HomeCalculatorsPilot Boat Wake - Height & Angle

Pilot Boat Wake - Height & Angle

Wake-height estimate of a pilot boat at boarding speed - used to select safe boarding sea state.

PilotWakeBoat
Pilot-boat Fn
0.411 -
Wake wave height
1.58m

Formula, assumptions, and limits

At Fn > 0.4 the boat is in hump region → large wake. Pilots prefer Fn < 0.3 in clean water. Keep aft ladder clear of shoulder wake.

Symbol legend

SymbolMeaningUnitSource
Pilot-boat Froude - V/√(gL)
LOAmboat particulars