Extreme Lake Winnipesaukee weather

[camp guy]

A group of us discussed wave size on Winnipesaukee and someone seemed to remember a report from the Mount Washington about waves breaking at the ten foot level.

Does anyone have any information about extreme waves on Winnipesaukee?

[Grant]

Well, these weren't ten-footers, but some were easily in the five- to seven-foot range. Video shot mid-September 2009 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5xrpr0LCJ4) as Senter Cove Guy piloted us back from diving in (dead calm) Wolfeboro Bay. The latter half of the video has the best wave action. Hard to really capture how rough it was, but suffice it to say that in our collective 110+ years on the Lake, neither of us had boated through anything like this.

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[Just Sold]

Well, I do not know how rough it has gotten out there but in August 2008 Sunset Bob captured these photos of the MP boat on a rough day. That is a 23' boat.
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[fltsimguy]

It always amazes me how naive some boaters are about the adverse conditions which can happen on the lake (like the pictures above). I can't tell you how many times I've seen 22' and smaller boats out on days when I'm getting squeamish in our 28' boat!

[Sunset Bob]

I can tell you that Sunset Bob was in a 21 foot Larson when he took the pictures above!

[Yankee]

Well, these weren't ten-footers, but some were easily in the five- to seven-foot range.

Your're kidding, right? I watched the video. 2-3 ft MAYBE. That kind of wave action is commonly seen on the far west side of the lake. Anything more and you wouldn't be up on plane in that size of boat.

The crest of a wave 5-7ft high would be nearly even with the height of your camera.

[Yankee]

It always amazes me how naive some boaters are about the adverse conditions which can happen on the lake (like the pictures above). I can't tell you how many times I've seen 22' and smaller boats out on days when I'm getting squeamish in our 28' boat!

IMHO, it is naive of you to think that a 22ft closed bow boat cannot safely handle those kinds of conditions.

[Lakesrider]

Everyone thought I was crazy when I would head out to Block Island from Point Judith in 8' swells. I loved it. Of course I would never try that in a 25' boat in following seas. But going head on...sure. Normally it takes about 45 minutes to get out there. last time we were out it took 2.5-3 hours. My wife had every life preserver that was in the boat wrapped around her arms and legs and clutching the rest. So when I see 3' waves on the lake all I can see is ripples. Everyone should experience the ocean and learn how to deal with REAL waves....:D

[Alsobig]

Not sure if it was 2001 or 2002 but it was late May and we were fishing out around Gov's Island coming from Paugus Bay in a 17' John boat I remember the wind and waves picking up and we thought we better head back... just coming from Gov's Island around the bend to the Weirs we were full throttle (40hps johnson) and the waves were crashing over the stern of our boat. They (the waves) were passing us... we were forced to go full speed thru the channel trying to find a place to beach because we were sinking there was so much water in our boat... Those waves had to be over 5-7 feet... I will never forget it...

[riverat]

About 20 years ago we left Alton Bay for an all day visit to the Weirs, my Sister's first boat ride and she was 50 years old. Blue sky and in the nineties, we were in an 18' tri-hull with a seventy hp Johnson. Beautiful uneventful trip to Weirs. Had lunch and I noticed a large cloud bank towards Meredith and moving our way, we loaded up the boat and headed out.
As we rounded the bend and headed towards Governors Is. the waves went from 2' high one minute to 4-5' the next, I decided to stay to the inside of Welch and Rattlesnake but still in place the waves were over 5'. with four adults in the boat and water splashing in with every crash into a wave it was starting to get scary out there. This boat did not have a bilge pump, only a drain plug, I had my hands full piloting the boat through the rough waves and nobody would believe me that "if you pull the plug the water will drain OUT of the boat" so nobody would pull the drain and we continued to take on water.
We entered the mouth of Alton Bay and the waves settled down to the 2' level again and we made it back safely, my sister has never been back in a boat again not even on the Mount. I have boated Winni for many years aboard many boats and I have learned you can never have enough respect for her or her ways.

