You don't want the swells knocking into the hull any harder than necessary. This way the bow will cut through the waves and ease the impact (and your stomach).

You also might need to heave to if you're short on fuel. When heaving to, you can deploy an anchor and use minimal power for steering to conserve the fuel you have left in order to make it back to land when the storm lets up.

Take a Boating Class and Get Practice

Boating in rough seas relies on knowing how to safely operate your boat. Some of the techniques listed above are maneuvers you can practice on calmer waters to become more prepared.

The best option I can recommend is to sign up for a USCG Auxiliary Boating class (or two) such as Sailing Skills and Seamanship  or a well-rounded Boating Skills and Seamanship  course.

Most accidents on the water are caused by human error. The more comfortable you feel handling your vessel, the easier it will be to handle boating in rough seas.

Stay safe and calm and it'll be smooth sailing!

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Top 10 Tips for Handling Your Boat in Rough Seas

My Best 10 Ways to Boat in Rough Seas and Nasty Weather

When you’re out on the water, extreme weather and rough sea conditions can be a dangerous mix.

As alert, as you can be, you can still be caught by surprise by the weather and water.

Heatwaves bring high-pressure fronts in the summer boating season and can bring about storms quite suddenly.

And, particularly because you already know how to avoid and heal a wobbly stomach, there are worse things that can happen to you than getting seasick.

The good news is that you should take precautions to ensure that you don’t head right into a storm’s mouth where you’ll be boating in rough seas. And when you’re not in an optimal boating situation, there are steps you can take to remain healthy.

We will help you escape the more severe problems that rough seas pose here. You may also need to learn about safety considerations in addition to reading this article, such as basic boating navigation and having important safety items on board.

1 – Pay Attention to the Weather Forecast

I never go out on my boat without checking the weather. Even if I’m just planning to ski near the launch or marina. Wind knots are a tell-tale indicator of how big swells are going to get and whether you might experience whitecaps or not.

There are many free boating applications such as Windfinder and also desktop pages such as Wind Speed Convertors.

How to calculate wind knots from a wind speed converter.

• Capture wind speed, determined by an anemometer in kilometers.
• To get the mph of wind speed, divide the kilometers of wind speed by 1.61.

Ex: 100 kph ÷ 1.61 = 62 mph = 62 mph Ex:

• First, translate the wind speed from mph to feet per hour, then divide it by the number of feet per nautical mile.

Ex: 62 mph x 5280 ft = 327,360 hourly feet

327,360 hourly feet ÷ 6,076 feet = 53.8 knots

Note: a statute mile is 5,280 feet. A nautical mile is 6,076 feet.

And to note, the rough measurement of the distance of a thunderstorm in miles needs to be known:

(# seconds between thunder and flash) ÷ 5 = # miles away

2 – Wear your Personal Flotation Device

Be sure to put on lifejackets and USCG-approved PFDs if you encounter heavy seas. To send passengers flying overboard, all it will take is to strike a wave at the wrong angle. By having passengers sit in the middle and lowest section of the ships, this can be avoided.

And invest in some foul weather gear while on the subject. Cold rains and winds will also leave passengers soaked and chilled to the bone in poor weather conditions, resulting in hypothermia. Invest in hooded raincoats or ponchos, any moisture-wicking, and rapid-drying garments, and wear several layers or an additional set of clothing. The trick is to make sure your head, which releases the most heat, is protected.

3 – Fill Up Your Fuel Tank and Have an Emergency Kit

You should always have a boat emergency kit and some life-saving safety equipment, particularly if you’re on large or coastal bodies of water. That’s the time you can break those things out of lockers and get them close by while in rough seas. You have to do the following:

Have horns and instruments on hand for signaling.

• Turn on your VHF marine radio (check price on Amazon) and set it to international distress channel 16.
• Just in case you lose motor maneuverability near shallow water, rocks, or otherwise hazardous shores, prepare an anchor.
• Take the bailer bucket out in the event of water breach and spillage.
• Finally, pick up the Dramamine. I have a fairly good constitution and can withstand rough seas, but even strong stomachs can’t hack the choppiness of some monster swells.

