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.

[@FubarGuy666]

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.

[@onealjones9039]

Thank you!

[@cloroxbleach6335]

👍 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.

[@cloroxbleach6335]

And for anyone who cares I’m looking at big Bayliners like 5788 and 5288s

[@uruiamnot]

@@cloroxbleach6335 Did you get your yacht?

[@martinchen3838]

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

[@gondwanatravels8834]

One of the best tutorials I’ve seen.

[@66cjp]

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.

[@gbsailing9436]

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

[@officialWWM]

GB Sailing gotta start with the obvious, lol.

[@JoshSims]

Great info! Thanks!

[@rogermuir5609]

Great video!

[@richardnone5644]

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

[@ianrkav]

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

[@Darthbelal]

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

[@dirtydogg06]

Thanks mate learned alot from that

[@kerryemmerson9845]

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.

[@Lone_Wolf-3988]

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

[@franciscorojas934]

Thanks ..That was great

[@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.

[@southamericanrocker]

First time I hear it's easier to pass a bar going in than out. I think it's a lot more dangerous to go in

[@officialWWM]

Take a shot every time he says bar 😂😜

[@g3no11]

lol beer cans rolling around in the background

[@fortuner123]

Good. Concise.

[@bennowak88]

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!!

[@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)

[@209lapko]

Brilliant...

[@deceiverslair4781]

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.

[@mikelyons7511]

You mention the word bar so much, I just fell off the wagon headed to the bar.

[@keremkarapinar8662]

Mate, im glad you have an Evinrude ETEC because there very responsible... But like what rager bot said stabicraft are a lot safer, yes thats a true fact

[@macktruckergirl6049]

That's crazy scary looking to me!

[@BandiGetOffTheRoof]

When I think back to when I first moved to Florida in 1990 and tried to take a 15 boat lake ski boat through Vilano Inlet on a day when offshore Contenders were staying at the dock...I cringe. I was so lucky.

[@hopebear06]

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?

[@zagan1]

Look up the rules in the part of the world your in. Where I am you let people know when going out via name of boat your name phone number etc and the time your going out and the time you're expected to come back at. This allows people to do a search or check around if it's been 24 hours since you went out, that's why you'd let them know you've gotten back, doesn't matter the time if it's not the time you said just to get your name marked off the list etc.

[@uruiamnot]

Yeah, you just give a lengthy description of you, your passengers, their names and ages, phone numbers, registration number, type of boat and full description, reason for voyage, destination, and your ETA there. Just key up Channel 16 and give all that info. Don't be shy, they hear it all the time. You should follow up on Channel 9 with a shorter description.

[@colwk]

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

[@Jolinator]

+colwk Because youtube keyboard warriors..

[@cjf334]

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

[@mypronounismaster4450]

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

[@rykehuss3435]

200mph

[@cjf334]

in real ruff conditions

[@MsRhondaRandy]

The barcrusher is really handsome! I would set sail with you anytime!

[@2011birch]

He is kamp.

[@XV2PS]

and trim down?

[@Adogsmate4267]

Fathom's?, bugger off, no-one uses Fathom's. I'll bet you got through to all the new boaties with that one

[@ewmism861]

Should i wear thermal undies?

[@rsmfoster]

i disagree on the part about powering into a wave. you power to the wave and as you hit the wave pull the power off. doing this makes for a smoother exit to the wave ( also saving the hull and the impeller) it all comes from experience as to how fast you are going when you hit the wave. obv if the wave is broken then there is a much greater surge of water and you have to travel into the wave faster than if the wave was a green wave where you can lollie the boat over hte wave.

[@Adogsmate4267]

I agree, up to the swell, throttle off, just make the crest with forward motion, over the top - bang, navigate, (read the situation and correct heading if need be ) throttle up, make as much ground as possible before the next rise, repeat.

[@Bernievids]

Let me just say this, take a Valium with a beer or two but not three, because with an Evinrude, you ain't got nothing to worry about mate. Just get 'em into ya, then let the ETEC show that bitch who's shaggin' the cat. In NSW you must wear a life jacket but if they were serious about safety they would also mandate ETEC's. Gentlemen, 2 strokes always wins. Always have and always will. Checklist: 1. ETEC That's it. Safe boating.

[@saxmanchiro]

I know this is quite bad of me but I swear I heard an empty Foster's can hit the deck around 6:34. Tell me I am wrong as this would certainly be a bad thing to show the kids.

[@tornadoftworthaintnoff]

I always put on my wetsuit and belt with swimfins attached, life vest, then cross the bar. goin in is goin in. and I only go in with a wetsuit and fins. its the OCEAN.

[@jamie_d___]

Good humour , bravo sir 👏🏻

[@nikiwiakel]

what u need to do to cross a bar is firstly buy a Bar Crusher!

[@hpwratvr18]

I don’t even have a boat nor any intention of ever getting a boat.

[@gibi85]

...I....wanna go to hunt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@zombienectar]

This guy said bar 54 times

[@mikelyons7511]

zombienectar guess where I'm headed I just finished the video. I'm going to the bar.

[@ss_whole]

So in other words, give it some gas and go on through, I never would have thought of that.

[@uruiamnot]

Were you thinking to stop at the first big wave and... row?

[@nix200]

why does everyone who drives a barcrusher wear spray jackets? i know why.

[@Jolinator]

+nix200 Thats a life jacket he is wearing. plus look at the sky its about to rain. KZbin experts..

[@ronn68]

The video would be better with footage of the waves as he's talking - no offense but we don't need to see him talking.

[@ash12345404]

whys he turning the wheel so fricking much?

[@RSPYC]

This video is full of many, many ignorant concepts and ideas. If there is any interest, I can post the correct way to cross a bar. I have nearly a 1000 bar crossings over the Columbia River bar between Washington and Oregon. There is where the US Coast Guard has its rough water training school. I also have many crossing at the Tillamook Bay Bar, Newport Bay bar, and the Straits of Juan de Fuca. My experience is in small powerboats, sailboats and large power boats.

[@fishingworldmag]

Thanks for the comment. You sound very experienced. Perhaps you could create your own video and show people how it's done?

[@RSPYC]

@@fishingworldmag Nasty time of year for bar crossing here in the Pacific Northwest. Let me see how I could do this.

[@NoTaboos]

A panga-style hull is way better for bar crossing than these overrated, short, fat, ugly designs.