[LIforrelaxin]

All great advice here so far.... But the bottom line is understanding your vessel, understand your comfort level and practice.

I have an 18' Four Winns and go out in the chop quite often... For me I find the sweet spot of speed, where I am just barely on plane.... For my boat it is right around 2750 rpm... When avoidable I don't take the waves head on, when I do I slow back down just a little, so that the boat come just off plane, this keeps the bow up, and out of trouble.

The experience comes in from being able to read the water, I know when extra large swells, are coming, and start dealing with them ahead of time. Making course and angle adjustments to accommodate.

Finally, as you did in rough weather keep the bow cover on... so that if you should take a bad wave, the water sheds off the boat, instead of coming into the bow.

Sometime the lee side of the island isn't available, and you just have to be patient and travel cautiously.