4 -Reduce Your Speed and Turn on Navigational Lights for Visibility

Slow down and maintain the speed of your vessel! You will also need to tilt it at 45 degrees to minimize the effect of swells. It’s the best path, even if you’re not going straight to your destination.

Ask fellow travelers to have an additional pair of eyes when slowing down, alerting you of nearby boats and even debris. Even if you have 20/20 vision, nearby boaters can not! Torrential downpours and dense fogs will bring bad weather, so it is important to decrease speeds and maintain a lookout.

Also, you can switch your navigation lights on! These aren’t just for navigation at night, they’re there for foggy conditions too. This helps boaters to see the bow and stern of your vessel and from wading too close.

Riding too fast in rough seas and bad weather can make everyone seasick . Remember – your goal is to have fun, not win a race!

5 – Find Calmer Conditions – Change Course

If you have an app or a way to monitor the Doppler radar, you might be able to stay out of the path of the storm. Find shelter in other ways to find calmer situations if you can’t do so. In a pinch, bridges, coves and even the dock of a stranger will serve as large umbrellas and wind barriers.

Some boaters, if there is lightning, are afraid to go near bridges. But the logic behind this falls into another way of thinking: if lightning reaches the bridge you are under, it will fly back to the land in either direction along the bridge with already tiny chances. I’ll take those chances if it’s a severe enough storm!

6 – Disconnect Electrical Equipment

You need to disconnect all electrical devices if the storm has brought lightning with it. And don’t touch anything metal!

7 – Run With the Swells

If you find yourself caught riding the trough in the lower parts of the swells, take note! This will start to rock your boat and may probably cause it to roll. It may not target you in the direction you need to go, riding parallel with waves, and it may take you a lot longer to get home, but it is considered the safest way.

With a 45-degree angle within the trough, you might find more stability, too.

8 – Don’t Outrun the swells

You can outrun the waves occasionally by riding the crests, but it’s a fine line. Just remember: If it’s the wave or your vessel, it must come down to what goes up!

It is tricky to run ahead of the waves and can often lead to broaching, meaning you crash into the wave ahead, usually from too much momentum on your part, resulting instead in the wave behind moving the vessel sideways along the trough. And a sharp turnabout of broaching can lead to capsizing!

9 – Ride Out the Storm

If all else fails, the swells are high and your vessel is being thrown around so much you feel like you’re not going anywhere, don’t struggle against it. Just ride out that storm.

There’s only one technique you need for this: guiding the bow as much as you can into the swells and wind. You don’t want the swells to strike the hull any harder than they need to. The bow will break through the waves in this way and ease the effect (and your stomach).

You might even need to heave up if you’re low on petrol. You should deploy an anchor and use limited steering power while heaving to protect the fuel you have left to make it back to land when the storm lets up.

10 -Take a Boating Safety Course

Boating in rough seas depends on learning how to navigate your boat safely. Any of the above strategies are maneuvers that you can practice to become more prepared in calmer waters, but the best choice I can suggest is to sign up for a USCG Auxiliary Boating class (or two) such as Weather & Boating or a well-rounded course in Boating Skills and Seamanship.

The majority of water injuries are caused by human error. The more relaxed you feel handling your vessel, the easier it will be in rough seas to navigate boating .

Keep safe and relaxed and the sailing will be smooth!

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9 Best Power Catamarans For Rough Seas and Coastal!

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Power catamarans are gaining popularity in the cruising world thanks to their enhanced stability and ease of operation. They’re ideal for coastal cruising but can also be used for ocean crossing thanks to their stability and speed.

Here are some of the best power catamarans on the market:

• Fountaine Pajot MY6
• Nautitech 47 Power
• Horizon PC74
• Lagoon Seventy 8
• ArrowCat 420
• Sunreef Supreme 68

In this article, I’ll review some of the best power catamarans out there. I’ll also go over the main features of different power cats and if they can handle rough weather. 

