F-32 gets the test...

[bjanakos]

I had a full book of charters this weekend and the weather was looking to be marginal at best. The forecast called for 40kn gusts and 3-5 foot waves. For the ocean guys, 3-5 foot waves on the Great Lakes is significant because they are steep with a fast frequency. The conditions are what I call "Combat Fishing." That's when the weather is beyond comfortable for most people, but not quite and the level of being dangerous. With that being said, I was a bit nervous going out because I had no experience with how the vessel would handle...

All in all, she did great! She took the seas well, especially well in quartering seas. I heard that the F-32's don't handle following sees very well, but she did a great job. Beam seas made it a little rocky and limiting our direction, but that would probably be expected on any boat... The Auto Pilot handled very well, even with one engine engaged, possibly in part to the huge 18" custom made rudders. My only complaint was turning into or away from the wind, I had to engage both motors and manually steer. But I suppose that would be expected with any vessel and 20kn sustained winds....

I have a new level of confidence in my battle wagon...

[prowlersfish]

3-5 foot waves 20 knot winds with 40 knot gusts , I stay home

[gitchisum]

Bill,

Matches my experience. I tend to stay home in that also, because I "don't have" to go!

I have good luck with stabilizing the roll by dropping two bags, one on each side. I am running 36" ers from Big Pappa sportfishing. Doesn't effect my auto pilot responsiveness either

[lawyerdave71]

Oh yeah it was windy this weekend! The prior weekend 50 mph plus winds!

They had the salmon o rama tournament in Racine this weekend and they all went out even the little boats 18 to 25. I thought the little boats were nuts.

But seriously 3 to 5 foot waves is quite common on Lake Michigan - its them rouge waves you need to watch out for!

[lawyerdave71]

Oh as for your auto pilot, you need to practice you may have to change some of the settings on the machine.

My auto pilot works fine on one engine.

[bjanakos]

I have good luck with stabilizing the roll by dropping two bags, one on each side. I am running 36" ers from Big Pappa sportfishing. Doesn't effect my auto pilot responsiveness either

How does that affect your speed? I need to be able to troll at 2.2 - 2.8. I might need 2 motors going with two bags out. I used to use bags with my old-old boat because she trolled two fast.

[bjanakos]

Oh as for your auto pilot, you need to practice you may have to change some of the settings on the machine.

My auto pilot works fine on one engine.

My biggest issue was turning into and out of the wind. Especially turning out because the wind gave it a good push the first time. Engaging the second motor helped. I was tempted to adjust the response filtering, but I didnt want to make it worse. Other than the 180 degree turns, it held OK.

It's an older Raymarine that I am not familiar with, but I will be moving my SIMRAD over from my other boat.

[Reel Easy]

Good to hear your happy with her. I too am on the great lakes. I know the chop your talking about. Where did you get the bigger rudders made? What would something like that cost?

[bjanakos]

Where did you get the bigger rudders made? What would something like that cost?

The PO was an engineer at Johnson Marine. He made them himself.