Ocean Forecast help

[Tagster]

According to the 10' rule that Pilar has mentioned , this doesn't look like a very comfortable forecast for a 19' NR open bow, does it?

If I am reading this right, Friday and Saturday sounds kind of nasty.

Where is Cascade Head?

Thanks, Tag

PZZ250-270-162230-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WASHINGTON TO CASCADE HEAD
OREGON AND WESTWARD 60 NM
930 AM PDT TUE JUL 16 2002

.TODAY...N WIND 5 KT BECOMING NW 15 KT AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT
RISING TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
.TONIGHT...W WIND 15 KT...BECOMING SW 10 KT LATE. WIND WAVES
SUBSIDING TO 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
.WED...SW WIND 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
.WED NIGHT...SW WIND 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT. AREAS
OF DRIZZLE OR LIGHT RAIN.
.THU...W WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT. MORNING
DRIZZLE.
.FRI AND SAT...NW WIND 20 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT.
$$

[seasquid]

Tagster,

Cascade Head is just north of Lincoln City.....

You have to remember when it blows out of the N-NW during the summer, you usually can sneak out for a couple hours in the morning before it gets nasty.

ss

[Pilar]

TC, you are a wise man. The trends are the most important thing. Knowing which winds will actually show up is important too.

If it is hot in the valley and they predict a NW wind over 20kts, you are a morning fisher. Be off the water by noon or get hammered.

If the wind is changing direction you can almost always count on a lull or calm before the storm. Not smart to count on this too much as the front may not know when it is predicted to arrive and you might get caught out.

A SW wind is often a no show. I'm not really sure why that is. Wak'm & Stak'm might know or RJ?

The last thing is to plan your trip around the wind. Head out into the predicted wind and get blown home. Anyone who has boated in the Ocean knows the huge difference between bucking into the wind and following seas ...... Huge difference.

Good luck and stay safe.

Or fair winds and following seas.

[ 07-16-2002, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

[wak'm&stak'm]

I totally agree on the trends, and UI watch the bouys 250 miles out most of the time.....their seas are our swells.

Pilars right.....I will always go on a SW forecast...EXCEPT.... when there is one of those freak lows....every years there is a Southerly that comes once in a while, it is a curse to loaded tuna baots, a few years back it sunk about 12 boats off the river.

The trend is looking good and I am out there.

Silvers are 6 miles out of Newport today...but I am pile bound....

[tailchaser]

Ways to decipher a NOAA report:

Watch for trends when they say waves building to X'. This is a tipoff of a front coming.

Look at the intervals between waves. 8 seconds and up is usually ok. When wave intervals are close that's when it's really nasty out there with some chop.

Combine both wind waves and swell height for your total and know your comfort zone. 7-8' is my limit personally.

Last but not least if the prediction is 20 knotts and over it's gonna blow and suck to be out there. Rarely are they that far off when winds are predicted that high. Under 20 I've found is hard to predict and if it's 10-15 it's not a problem.

I'm in a boat that's not much bigger and my 2cents is stick to that standard. I always combine the NOAA reports with my local weather report on the news to compare if I'm going on a big trip (10+ miles).

tc