"K. Smith" wrote in message ...
Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 23:08:02 +1100, "K. Smith"
wrote:


Calif Bill wrote:

http://tv-antenna.com/heavy-seas/




Hmmm contrary view has to be put & as always only too happy to discuss
it:-)

Thanks for the pics though, they prove yet again that "huge" waves in
open water are the stuff of over active imaginations


Ummmmm....ok, I'll bite.

Why?

Look at the pics, some show a wave seeming to be breaking "onto" the
boat?? whereas in reality the boat is ploughing "through" & in part
creating the wave, waves don't break like that in open water until they
get disturbed by the proximity of the ship's displacement.

what??? IF the boat IS plowing through the wave, and the ship's
freeboard is 30', then the wave is higher than that. If it weren't the
ship wouldn't plow through it.


At sea in heavy weather you're usually running (got not much choice on
small yachts:-)) & invariably someone comes up from below & looks astern
only to see the mythical huge wave standing up about to break upon the
boat, what this person is actually looking at is down the back of the
wave that just past under the boat, through the trough then up the steep
face of the next approaching wave, however having no reference other
than the confusion of their own balance he/she in all honesty "sees'
that all as all up & the face of an approaching huge wave.

Jeez, it can't be any more simple, if you are standing on a ship's
deck, and there is 30' between you and the water, and the wave breaks
over you, then the wave has to be greater than 30', or it could not
possibly break over you.