How to - Cross a bar in a trailer boat

IN this practical video Jim Harnwell jumps on board the Fishing World Bar Crusher to give a practical demonstration of how to safely negotiate a coastal bar crossing.

[FubarGuy]

Nice video and please allow me to clarify some points for the newbies who are wisely learning as much as they can.
If you have a serious problem with your boat while out at sea, do let the coastguard know before you risk the crossing and follow their advice.
If you have a problem beforehand don't go out; fix it instead...
You should have checked your drain plug(s), fuel, bilge pump(s), radio, etc. while still at the dock!
On the way in choose a wave preferably one that won't be breaking and ride in on the BACK of it, in such a way that you keep the bow of your boat up high to avoid pitchpoling.
Pitchpoling is where you are going too slow and allow a following wave to catch up with your boat and it lifts up the stern, then as you begin surfing down your bow digs into the sea and is pushed under and your boat rolls and you get rather embarrassed and very wet.
Again; to avoid pitchpoling ride in on the back of the wave and match your speed to that of the wave, such that you do not go too slow and allow the following wave to catch up with you, nor too fast and overtake your wave.
Know your boat--- a large deep V hull handles differently from a small relatively flat bottomed cathedral hull, etc. So just because some other dude goes flying out like something in a James Bond movie with all the bikini babes waving and screaming that does not necessarily mean you can do the same (I mean go racing over waves, the waving and screaming is OK if you want to).
Remember: "One hand for you and one hand for the boat" or in other words whatever you are doing at least one hand should be holding onto the boat in such a way that if there is a sudden boat movement you won't fall and potentially hurt yourself.
If that helps, how about a "like" for such a long comment. Tks.

[martinchen]

Thank you very helpful for this west coast Washington and Oregon boater

[cloroxbleach]

👍 from Texas. Pilot here just getting into boating and learning before I purchase a vessel and this video is a great help for this Gulf Coaster.

[Darthbelal]

I rather like the mixture of confidence with caution. He knows what he's doing, but he doesn't get cocky about

[cjp]

This guy know's what he's doing, good man. I totally support his comment about a little more throttle into the wave. Having run a number of powerboats, the worst thing you can do is back off, as this simply sits the stern down and bow up making it worse, because of the weight of the fuel tanks and engine, obviously. You need to use the V of the hull and the chines to cut you through. Suggesting this would affect either the hull or impeller is utter nonsense.

[richardnone]

hi Jim thanks for the info I am happy to say here in Miami/fort Lauderdale we don't have any Bars also thanks to the Bahamas being a great break water for ocean swells we have some of the calmest ocean in the world to boat on
Richard in the tropics

[Lone_Wolf-]

Ty for this video, i learn from it how to do it when i gone meet a bar.

[curleyteeth]

I have crossed into a few bars in Liverpool and they were pretty rough and one had to be careful to cross over to the exit in order to stay alive.Jim Liverpool.

[hopebear]

Should I let the coast guard know each time I am crossing in and out? Is there an official call sign to them which lets them know all is good?

[bennowak]

good little vid might help some of the nev's out there! surfing the front of waves! aslo you can't always follow the leads port macquarie's bar leads are way off sets you up for the shallows!!

[gbsailing]

"First, remove trailer from boat". LMAO 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[ianrkav]

Good video. I learnt quite a bit from that:-)

[kerryemmerson]

Not trying to knock holes in this excellent video, but ya forgot to mention having enough gas when giving the rundown before hand. You'd be surprised.

[mypronounismaster]

What's the average speed when following waves back in?

[colwk]

How did a video about crossing a bar turn into bashing barcrushers and etecs?

[Rlnthndr]

boats constantly need steering adjustments especially in rough water like this. Unlike cars which are on a roadway that doesn't move. On the water you have wind, current, waves etc all affecting the direction of travel. In order to cross the bar safely he had to keep his bow (front) on the markers, and steering that much is necessary or else the boat would possibly spin by the force of a wave putting him sideways and that greatly increases the chance of capsizing (rolling over)

[deceiverslair]

What the driver is actually seeing (for more than 10 seconds 6:25 ) might have been more helpful in a 'video'.
He may as well have been the 'bartender' telling us this over a couple of drinks.

[macktruckergirl]

That's crazy scary looking to me!

[gno]

lol beer cans rolling around in the background

[cjf]

i see all the coast guard throddle off when going over then full throttle once over