How big of a wave will flip my Hobie?

Yesterday I was scared.  Way beyond my comfort zone.  I fished Lake Comanche and my weather App lied to me. I got caught in a surprise HUGE wind-event.  I had to get out of the narrows but that was it. I found a beach and took it in. Man, I thought I was gonna flip.  It came close, I think.  I had my PFD cinched tight, so I don’t think I was looking at death, but saying it was a bad situation was an understatement.    I would estimate waves (whitecaps for sure)at 4-5 footers.  Maybe smaller.  I wasn’t thinking about the waves.

I pulled my kayak up a small rock shelf and took out all the gear. I hauled it up a hillside and made subsequent trips to run my gear up.  I then went for a walk to get my truck.

This took a bit of the shine out of my kayak fishing, no doubt. But I do know I’ll be much more careful next time.  I’ll head in at the first sign of trouble.   Just what wave will flip a kayak?

I've had forecasts miss, especially with wind, with that said tho yesterday's wind event was well forecasted by NOAA.

I reply on

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-121.78452014923096&lat=37.67152468736384#.YFuydlVKjIV 

most of the time

but some of the other weather apps are cooler and give better user oriented details.

Over simplified and vague but ...Depends on your skill set and experience.

Truth.  I've seen vids of people flipping Hobies (repeatedly) on glass smooth water with no wind.  They seemed unskilled, overloaded, and unprepared...plus their seat was too high.  Others can stay upright in damn near anything with enough skill and luck.

If you are leaning the wrong way when the wave hits it takes less than if youre ready for it. A short period makes for steeper waves which is more likely to tip you. Big wind waves are bad. Don't go out with a big wind forecasted. If it surprises you head in right away.

Glad you're safe. Seems like you made the right call to bail and haul out.

I blew it. (A pun!). My weather app predicted 3 mph winds.  I’ll use NOAA. And enter the nearest city.

Funny story. I turned my GoPro off so I wouldn’t film my own death.

How likely a wave is to flip a kayak, assuming decent kayaking skills, depends on wave direction. Sideways? Not good. Head on? Much better chance of staying upright. The lower the center of gravity meaning body weight as close to the hull as possible, the less leverage the wave has to tip the craft. Sea kayakers in a sit inside have their weight right on the keel. They can handle waves that a sot, especially with a lawn chair seat, cannot.

Wind waves can be dangerous like that... much worse than ocean swells.  The problem with wind waves is that their face gets really steep since there's little energy under the surface.  It's the friction of the wind pushing the surface of the water into small piles, basically.  This means you get really short period erratic waves.  4-5' might sound like you're exaggerating to yourself, but I've seen 6-8' on the SF Bay near the San Mateo bridge on summer afternoons where the water piles up on the east side.  You made the right call.  Haul out, heave to and either wait it out or figure out how to go fetch the truck.

As far as what will flip?  Like others said, it varies so much.  Not just on skill level and experience, but the wave direction compared to your course and the wave energy.  You'll usually be much better off with your bow into the waves in those situations, but that might not get you to where you need to be.  Pointing bow into the waves will give you reprieve and time to think, though.  It may be hard to keep the bow pointed into the waves, though as the boat tries to weathervane, but it'll be a lot more pleasant than sitting beam to and wondering which wave is the one that's gonna flip you.

Like you said... bail early is the way to go.  Once you see that wind building, start thinking about where you can go to shelter from it and start heading back.  If you get halfway back and the wind event is done, you can always go back out.

Also a guy was sitting in his kayak at clear lake, no wind and not moving when he flipped over. So if the conditions are right it doesn't take any wave at all. I think he fell asleep but he said no.

When you're looking at the forecast remember if the wind is blowing all the way across the lake it can build up a bigger white cap than if it's blowing from the shore you'll be fishing close to.

This took a bit of the shine out of my kayak fishing, no doubt. But I do know I’ll be much more careful next time.  I’ll head in at the first sign of trouble.   Just what wave will flip a kayak?
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If you are in pedal kayak you can use your paddle to brace against the waves.

It depends on many factors - some have been addressed in other posts. Your skill level, direction and type/size of swell combined with wind as well as model of kayak are all contributors.

As an example, at the Albion Open one year, several people in Hobies were tossed out and/or flipped. Some of the other kayaks (seemed like wider and/or more rocker helped) did not have as much trouble. It was big, it was windy and there was a nasty cross swell.

I heard one guy report he was pedaling, paddling and working the rudder to try to keep a following sea from side-stepping the stern out and forward and tossing him in.

Out by the buoy were solid 8-10’ with some spiking larger feeling set waves, with wind AND a cross swell. A click or two beyond “sporty” at times.

Time spent OTW, evaluating conditions and experience of differing locales and conditions will help you to find your “Go, No-Go” baseline.

its like when your center of gravity overtakes the buoyant forces on the boat. I saw a really cool graphic on it once but cant find it, here is a cool article on it tho.

lower center of gravity makes it harder to get to that tipping point. SOLUTION - load some fish in that hull to keep you upright!

https://uh.edu/engines/epi1854.htm
http://www.fao.org/3/i0625e/i0625e.pdf

i need to practice lowering my seat while on the water because currently i always kick around on the highest seat level. I have just hunkered down in front of my seat and sat on my hatch when I was really worried.

Depending on how wide your kayak is you can hang your legs into the water. I’ve done it many time when I felt conditions were too unstable.

One year at GS - on Friday pre-fishing - a big north wind came up, and a few Hobies flipped coming around the point.  All of the paddlers were fine, but the ocean got nasty.  The explanation I got was that a following sea pushes the Hobie from behind, and the rudder, while trying to turn to go around the point, causes an extreme effect that results in capsizing.  I think it happened to some paddlers too, but the paddle can pull you out of it or otherwise protect against the capsizing.

I'm glad it worked out for you, and thanks for sharing with the group.

I'm newer to the Hobie pedal scene. I'm wondering if a wave hits you sideways with the flippers in a down position, do they catch the water and keep the boat from sliding over the water and therefore overturning? Would setting them in a flat position against the hull work in such a situation? With my old Necky Looksha sport, I could just brace into the wave and let the kayak slide.