Breaker Waves

[Ben Dockrell 22]

I know you could go through your whole working or leisure sailing life never having the bad or even tradgic misfortune of being hit by a Breaker Wave.

Then there are those whom have first hand experience and may recall it detail for detail and the consequences to your crew and vessel.

With all due respect im asking those of you with this experience would you care to share it and how you and the rest of the crew managed with the forum many of whom would no doubt be very interested in the hope of gleaning information as i do from your very unique and invaluable insight.

 

[sarabande]

Ben D joins the forum Author's Club ?

 

[SimbaDog]

Whilst proceeding out of the Salcombe estuary at 5 knots, I noticed that there was a breaker wave ahead, the boat rose up & over it before carrying on as before. To my consternation I managed to spill a little of my G&T
Mate down yahct club said normal.

 

[capnsensible]

Ben, I will give a straight answer!

Few years back, my wife and I sailing our Moody 33. Hand steering coz as usual, autopilot on blink. Couple of days out of Azores, heavy winds, big seas, wife on helm. Night time (isnt it always) big quartering sea, bbreaking just feet off the stern.

Boat swung round, centre cockpit full. I was kipping in saloon and got wacked (and wet) from flying kettle. Luckily, actually very luckily, that was the only damage, but did need to re secure the headsail lashed to guardrails and re secure spare fuel cans.

A 'got away with that one then' moment.

 

[electrosys]

So this thread has had 72 views (as at 1 p.m. Sunday) and has had 5 stars awarded to it. So how come ? How does this 'star-rating' system work anyhow ? Does anybody really know ...

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Ben D joins the forum Author's Club ?

I say, that's a bit rich coming from the chap who ran two forum identities whilst being paid to recommend Rocna anchors to fellow forumites
I think in the circumstances you could give the OP the benefit of a bit more doubt.

 

[Seajet]

Ben,

if you mean 'breaking' waves, well we once came back from Fecamp in an easterly 6-7, there were waves which required us to momentarily luff up and face them at the crest, then bear away to get speed on again for the next one; we could look up and see the underside of the translucent crests lit up by the sun.

Main problem was that was before decent electronic nav aids, and my dead reckoning plot became even vaguer than usual !

In fact it worked out we'd compensated fairly accurately, but I wouldn't willingly repeat that.

The largest waves I'v seen by far were at The Bridge in the Needles Channel, it was after a few days of F9 +, we had a series of 3 properly big waves, the last one had another smaller wave on top going diagonally to it like a mini version of the photos in 'Heavy Weather Sailing', we got away with it by keeping up boat speed then luffing through the crests.

I'm a firm believer in keeping sail power on a boat in strong winds; on our first season in the A22 we had a poor reefing system and just steered her around the waves at Portland Race; a very nice Twister going around at the same time reefed down to the eyebrows and got pooped; he was outraged that we'd got through OK !

 

[KellysEye]

You tend to get breaking waves in overfalls and where the bottom shallows, Biscay is a case in point. If offshore in Biscay it's sensible to stay outside the thousand fathom line if a gale is forecast. Ocean sailing, the Southern ocean excepted, it's rare to get breaking waves because of the long period, they normally just crest and look a beautiful pale blue. We have never been in them because we've always avoided where they form.

 

[capnsensible]

Its the hundred fathom line that makes the continental shelf.

As well as both east and west of Azores I have seen breaking waves near the Canaries, well offshore between the Canaries and Cape Verde, well out in the Bay of Cadiz, in the Straits of Gibraltar and between Sicily and Tunisia. Mostly in shallower water, but not exclusively so.

 

[Ben Dockrell 22]

Ben,

if you mean 'breaking' waves, well we once came back from Fecamp in an easterly 6-7, there were waves which required us to momentarily luff up and face them at the crest, then bear away to get speed on again for the next one; we could look up and see the underside of the translucent crests lit up by the sun.

Main problem was that was before decent electronic nav aids, and my dead reckoning plot became even vaguer than usual !

In fact it worked out we'd compensated fairly accurately, but I wouldn't willingly repeat that.

The largest waves I'v seen by far were at The Bridge in the Needles Channel, it was after a few days of F9 +, we had a series of 3 properly big waves, the last one had another smaller wave on top going diagonally to it like a mini version of the photos in 'Heavy Weather Sailing', we got away with it by keeping up boat speed then luffing through the crests.