[Lakesrider]

I was just remembering that we were bringing a restored 18' MFG wood decked boat back to our cottage on Winnisquam and there were some pretty good sized waves on that lake. I guess with the length and if you get the wind coming down the length on that lake you can get some whoppers there too. I think they were at least 4-5 feet high. They were breaking on the bow. We were lucky to be heading from the sand bar to the point on Lower bay road, so it was bow on. Would not have been fun going parallel to the waves or with them....Yikes. I love big water. Ever since we brought our 28' Wellcraft up from Rhode Island to live out it's last years on the lake, I have only been out on calmer days. Biggest was probably 3-4 in the broads one afternoon. Man. You guys are making long for the ocean now....:D

[fatlazyless]

the MP boat on a rough day. That is a 23' boat.


...not any more...auctioned those 1990 23' recreational style boats off this past spring along w/ the 41' CG utb...

Mostly, the MP now uses aluminum-outboard boards from www.protectorboats.com (me-thinks?) that have a large black floatation collar, all around, and would probably shed water down the stern like an old Boston Whaler if a big wave came over the bow.

[robmac]

Back in 95 I took my 72 Glasstron GT 170 on vacation,four adults and one 2 yo.well I'll tell ya it didn't take a half hour before I got the big green light for a new bigger boat. The waves were crashing in the back seat. Amazing how as a kid having the exact same type boat and cruising the lake every weekend never worried about getting swamped. Oh well caution must come with age.

[SAMIAM]

I was heading into Winter Harbor a few years ago....had a 20' Seacraft center console with a 200 ob......pretty much a fishing boat designed for the ocean but there was a very strong wind out of the NW. Like Riverat, I had no pump because it has a self bailing hull and the plugs were all in. Waves were 5' to 6' and I was taking in lots of water. Had a few hairy moments trying to pull the plugs while I was getting tossed around.

[VtSteve]

[QUOTE=Grant;142620]Well, these weren't ten-footers, but some were easily in the five- to seven-foot range. QUOTE]

Your're kidding, right? I watched the video. 2-3 ft MAYBE. That kind of wave action is commonly seen on the far west side of the lake. Anything more and you wouldn't be up on plane in that size of boat.

The crest of a wave 5-7ft high would be nearly even with the height of your camera.

It's easier to watch on full screen. That FW 190 was bouncing pretty good, but bow up is always nice :emb:

My "guess" is 2-3' waves, some decent swells, possibly a 4 footer thrown in every now and again. I've been out (unfortunately), in some 5' to 7' waves, and it's not something I want to do with my 22' boat again. Thankfully, a closed bow boat.

As for being on plane. If the waves are smashing my boat, I have to get to a happy medium between plowing and not getting soaked, if possible. It's a different story with following seas and a smaller boat. Going slow can be a dangerous thing in heavy seas. Without the length of hull, smaller boats can be pitched, even overtaken by large following seas.

I had one instance this summer where I had following seas so large, I had to traverse them at around 20 mph, which kept the bow up. About every 4th or 5th wave, they were starting to swell apart, so I had to goose the throttle, making sure the bow got to the top of the wave which was passing me. This prevented stuffing the bow, and also kept my transom ahead of the following wave, many of which would have swamped the transom had I slowed :eek:

Old timers and especially islanders, know that deep cockpits, and lengths around 26' to 28', will make your boating safer, and more comfortable. Aside from that, I prefer just to stay at the dock.


