JAXAshby wrote:
give it a break, dougie. everyone who has sailer offshore has been in waves
half or more the boat's beam. no great shakes, and no danger at at, nun,
unless the waves are breaking, and that don't happen in deep water.


Except when they do. There is nothing that prevents waves from breaking
in open water in storm conditions. In winds over 60 knots, virtually
all of the high waves (10% of all waves) will break. Some breakers will
be found in lesser winds.

Breakers form when the wave steepness exceeds a certain limit. This can
happen as a function of wind alone - no bottom interaction is needed.
They will occur in any significant waves simply by the constructive
interference of two or more sub-critical waves.

These are true breakers, with plunging jets of solid water that is
moving roughly 30% faster than the waves - enough to create pressures of
several tons per square foot.

Jaxie's claim that waves can't break in open water is simply an old
wives tale.