But before we dive in, let’s get a better understanding of what power cats are.

Table of Contents

What Is a Power Cat?

A power catamaran (power cat) is a motor-powered boat that, unlike traditional boats, has two hulls connected by a bridge deck. These vessels are more stable than monohulls because of their wide base.  

Power cats also don’t have a leaded keel to weigh them down, so they’re pretty lightweight and fast. The lack of a keel also means that power cats are more suitable for shallow waters.

They feature large engines designed to handle their bigger bodies and weights, and serve different purposes, like fishing, cruising, or crossing rough seas. In addition, each hull has a separate engine which makes them more maneuverable, especially at turns and tight spaces.

Power catamarans don’t have sails or masts and get all of their power from the combustion engine (or electric motor), unlike their sailing cousins. In addition, these vehicles are much easier to steer because of their increased stability.

Power catamarans have more interior and exterior space thanks to their multihull design, making them perfect for cruising and liveaboard . They also have ample space for storing everything you need on a cruise without worrying about weighing it down. Catamarans offer increased privacy as well because each hull houses one sleeping area, separated by the living area between them.

Are Power Cats Good in Rough Water?

Power catamarans are good in rough waters particularly because of their multi-hull design. Their wide base makes them stable, and their high speed allows for outrunning bad weather.

Power cats that feature a high bridge clearance, will handle rough waters effortlessly. With the added height, you won’t experience pounding and slamming even in heavy waves, allowing the crew to easily control the vessel in challenging situations.

These boats are also faster than their sailing counterparts, which means they can get you out of rough waters quickly.

In addition, since catamarans are large and tall, maneuvering is easier because you have a better view of the surroundings. Additionally, you can steer from the interior cockpit (on certain models), making it easier to control the vessel in bad weather.

Finally, although a power cat doesn’t have a keel to help it right itself in case of capsizing, it will still float easily because of its positive buoyancy.

Are Power Catamarans More Efficient?

Power catamarans are more fuel-efficient than monohulls because they don’t have leaded keels. While keels are designed to offer stability by weighing down the vessel, they increase the wetted surface and thereby add drag.

Due to the catamarans’ narrow bow entry, there’s lower resistance, leading to smoother acceleration and greater fuel economy in catamarans. In addition, power cats show fewer spikes in fuel consumption in a single power band, especially because of their smooth acceleration and fuel consumption.

The figures reported by cat owners or manufacturers show that power cats have the best power-consumption-to-speed ratios.

That being said, you can improve fuel efficiency by maintaining lower speeds; studies have shown that speed can be the most important factor in fuel efficiency, regardless of the number of engines or hull types. 

Now that you have a better understanding of power catamarans, let’s take a look at the ten best models on the market.

1. Leopard 53

This 53ft (16.19m) power cat is the fourth generation of the widely popular Leopard catamarans, and brings with it all the great features from her predecessor, the 51. 

Although the 51 was the company’s best-selling cat, they added these features to the 53 along with new ones to repeat its success. For example, they have built an enormous saloon, flybridge, and galley by removing the foredeck cockpit in the 51 PC, making it 30 percent larger than the previous model.

This model comes with three or four stateroom layouts, with the 3-stateroom version featuring an owner’s stateroom, two sinks, a loveseat, and lots of storage space.

With two Yanmar 370 hp engines, a maximum speed of 22 knots, and a cruising speed of 17.5, you can enjoy a magnificent ride, whether it’s long-distance cruising or a fun night out with friends.

2. Fountaine Pajot MY6

This luxury power cat is 44ft (13.40m) long, making it super spacious and suitable for families and big parties. With its spacious flybridge, sunbathing lounge, and enormous galley, it’s nothing short of a second home on the water. 

You can steer the cat from the saloon or the 21sqm (68 sq ft) flybridge which features a sunbathing lounge, a pool, and a galley.

This motor yacht continues to delight with its luxurious combination of privacy and pleasure, with views of the sea in almost every interior space. With three cabins, two bathrooms, six cabin beds, ample storage, and a kitchen that opens into the cockpit, you can enjoy practicality and luxury in one place.