________________________
Just to add some interesting lake weather. This is the week's forecast for Lake Michigan.

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON...
...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING...
.REST OF TODAY...SOUTHEAST GALES TO 45 KT BECOMING SOUTHWEST
STORM FORCE WINDS TO 60 KT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MID
MORNING...THEN CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON. WAVES 8 TO 12 FT BUILDING TO 12 TO 16 KT.
.TONIGHT...SOUTH STORM FORCE WINDS TO 55 KT INCREASING TO STORM
FORCE WINDS TO 60 KT. WAVES 15 TO 20 FT.
.WEDNESDAY...SOUTH STORM FORCE WINDS TO 60 KT BECOMING SOUTHWEST
STORM FORCE WINDS TO 55 KT. WAVES 15 TO 20 FT.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WEST STORM FORCE WINDS TO 55 KT DIMINISHING TO
GALES TO 40 KT. CHANCE OF SHOWERS. WAVES 14 TO 18 FT SUBSIDING TO
8 TO 12 FT.
.THURSDAY...WEST GALES TO 35 KT. CHANCE OF SHOWERS. WAVES 7 TO
10 FT.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...NORTHWEST GALES TO 35 KT. WAVES 7 TO 10 FT
SUBSIDING TO 5 TO 7 FT.
.FRIDAY...WEST WINDS 15 TO 25 KT. WAVES 3 TO 5 FT.
.SATURDAY...WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. WAVES 3 TO 5 FT.
$$

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Having been on The Broads for 8 seasons now, we've seen all kinds of waves and rollers. On August 6th (http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10576&highlight=rogue+waves) I saw my first true rogue wave. Despite being dimensionally challenged, (my 3D is broken) I am absolutely sure that it was well over 6 feet! I was at the dock when I spotted this gigantic wave that was at least a few feet higher than our dock posts. Thank goodness this monster kept on going past us and didn't hit our boat.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

This sounds like some very severe weather and the Mount Washington was very lucky to have survived it.

Excerpt from Three Centuries On Winnipesaukee by Paul H. Blaisdell

The boats that figure in the speed contests are those which contribute to the adventure surrounding the storms which stand out in memory as being the worst ever encountered on the lake. This is particularly true of the famous hurricane of the early 1900's which, in the minds of the boatmen who experienced it and are living today, takes first place among the Winnipesaukee tales of stormy seas.
Several outstanding events of this particular storm will remain forever in the annals of the "big lake." It was a northwester, coming with terrible suddenness down out of the mountains. It gave ample warning as the storm clouds gathered, but all believed it to be just another hard thunder-shower that, though intense, would pass quickly. Picture for yourselves the positions of several steamboats on the lake just before the storm unleashed its fury.
The "Mount Washington" was coming up from Wolfeboro and was near Sandy Island, in a position to take the waves "on the bow quarter." The "Carroll" was approaching Union Landing, having passed Chase's Point and due to continue past Melvin and Chase's Islands to the landing. Thus the "Carroll"
was less exposed to the force of the storm, being slightly in the lee of several islands. The "Maid of the Isles" was about to round Governor's Island and head in to Weirs between Governor's and Eagle, being, like the "Mount Washington," exposed to the full sweep of the wind.
Whereas at one second the wind and rain were at a distance, coming down the lake, at another the blast had struck. Moses Warren was piloting the "Mount," and when the big boat began to bury her bow under each wave, he realized that this was more than the ordinary shower. In an effort to meet the storm from a better direction he attempted to turn the boat about and "ride with the wind," but in the turn the ship laid over on her side until water poured across her deck. Before the turn was completed, a gigantic wave and gust of wind had taken away a large section of the port wheel-house. Finally the "Mount" rode with the waves, and continued to hold that position until the storm subsided. The "Carroll" had an easier experience for herself, but what her passengers and crew saw happen was sufficient evidence of her narrow escape. When the wind and rain arrived, the "Carroll's" captain and pilot, realizing their intensity, stopped the boat and managed to hold her position. Everything was shut off from their view. When the storm began, Chase's Island was just ahead of them, a thickly timbered, verdant island. When the rain abated, and the island could be seen again, not a single piece of that timber remained standing.

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/15014/medium/176Mount_after_the_Great_Storm.jpg

