Rotto run in a small boat

Hi everyone. I've had my boat for about 6 months now and have been wanting to make the rotto run but have never got around to it. It's not much of a sea boat 5.5 metre bayliner bowrider with a not very deep hull but if I pick a good day low swell calm winds etc and stay over the night so I can miss the afternoon winds, do you think it's a good idea or is it a crazy idea as I've got such a small hull. I can put the cover over bow and stuff to create a fall off for water. Is it worth the risk or not any i advice will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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Scouse said..

Hi everyone. I've had my boat for about 6 months now and have been wanting to make the rotto run but have never got around to it. It's not much of a sea boat 5.5 metre bayliner bowrider with a not very deep hull but if I pick a good day low swell calm winds etc and stay over the night so I can miss the afternoon winds, do you think it's a good idea or is it a crazy idea as I've got such a small hull. I can put the cover over bow and stuff to create a fall off for water. Is it worth the risk or not any i advice will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

If you are asking the question then you probably shouldn't.

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/General-Discussion/Chat/What-do-I-need-to-know-to-drive-my-boat-to-rotto/

Hey mate, look through here and you can suss it out. A lot of helpful people and a lit of, well d&%kheads. I wont brag on my recent trips but see if you can go with someone who has been before. Big help. Oh i did get some big fish!

Go in a convoy with Jono and Macroscience

If I pick my day perfectly no wind low swell and stay behind the rottnest ferry in the wake and go in convoy with a few people can anybody explain why I still shouldn't.

I've been a couple of miles off the coast just off the sawesville cut and it didn't seem to bad handled the swell pretty good

Give a crack I reckon. Be prepared. See how you go. Let us know how it goes.

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Scouse said..

If I pick my day perfectly no wind low swell and stay behind the rottnest ferry in the wake and go in convoy with a few people can anybody explain why I still shouldn't.

The ferries these days take action to stop you sitting on their tail. So be careful if you think thats an option.

Your boat is smallish but i see loads over there so that will be okay.

Make sure you've got loads of fuel, enough for the trip plus 20% at least more.

Something to help you sit higher would also be helpful. A Bayliner is designed to be sitting completely whilst being driven so that will put a lot of pressure on your lower back. I often will kneel but its a long way their and back so a heavy cushion that sits your arse higher than your knees.

Other than that watch the winds, check the prediction against the actual winds for a few days before. That way you get a better idea if they are on track.

Last point is don't over stay and think you'll be okay getting back. At least not the first few times. It very easy to be be sitting on the Island and not realise the wind has come up.

Always play it safe and worse case if you must send family and wifey home on the ferry. If you scare them good luck getting them out again.

Study the island maps clearly before hand and fully understand your entry point to each bay you extend on visiting. They look very open when you bobbing up and down, but the big hard reefs underwater can be hard to spot from on the water.

Id more try following a bigger boat like a 35plus flybridge.

Also be careful around the harbour entrance and the Rotto entrance's. They will often have a much steeper wave affected by traffic and that is the spot you will duck the nose in if not careful.

Cant think of many other basics though..Hope that helps.

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jn1 said..

Scouse, as least you are thinking about the hazard and then asking the question on here. I reckon good on you for doing that . I went across to Roto on a Ferry in mid winter in the 90's when I was touring WA. Big mutha swell. The swell made the ferry look like a rubber duckie bobbing up and down.

dawesville cut and gage roads are completely different . Gage roads can go from 6 metres to 17 metres . Swell can come out of nowhere . stink boats and ferries can then add chop from multiple directions .

scouse,ive got a 4.2 mtre dinghy and fish around carnac ,and odd trip to rotto ,the weather has to be spot on though and beware it can change quickley
,when the conditions allow it is great fun ,but you dont need alot of wind and swell for it to turn nasty.make sure you have all your saftey gear aswell,
pick correct day and enjoy.

Some rather stupid responses here, the ifyou have to ask don't do it type. How the f do you get the experience then?

