Rogue Wave?
 

A week ago I was out in my 25 footer between 5 and 6 mile islands where it's shallower ie 25 feet. It was pretty calm/boat barley rocking at all, low winds, partly cloudy. We were just drifting enjoying the sunset as were a few other boats a ways away. I heard a noise the distance and noticed what looking like a small wave perhaps just boat wake maybe 1/4 mile away, it was odd because the wave seemed to span a very large distance of water. I did not think much of it but next thing I know I turn around and there's a humongous set of 2 or 3 waves 20 feet from boat. And I mean huge, they rocked the 25 footer like it was nothing nearly ejecting me. Now I figure this partly has to do with that the wave was coming from circa 90 feet to 25ish but what could have started this wave? Just seems like more than any wake from a boat I have seen. I thought there might have been an earthquake for a second! It seemed to dissipate a little out when it passed into deeper water but was still shaking boats. I mean it was calm and pleasant and this lonely set of 4 footers just rocked us, anyone ever have a similar experience?

What did you do to anger Winni???

My guess is there was seismic activity.

If so, there could be a record of it.

Waves, But Really Someone's Wake!
 

I checked: No recent seismic activity except in California.

Ten years ago, I had a similar experience, in a boat half the size of yours. :eek: Never saw what could have made them (between Rattlesnake Island and Wolfeboro). In your case, the MV Mt. Washington can be ruled out.

They were huge, non-breaking waves, I had to surf them--under power--to keep from capsizing. :eek2:

Wakesurfing boat wake?

We had a very full wake surfing boat in our cove a couple of weeks past. The waves that were hitting our beach were significantly taller than my 10 year old.

When those boat have a full ballast, a lot of people and a slow rate of travel they throw some huge waves.

Boat wakes in synch?
 

As you might suspect from the name, I spend a lot of time on calm days trying to avoid waves and wondering where they came from. Bigger waives with deep troughs will wash over my bow and bring out a lot of heckles from my boat crew when they get soaked. Or could sink me.

On calm days, most short lines of a few waves that are breaking can be attributed to a boat nearby. (Not insightful, but I had to set the stage.) If the boat in not nearby, they arrive near me as rollers. The only other explanation is a combination of boat wakes that come and stay together in the right place and time. You can created them by doing tight donuts at slow speeds. I need to keep this in mind when I decide how fast to turn around to retrieve a fallen skier.

Yes a rouge waive, but likely manmade.

Must have been Winni the Lake Monster!!!

I recall there were people doing what I thought was water skiing in the distance for a while which also in the direction the wave came from. I also recall thinking they were surfing really close to the boat. I'd never heard of a wake surf boat before, just watched a video on it, looks exactly like what I saw. Has anyone else been tossed around while near wake surf boats, kinda worrisome....

Yeah, they suck. And, in my limited experience, the people that operate them often suck, too.

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I had a wake boat go very close to my place last week over the 4Th. The resulting wave it created went right OVER my dock dislodging boards. Damn things are out of place on most parts of this lake.

What ever happened to being responsible for your wake?
I was taught as a youngster to throttle down when approaching people fishing,canoe's,kayaks or close to shore.
Once in a while we'll see an inexperienced boater out there with three or four people in the front of a bowrider with about 4' of freeboard showing and a big swell would drench them and maybe ruin a few cell phones.......so why not be considerate?

Twice in the last couple of weeks I have had a huge wave come in and wash over my dock and pop out dock sections. I have lived in this spot for more than 25 years and I have never seen wake this big.

Both times there was no boat in sight that could have caused it. If I ever get a chance to see a boat that is doing this I will go out and get a bow number.

Tight donuts can create huge waves as the various pieces of the wake converge toward the center of the circle and reinforce each other. But the waves pass through each other and spread out, making the area and time of the huge waves small.

However, if there were two or more large wakes made almost but not quite in parallel with each other, then the "focal point" of those intersecting waves will be quite some distance away (very long radius arc). The length and time of the interaction also will be longer.