The MY6 is exceptionally seaworthy and stable thanks to its wave-piercing hulls and Volvo IPS engines.

Like all power cats, it has straightforward steering, enabling you to control this beast even in the roughest circumstances.

3. Nautitech 47 Power

Powered by dual Volvo Penta D4 engines, this model can output 225-300hp, reaching a maximum of 22 knots and a cruising speed of 18-20 knots . This 46′ 8″ (14.23m) long power cat comes in three or four cabin versions, depending on the customer’s preference.

No matter which layout you choose, you’ll get a spacious, luxurious, and comfortable catamaran with panoramic views from the cabin. The sleek, streamlined exterior design ensures elegant sailing and seaworthiness.

It’s easy for passengers to navigate the deck thanks to its seamless design that connects the saloon to the cockpit and the rear deck. The stern features a big swimming platform that can also accommodate a tender. The cockpit is usable in different weather conditions thanks to the clear covers wrapping the whole area.

This efficient catamaran promises long cruising for big families and groups with two 300L water tanks and a pair of 645L fuel tanks.  

4. Horizon PC74

The Horizon PC 74 is another luxury power cat that can give you the comfort of your home on water. This 73′ 9” (22.48m) long power cat with a 2,000gal (7570L) fuel tank is an enormous vessel that can accommodate more than 14 people.

The enormous hardtop on the three-piece windshield, the teak dining table, the U-shaped bar, the sun pad, and the swing-out stools all guarantee that you’ll have the luxury cruising experience of a lifetime.

This vast and wide catamaran allows you to access the aft deck from the flybridge via a curving staircase. The vast aft deck has a ten-person dining table, a wet bar, and storage space. You can separate the interior and exterior spaces through sliding glass doors and make the space appear bigger by opening them.

Reaching a top speed of 23 knots and a cruising speed of 19 knots, this enormous catamaran was built for efficiency and practicality.

5. Lagoon Seventy 8

This 78’1″ (23.80m) power cat with two 494 HP engines and a 2246gal (8500L) fuel capacity is one of the largest power cats on the market, offering both comfort and reliability. The enormous flybridge can feature a jacuzzi, a sunbathing area, a large foldable dining table, and a hardtop with a moveable roof. However, you can customize the flybridge based on your preferences.

The designers have compromised nothing in terms of elegance and high-quality materials with top-of-the-line finishes and interior paneling to create the kind of luxury you want.

The saloon is huge, well-ventilated, and separated from the exterior by glass doors and panoramic windows.

But what sets Lagoon Seventy 8 apart from other power cats, in addition to its enormous size, is the wide choice of layouts. You can choose between five different versions, all offering the same amount of storage space, living and sleeping area, and privacy.

Additionally, some versions are fully customizable, allowing you to pick every detail to your liking.

6. ArrowCat 420

This 41′ (12.73m) long express cruiser is a semi-custom catamaran with two-stateroom and three-stateroom layouts. The ArrowCat 420 is designed and built with comfort and strength in mind, and capable of handling rough waters safely.

The two Suzuki 350 hp engines give this model a maximum speed of 40 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots.

The streamlined design and the angled hulls ensure the vessel cuts through the waves effortlessly, making it easy to maneuver.

The fully-equipped head features an electric toilet, a shower, sink, and mirrors, coupled with a dining table, floor storage locker, and teak-finished floors. This cat is built to combine luxury and comfort for both onshore and offshore cruising.

7. Bali 4.3

This 43′ (13.1m) power cat is made for ocean crossing in mind. With five different layouts featuring different combinations of cabins and heads, the company ensures you’ll get the kind of setup you want. Regardless of the layout, this cat offers a spacious master suite with a large double bed and other private sleeping quarters.

You can quickly add to the overall space by removing the adjustable glass doors to merge the cockpit with the saloon.

A feature that sets the 4.1 apart from its predecessor is the fixed aft deck between the hulls, which provides a passageway and eliminates the need to go from one hull to the other without entering the cockpit.

