Healthy Waters Phase I Research: Wake Waves

Phase I Overview

This project sought to characterize boat-generated waves by recreational watercraft common to Minnesota, including wakesurfing boats. The effort focused on lake shore environments typical of Minnesota. 

During the study, five sensors were used to measure the height, energy, and power of waves generated by non-wakesurf and wakesurf boats. It was found that wakesurf boats produced the largest waves under all conditions evaluated, with the overall largest waves generated during slow plowing speeds associated with the sport of wakesurfing.  The study also showed that when wakesurf boats operate under their typical wakesurfing conditions, they require greater distances to reduce their wave characteristics to levels equivalent to non-wakesurf boat operating under their typical on-plane conditions. 

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Phase I Timeline

Field work began in the fall of 2020 and ran through the end of the open-water season.  The final report was published February 2022.