I fish out of a 4.5m plate runabout and fish REGULARLY 35km out and have NEVER felt in any danger.
IMO for you first trip leave Hillarys to go to north side or T bay keep an eye on the wind obs as being in the protection of the island can be deceptive on whats happening in open water.
OBVIOUSLY don't go out in large swell first time IF the wind is forecast to blow. Ive gone out, lost sight of land and kept going for another 30min in light wind but large swell no problem.
Again first time when your there and you notice the doctor is in head back. get your first few trips done this way and you will be able to judge how it handles the following sea.
Tilt your motor up( get the nose up high) and if the wind and seas are up only go as fast as the waves (that's coming home with the breeze)

RELAX take your time with it and enjoy.

There are always boats out there so don't feel like you wont see anyone. You might drive 40min and pass only a few boats but when you get to the bank there will be company don't worry.

If you listen to the knobs on here you will forever be in the river catching blowies.

EDIT - The negative responses I'm talking about were more directed to the previous post on first trip to rotto but guess what the same dribble poped up in this

Thanks for the information everybody some really good advice. Some actual advice is what I wanted. I am quite aware of some of the dangers but I think I'm going to go for it, get well prepared, research it a little bit more, go in a convoy and obviously judge the weather and swell. I might just go up and do little trips go mayby a 1/4 of way and come back just to test the waters. then go a little but further next time on so on. Does that sound like a good idea or not

They run a very rich fuel mix in the engines and give you carbon poisonning! The empty the bilges and toilet tanks (vomit tanks)

Hey holden ease up calling people "Knobs" and referring to their replies as "dribble" will only succeed in getting this moved to heavy weather.

As for Scouse original post where he stated:

"had my boat for about 6 months" "wanting to make the rotto run" "It's not much of a sea boat" "not very deep hull" "but if I pick a good day low swell calm winds etc and stay over the night so I can miss the afternoon winds"
"is it a crazy idea as I've got such a small hull" - "Is it worth the risk or not any i advice will be much appreciated".

This to me indicates he's a novice, a newbie, still learning and he understands the limitations/restrictions of his Boat. He's worried and doesn't want to undertake the 'Rotto Run' and end up embarrassed on the 6 O'clock news.

Then you come back with

"How the f do you get the experience then? I fish out of a 4.5m plate runabout and fish REGULARLY 35km out and have NEVER felt in any danger" and "If you listen to the knobs on here you will forever be in the river catching blowies".

I do and I'm sure Scouse does appreciate you taking the time to reply but I would suggest that Scouse would get that experience to which you refer by tag teaming up with blokes like yourself for at least a couple of trips. On the water experience with local 'experts' is the only way to gain experience.

I have spent the majority of my life 'mucking about in boats' both recreational and professional and
it's not about the "theory and book learning",
it's not about carrying the mandatory safety equipment (that is the minimum level you are allowed to carry more),
it's not about the electronics or navigational equipment carried (it's knowing how to read and use it),
all these are part of it but the most important item is the . .
Mk 1 Eyeball, and the two multi- directional stereophonic audio receivers bolted to the side of ones head, that are attached by good quality fibre optic cable to a reliable central processing unit. Using this highly sophisticated system Eyes - Ears - Brain the experienced 'Mariner' learns to 'read' the weather and sea conditions in advance and can predict changes before they occur.
Experience means you know 'when to hold em, knows when to fold em' and knows when to pack up, get the hell outta Dodge and run for cover.

Sure you will have a few uncomfortable, slow, wet arsed trips home but that doesn't necessarily equate to dangerous.

Carry the right gear.
Log your trip.
Make sure radio is working.
Know the area.
Lay off the sauce.
Use Eyes, Ears, Brain - Look - Listen - Learn and you should be fine.

Enjoy Your Time On The Water.

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Legion said..

smicko said..

Exactly what action can the ferries take if you sit up their clacker?

I've been on ferries where the skipper would swerve and weave, speed up and slow down until he shook the drafter. A couple of times. Nothing malicious, just to put the drafter off. Nothing mentioned to the passengers, but it was obvious what he was doing. It takes a pretty impressive boat to keep up with a ferry at full speed in rough seas if he decides to open the throttle. Not like the old Temeraires.

Why would it bother them though?