8. Sunreef Supreme 68

According to its designers, this model was built with a radical concept in mind while staying true to the company’s promise of building the most comfortable and spacious power cats in the world.

One of the greatest features of the Supreme 68 is its aft garage that houses a 5m (16 ft) tender and two jet skis in addition to other water toys.

You can also transform the aft to a large platform for water sports by lowering the garage door.

The four-stateroom layout features ample storage, ensuite guest cabins, queen-sized beds, and TVs to create a memorable stay. The white and beige furniture with chrome details and floor-to-ceiling glazing create a soothing atmosphere that blends with the practicality of the well-equipped galley. 

However, if you’re looking for something different, you can opt for a customized model from three different layouts.

9. Hudson 48

The sleek, diamond-cut design of this 46.46’ (14.16m) long power cat is usually the first thing to catch your eye.

It’s a light displacement cat that ensures fast cruising with a top speed of 24 knots and cruising speed of 8 knots thanks to the two 370hp Yanmar V8 engines.

The three-cabin layout features a master stateroom with a spacious and well-ventilated design made possible via the three overhead windows and opening deck hatches.

The saloon’s enormous helm station allows for comfortable and safe accommodation, making it great for rough waters and bad weather conditions.

This model also offers a few entertainment options with its large TV systems and mood lighting. The storage areas and the full-sized walk-in wardrobe give this model a comfortable, homely setting.

Here are Some of My Favorite Catamaran Cruising Resources

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful as you hopefully start your sailing adventures. Here are some resources that I use as a sailor that I hope you’ll also find helpful. These are affiliate links, so if you do decide to use any of them, I’ll earn a commission. But in all honesty, these are the exact things that I use and recommend to everyone, even my own family. Sailboats: If you’re looking for the best boat to suit your needs, I would recommend a catamaran. If you’re interested, I can show you the differences between catamarans and other types of sailboats .

Books:  For getting started, I really like  Cruising catamarans made easy . It is actually a textbook from the American sailing association; it is used to get a cruising catamaran certification. There are some other great books, and I have compiled a list of books about cruising catamarans that you will find useful.

Communication:  Being out on adventures, whether it be sailing or climbing mountains, good communications are essential to being safe. I recommend two things Google fi (incredibly simple cellular data all over the world) and Garmin inreach mini (for text and voice in remote areas without cell coverage)

Sailing courses: Online sailing courses are great for beginners starting out their sailing career; it’s an efficient way of learning the basics of navigation, throttle controls, and maritime safety. I suggest starting with two free courses from NauticEd .

To see all my most up-to-date recommendations,  check out this resource  that I made for you!

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

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Angle of Attack

• By Jim Hendricks
• September 15, 2023

“Don’t check the weather, just go outside and deal with it. Be a man.”

Those words, followed by group laughter, have become a mantra for a host of internet memes depicting boaters in life-threatening seas.

They are poor words to live by if you intend to live a long life. In fact, prudent seamanship dictates that no boating angler heads to sea without first checking marine forecasts . Decisions, including the captain’s call to go or no-go, should be based on the expected winds and sea conditions.

Yet, without much warning, conditions can sometimes change mid-trip, defying the forecast. While light winds and calm seas might greet you in the morning, unexpectedly high afternoon winds or thunder storms can brew up big, treacherous seas in the latter part of the day. This leaves you and your crew facing a harrowing trip back to port. The smaller the boat, the higher the danger.

One lesson I learned early in my boating career is that changing the angle of the boat relative to large waves can smooth the ride for an improvement in comfort . More importantly, this can improve the safety factor. Here are some helmsman tips I have garnered over the year for running in rough sea conditions.

Quartering Head Seas

While a straight line between two points is the shortest route, it’s not always the safest, most comfortable or even fastest. For example, when faced with steep, closely spaced head seas, heading directly into them ranks as a hate mission that slows your progress to a crawl. You also risk the possibility of stuffing as the boat falls off the crest of a roller and into a hole at the base of the next angry one.

