Understanding surf wind and swell reports

I went to Crabfest and the weather was great and the water was pretty easy. I am trying to connect in my head what the wind/swell reports means as far as conditions on the water go. What are the important numbers are and how much worse than today can they get before things get dicey? Was the water at Crabfest today equal to the bunny hill?

Conditions vary by personal experience and your ability to handle the yak. Personally ive been in situations i could handle but were unfishable so it depends if u want a work out or a limit

I'm trying to understand what numbers to watch and how quickly the conditions deteriorate as those numbers change. I understand that some people might of had difficulty in the conditions today. Others can handle anything. If we put the numbers for today on a scale and over to the right put the numbers that would keep reasonable people off the water. Then we could discuss how the numbers and the conditions change in between the easy and the dangerous. It's too far to drive to study the conditions. I'm trying to gain a better understanding, not a difinitive guarantee.

Great question, I am eager as well to learn about the tides, winds,  swells, ebbs, etc. BASK has some good articles, I'll see if I can post a link.
It was good to see you at Crab Fest!


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Can't answer about Crabfest but very generally look at the wind. Over about 15knts is bad times for fishing. Over 30 and you will need rescue.

Often things are said about combined seas and I look at it like this. Decent swell (over 6') plus any wind over 15knts= no go.  Wind over 25knts= no go. I don't pay much attention to wind waves because 95% of the time they reflect prevailing wind conditions. Meaning lots of wind = big wind waves and I don't fish in high wind. If the wind waves pick up beyond 2.5-3' you will capsize.

Look at the next days and even weeks forecast. Is there a storm coming soon? Can you fish a day with a better WX? Look at the wind forecast for the day. Is there an early AM wind? What is the wind direction? ect.

All that said the final call depends on the location. If you are new to the area don't go on a questionable WX. Also if the wind starts changing directions often GTFO!         
 

30kts is dueable on a Hobie you wont enjoy it but u will beable to make it back where you came from heading into the wind lol

I think 30 knots of wind on open water like the ocean would really push the envelope for a single hull Hobie. Waves would grow to size very difficult to manage.

As a long time windsurfer and fisherman, knowing and understanding the wind and swell were extremely important.
: we basically planned our life around the weather if we wanted to play.

Wind was the easiest, if it was hot in area and cold in another,the colder air will rush to fill the rising air in the warm area, creating wind.. The hotter or colder an air is will odetermine how hard the wind will blow. Light winds (5-15mph) over water creates 1'-2' windwaves; stronger winds (+20mph) create "sheep" or "whitecaps", which are windwaves that have the top of the waves blown off by the wind. And while mild winds coming from the same direction has the swell can be an inconvenience to a boater; mild or greater winds coming from  another direction can get very sloppy, commonly referred to as a "washing machine".

Swells:

(Battery dying on tablet, will update shortly)

Also white caps are dangerous on a kayak if u get side swiped by one and youre not ready for it you better be savy in deep water re entry

As a life long surfer one of the things I did as I got older and more into surf and wind forecasting is keeping a journal of sea and weather conditions. I would not only check the buoy readings, tide and wind conditions/forecast before I went to the ocean, but check them when I got home. Combining first account observations for a particular stretch of coastline/body of water along with their corresponding data readings (over time) allowed me to reasonably predict what to expect when planning a go out. It takes time but you will get to know what "kind" of day to expect and plan your activities accordingly. For me wind is the first thing I check, then swell direction and period, then wave height, then tides and temps. Also note weather, particularly fog and seasonal trends
Journal Observations:
Wind direction and speed
Swell period and direction
Wave heights
Weather
Overall summary of surf/fishing conditions

30kts is dueable on a Hobie you wont enjoy it but u will beable to make it back where you came from heading into the wind lol

30 kt is a small boat advisory and most power boats won't go out. 10-12 kt is my limit in my hobie. 15 kt is full on white caps and a bitch even in a hobie if you have more than a mile to go. With the AI I will go 16-18 kt. Over 20 kt is a no go even in an AI. http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=39153.0

mostly I look at the interval vs size.... 10 ft 30 sec is totally doable... where 9ft 8 sec.. not so much..

So I am thinking a 10 knot limit might be a good place to start.

this isn't something that can be learned from reading, it just takes experience.  But, with that said...

for a beginner, avoid wind over 15kts.
beginner swell should be no more than 6 feet at 12 seconds.  Any more than that in height or less than that in period and you will spend the entire time fighting the ocean.

You will see experienced guys out in up to 30kts with waves as rough as 12' at 12sec, but dont try to emulate this until you have in the hundreds of hours on the ocean.  And keep in mind tyhat these rough conditions are only tackled IF the launch is doable.

In all honesty, for me, the launch is the most important part of the whole exercise.  A sheltered launch with less than 3 feet of wave to punch through and I'll go out, any more and I crack open a beer and enjoy the sun.


For really good conditions look for anything under 6 feet at 15 seconds or more and you'll have a good time.


Like I said tho, time, time, time.

I agree on the reading versus experience. I am only hoping for a guideline to help me decide on making the drive and considering going out. I think there are others as well that can use a little help deciding when to try. I think it's also important to stick with a group as a beginner.