How big were those waves? Knowing how to accurately measure waves on the open ocean is very important for the safety of your Nordhavn. Yet getting the actual measurement of the waves, especially in turbulent waters can be extremely difficult. This article offers an easy to follow guide on how to measure waves properly.
In a boat it’s easy to overestimate wave heights. This is because of a phenomenon discovered by William Froude in 1861. He found that, no matter how your boat is situated on a large swell, what you feel to be “straight down” is actually at right angles to the wave. So when you think you’re looking out on a level line to judge a wave, you are actually looking on an angle, distorting your judgment. The only time to make an accurate appraisal of the waves is when you are at the bottom of a trough, midway between two waves, and you are sitting relatively level.
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