The "Maid of the Isles" had reached Eagle Island narrows when the storm struck, for those on shore at Weirs who were waiting for the boat plainly saw her come around the end of Governor's and pass between the islands—then the rain and wind shut out all view. A few minutes later, when the visibility brought the entire Weirs Bay into range, the "Maid" was nowhere to be seen, and those who had watched her start across the bay shouted the alarm throughout Weirs and frantically notified authorities at Laconia that the "Maid of the Isles" had gone down in the storm with "all hands on board." Such was not the case, however, for the wind in The Weirs Bay had not come from one direction, and the "Maid," buffeted by a gale from all quarters, had been driven, in those few minutes, about two miles off her course. When Captain Blackstone and his pilot got their first sight of land after the rain passed, they found themselves in the shadow of the hill on the northwest side of Meredith Bay, well in near shore. They soon steamed down the lake to Weirs, only to find the distracted crowds making plans for the recovery of the boat, its passengers and crew, from their supposed watery grave.
Survey after the storm indicated that its greatest intensity passed in a narrow belt from Center Harbor down over Moultonboro Neck, across the north tip of Long Island and the many islands to the east, and away from the lake south of Union Landing. The whole storm had a path ten miles wide, and anywhere in that path had been dangerous. A water-spout arose from the lake near Moultonboro Neck, came on land and tore timberlots to shreds before it broke up.
Such was the course of this great storm, and there has evidently not been one like it before or since. True, the smokestack was blown clear from the steamer "Winnipesaukee" at one time, and high winds and storms still buffet boats both large and small, but the concentrated force of this hurricane has yet to have an equal.
From this I do not want anyone to deduce that Winnipesaukee is a "tame" place during a strong wind. Waves running from four to ten feet in height are seen each year. I remember crossing "The Broads" in an open boat in 1915 when, for fear I might be washed overboard, I was tied to a chair that was built into the boat hull. The grown-ups certainly trusted both boat and pilot, and I will avow even today that the trip from Sandy Island to Jolly Island in that northwest wind was a rugged introduction to Winnipesaukee's angriest waves. I have since been told that people on Steamboat and Birch Islands watched our progress with the firm belief that after each time the boat disappeared in the trough of the waves it would never be seen again.
Probably the roughest spot with the highest waves in a northwester is at Parker's Island, where the full sweep of open water has given ample space to pile up the "rollers." Unlike the immense "swells" of the sea, though, the waves on the lake are nearer together and more sharply pointed. After every fifth wave there is a lull. In this calm the wise lake navigator makes his turns and course changes during a "blow."
The northwester brings the worst water conditions on Winnipesaukee. With Parker's Island other noted bad spots during such a wind are from Sandy to Jolly Islands, Winter Harbor to Rattlesnake Island, Weirs Bay from Eagle Island to The Weirs, Melvin Bay from Black Island to Melvin Village, and the entire lower end of the lake from Barndoor Island to Little Mark Island. It must be said that these northwest blows seldom come without warning, and when the waves run high in the sheltered places, it is almost certain that navigation will have its difficulties in the open water. Then, too, a northwester is almost certain of three days duration; even though the wind "goes down with the sun" each night, it generally springs up with the first streak of dawn.
The same judgment that prevents one from taking a chance in his automobile will stand in good stead while navigating on Winnipesaukee. There are times when a boat is better kept in its boathouse or at its dock. The sudden storm we cannot foresee. Then we must use our skill to ride it out, but, in all conditions, good judgment is a prime requisite of the Winnipesaukee navigator.

[Yankee]

________________________
Just to add some interesting lake weather. This is the week's forecast for Lake Michigan.

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON...
...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING...
.REST OF TODAY...SOUTHEAST GALES TO 45 KT BECOMING SOUTHWEST
STORM FORCE WINDS TO 60 KT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MID
MORNING...THEN CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON. WAVES 8 TO 12 FT BUILDING TO 12 TO 16 KT.
.TONIGHT...SOUTH STORM FORCE WINDS TO 55 KT INCREASING TO STORM
FORCE WINDS TO 60 KT. WAVES 15 TO 20 FT.
.WEDNESDAY...SOUTH STORM FORCE WINDS TO 60 KT BECOMING SOUTHWEST
STORM FORCE WINDS TO 55 KT. WAVES 15 TO 20 FT.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WEST STORM FORCE WINDS TO 55 KT DIMINISHING TO
GALES TO 40 KT. CHANCE OF SHOWERS. WAVES 14 TO 18 FT SUBSIDING TO
8 TO 12 FT.
.THURSDAY...WEST GALES TO 35 KT. CHANCE OF SHOWERS. WAVES 7 TO
10 FT.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...NORTHWEST GALES TO 35 KT. WAVES 7 TO 10 FT
SUBSIDING TO 5 TO 7 FT.
.FRIDAY...WEST WINDS 15 TO 25 KT. WAVES 3 TO 5 FT.
.SATURDAY...WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. WAVES 3 TO 5 FT.
$$

And so the gales of November come early once again...