Instead, try steering off-sea in one direction for a few miles, and then steering the other way for a few miles. This is called “quartering the waves” to help smooth the ride, and the zig-zagging course is known as “ tacking .”

Quartering and tacking require strong piloting skills — including good timing, judicious application of throttle and focus at the wheel — to keep the boat on course and deal with the occasional rogue wave. On the downside, you’ll take more spray quartering up-sea, but that’s the price you pay for a smoother, safer ride.

Running Before the Sea

Large following seas loom treacherous as the boat races down the face of a wave, sometimes losing steering and leaving you vulnerable to the roller astern. There’s also the risk stuffing into the backsides of waves rolling ahead. Quartering down-sea minimizes these risks, but try take a wider angle than when quartering up-sea. Also realize the faces of the waves can be very steep. On small boats, keep you crew off the lee side of the boat. Instead, ask them to move to the windward (aka wet) stern quarter. When it’s time to reverse your tack, do so in a lull between the waves, and then come about smartly.

Beam Sea Sense

Beam seas tend to be the least threatening, but they can prove a lot more wet on windy passages. But you can minimize the spray by alternatively quartering sharply up-sea for a while, then down-sea, tacking across the beam seas rather than running a straight course. On the other hand, you can just don foul-weather gear, run a straight course and endure the spray.

Or as the internet memes put it, “Deal with it. Be a man,” at least until you reach your destination .

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Two rescued from yacht stranded off Australian coast in 90kmph storm

Sailors survive 'horrible' night at sea after yacht loses power and drifts 70 nautical miles in extreme weather conditions, article bookmarked.

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A dramatic rescue operation unfolded off the coast of Australia on Tuesday after two sailors were stranded on a yacht overnight in extreme weather conditions.

The sailors, a 60-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman, were rescued in a multi-agency operation after their 19m yacht, the Spirit of Mateship, starting taking on water due to a mechanical issue.

The rescue operation was initiated at 1pm on Monday after the Spirit of Mateship sent out a distress beacon, and it took several hours for helicopters to locate the vessel. In the meantime, the yacht lost power and communication capabilities, and was battered by strong winds of up to 90kmph.

Ben Flight, duty manager at the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Response Centre, said a helicopter was able to establish radio contact with the yacht and fly above it but was unable to retrieve the passengers due to the challenging conditions.

A subsequent rescue attempt was also abandoned due to rough seas, leaving the sailors on board to endure a "horrible" night at sea, Mr Flight said.

“They were sort of just at the mercy of the elements. They would have been moving around uncomfortably. It would have been particularly windy, noisy, probably quite wet as well.

“I don’t imagine they would have got any rest overnight, so I imagine they’d be quite tired and very relieved to be rescued,” he was quoted as saying by CNN.

The NSW Water Police vessel Nemesis was able to make contact with the sailors at 1am on Tuesday, arriving at the scene at 3am.

However, extreme weather conditions prevented the crew from rescuing them.

Anthony Brazzill of the New South Wales  police described the conditions as "terrible”. The sailors had to jump onto a rescue boat one at a time, with Mr Brazzill praising the experienced mariners who executed the rescue.

"It’s a matter of just basically timing it,” he said. “Get the person to jump, as they’re coming in, get them to jump and catch, doing one at a time, obviously making sure that people have the life jackets on.”

The yacht had drifted 70 nautical miles overnight and the passengers were unable to bring the sails down, Mr Brazzill said.

“The yacht was running away from us as we were chasing it down the coast which obviously made it a challenge.”

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said an emergency alert from the yacht was received on Monday, and a distress beacon was activated about 150km offshore from Nowra.

The sailors were rescued around 7.25am on Tuesday and were travelling to Sydney on board the Nemesis for medical assessment.

They were fatigued but uninjured and were expected to land at the NSW Police Marine Area Command late Tuesday night.

The Spirit of Mateship has taken part in several Sydney to Hobart races since 2013. The yacht was left in the ocean, with Mr Brazzill stating that their priority is to "save lives, not save boats”.

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