wake size has a ton to do with water depth

[MNSuperAir]

Proved it today, you guys are correct. Went fishing today with a friend who has a River Pro jet boat and while running some shallow water (6" deep) you could feel the boat lift up when you transitioned froma few feet deep to a few inches deep. I belive it is similar to ground effects but in water.

[jaimwolfe]

6" in a jet boat? Are you sure you didn't feel the boat transition up because you were hitting the bottom? Surely you ruined an impeller if you ran that shallow.

[Rick]

The explaination in Fluid dynamics goes something like this.'How much math have you had? Gee, Yellow_Flash_Colorz: I'm not sure you've had enough math that you would understand the answer."

[Sinkoumn]

this is seriously a topic??

[jaimwolfe]

Naw, it's not serioiusly a topic, we are all just BS'ing. It is interesting though.

[surroundsound64]

Personally... if the water is shallow enough to mess with the wake... I don't want to be riding in it.

[Kraven]

Andrew,
Now I have to start at the top and read thry it again. I can't read anything
serious and focus with your avatar looking like that

[WakeSlayer]

We began noticing this more when we started surfing a few years ago. If the water is less than 5-6 feet, my wake practically disappears. Boat speed plays a pretty big role also, I think.

[Andrew]

Andrew,
Now I have to start at the top and read thry it again. I can't read anything
serious and focus with your avatar looking like that

read? there are words on here?

[tiqueman97]

Definitely makes a difference. I ride in a river that varies from 4 foot to 20 foot. BIG DIFFERENCE. Also the ride attitude of the boat changes, the bow will drop in shallow water.

[j2nh]

Big difference. I also ski in a river that at one point comes up to around 4 feet in depth from 15. Pulling a trick skier with PP engaged you can actually fell the attitude of the boat change.

[DavidF]

Basically, a wave in water is symetrical. So, the wave is the same size below the waters surface as it is on top of the waters surface. If the water is shallow, the wave gets "cut off" by the bottom of the lake. Thus the wave is then "cut off" on the surface of the water or simply reduced in height. The cutting off of the (bottom) wave also causes it to slow down which makes the surface wave run over the top of itself (i.e the breakers in the ocean).

[Andrew]

thats the most "dumbed down" explanation i've heard yet. makes perfect sense and is easy to understand

[G-man]

We have one local ski site that has shallower in the boat path and deeper at the bouys. Smaller wakes for the boat and better for the skierin the turns. If you have ever run aground on a sand bar right before you get stuck the boat rises due to compression of the water then you sink back down on the sandbar. NO, I wasn't driving.

[LakesideRec]

Its also an issue that has raised some concern that big wakes in shallow water disturbs the bottom, stirring up sediment which can release phosphorous back into the water causing water quality problems. Shore and bottom erosion are one of the reasons MN has a state-wide no-wake speed limit out to 150' from shore. Distance from shore being somewhat of a crude proxy for water depth.