I lived in MI for several years and had the opportunity to tow my boat and visit many ports of call and I can tell you that they are not lakes, but rather inland seas and must be respected as such. Being in the middle of the continent the effect of the regional weather patterns can whip up hurricane strength storms in no time.

I've added a couple of pics, one of the Fitz taken(not by me) from the Bluewater Bridge, another from my 22 footer of a 1000ft freighter passing under the Mackinac Bridge in the Straits of Mackinac, and lastly 2 freighters from my boat passing each other on the St. Clair river.

[gtxrider]

Well, these weren't ten-footers, but some were easily in the five- to seven-foot range. Video shot mid-September 2009 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5xrpr0LCJ4) as Senter Cove Guy piloted us back from diving in (dead calm) Wolfeboro Bay. The latter half of the video has the best wave action. Hard to really capture how rough it was, but suffice it to say that in our collective 110+ years on the Lake, neither of us had boated through anything like this.

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Now I have to clean my monitor and get the chunks out of the key board!;)


That kind of ride is what make boating fun!

[This'nThat]

And so the gales of November come early once again....
Check here (http://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/explore_lakemichigan.cfm)for a list of Lake Michigan shipwrecks and their stories. We're talking about 200' boats here, folks -- a world apart from Lake Winnipesaukee.

[angela4design]

Don't forget Water Spouts! July 2008 off Six Mile Island (http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=16876)

[John A. Birdsall]

I would say it was in 1962 we were visiting the Herricks inside sleepers Island and it was a beautiful day. My brother and I were in a 11' boat with an 18 hp Johnson, My dad had my grandfathers 16'5" Lyman with a 50 hp evenirude. But in a matter of minutes big black clouds came up and the lake got rough. We all took off for Echo Point, my dad said for us to stay within sight. Well that 11' boat did not like what was going on and Dad finally told us to take off and get home. Half the time we could not see each other and we were maybe 50' apart. The high water mark at the cottage is about 10' from the lake in July, we have a driveway just past that mark and we stopped the boat in the driveway, That is how far the waves were breaking.
We had to get a trailer the next day to get the boat back in the water. My Dad is good, he put my grandfathers boat in the boathouse no problem.

I think when a storm comes you need to respect the lake.

[fltsimguy]

Very timely discussion. Was anyone out this past Sunday (10/31)? We decided to do our end of season run from Smith Cove to Wolfeboro for lunch and back. Now there are certainly people in this thread who have been at the lake longer than me (24 yrs), but I have never seen conditions like this! Easily 4-5'+. Anything smaller than our 28' boat I don't think would have made it. I had to gun it just to make it up the crest of the waves. Pretty eerie when we were the only boat out there...but an interesting way to end the season!

[ishoot308]

Very timely discussion. Was anyone out this past Sunday (10/31)? We decided to do our end of season run from Smith Cove to Wolfeboro for lunch and back. Now there are certainly people in this thread who have been at the lake longer than me (24 yrs), but I have never seen conditions like this! Easily 4-5'+. Anything smaller than our 28' boat I don't think would have made it. I had to gun it just to make it up the crest of the waves. Pretty eerie when we were the only boat out there...but an interesting way to end the season!

Yup, I was out on Sunday for a short while. My V-toon handles rough water really well so I felt very safe and secure, but it still made for an interesting ride!! Wasn't the worse I have seen it, actually two weeks prior was the worst I have seen...

Dan

[codeman671]

I was out yesterday as well. It seems like I always pick the worst days to pull my moorings (by myself) and yesterday was certainly no deviation from the norm. The ride out in the morning was quite rough but in an enclosed boat I was dry. Lots of water flying everywhere. Other than pulling my boat this week I am done for the year.