I'm a firm believer in keeping sail power on a boat in strong winds; on our first season in the A22 we had a poor reefing system and just steered her around the waves at Portland Race; a very nice Twister going around at the same time reefed down to the eyebrows and got pooped; he was outraged that we'd got through OK !

Im definately going to get very familiar with the location of shallow water depths especially around the channels.

As another poster has noted they made a point of staying out of shallow waters where it can get this bad and im going to do the same.

 

[VicS]

How does this 'star-rating' system work anyhow ? Does anybody really know ...

A few people know how to make it work.

 

[Ben Dockrell 22]

You tend to get breaking waves in overfalls and where the bottom shallows, Biscay is a case in point. If offshore in Biscay it's sensible to stay outside the thousand fathom line if a gale is forecast. Ocean sailing, the Southern ocean excepted, it's rare to get breaking waves because of the long period, they normally just crest and look a beautiful pale blue. We have never been in them because we've always avoided where they form.

I think your approach is a good choice and intend to make this best practice

 

[Seajet]

Ben,

if we're talking seriously about heavy weather tactics...

I say it's not rocks, fog or gales that get you, it's fatigue

On that sail back from Fecamp there were 3 strong adult males, but luffing up into the waves made it all a bit more work, not to metion trying to navigate.

We used to do 4 hour watches ( Now I'd say 2 is best ) and I was on the helm as we were approaching the English coast, we had no autopilot, and I banged on the hatch, " get me an RDF fix ! ( Radio Direction Finder, vague but all that was available ) my father was knackered and possibly a bit seasick, and just replied " Get Stuffed ! " and shut the hatch.

I was so tired I fell into what I now know is a common trap; I saw what I wanted to see.

When a lighthouse showed up I thought 'that must be the Nab Tower' even though the character was wrong.

I was steering us straight for the Owers Rocks, the light was at Selsey; I only caught on when the Nab light, with the right character, showed up way to port.

We were lucky the wind direction let us bear away for Chichester...

Big winds with the sea going from deep to shallow is a good place not to be, but it's fatigue which gets people killed.

 

[electrosys]

A few people know how to make it work.

Well - I wasn't referring to just how to click on a button, but rather more 'does there have to be a cumulative number of people all rating a thread the same, before a star-rating is awarded ?' - or 'is there some kind of weighting system employed or something along those lines ?'.

If it's possible for just one wag to hit the 5-star button to take the rise out of an innocently ignorant post (as I suspect was the case here) then can't say I rate such a system very highly.

In fact, I'd only give it the one-star.

 

[cliff]

If it's possible for just one wag to hit the 5-star button to take the rise out of an innocently ignorant post (as I suspect was the case here) then can't say I rate such a system very highly.

In fact, I'd only give it the one-star.

That is exactly how it seems to work - one plonker thinks BD's post is good and votes 5 star - overall rating 5 stars - I come along and recognise the post for what it is and vote 1 star - total 6 stars/2votes - display 3 stars overall and so on. The more who vote 1 star the lower the overall rating

 

[Talulah]

Close reach out in the Atlantic. Sea state "High".
Boat prepped for heavy weather.
Heavy weather jib, everything lashed down. Cupboard doors tied together etc.
Auto-pilot on.
My 'sea berth' was on the floor in the corridor between saloon and rear cabin laying on the cockpit cushions.
Roar of breaking wave over front starboard quarter. Boat rolled. Not sure how far but I would say mast in the water.
Boat picked herself up, shook herself off and carried on.
Felt very safe at the time. Less significant breaker about 20 minutes later.

 

[prv]

That is exactly how it seems to work - one plonker thinks BD's post is good and votes 5 star - overall rating 5 stars - I come along and recognise the post for what it is and vote 1 star - total 6 stars/2votes - display 3 stars overall and so on. The more who vote 1 star the lower the overall rating

Although interestingly it says I "have already rated this thread", when I've done no such thing. I hadn't even noticed where the control was until just now.

Pete

 

[cliff]

Although interestingly it says I "have already rated this thread", when I've done no such thing. I hadn't even noticed where the control was until just now.
Pete

Right click on the button (stars not down arrowhead) then click on open link then when link opens rate the thread

 

[Halo]

1 experience to report as requested
First trip of season about 10 years ago from Amble to Whitby. Stopped in at Hartlepool and picked up new brochure with tide tables. Calculated safe entry time to Whitby carefully because was sea running from North and could therefore be dangerous. Heading into harbour rode a mssive breaking wave all the way in through harbour entrance. The biggest andrenalin rush possible with GPS showing a new fastest speed of 10.8Kn (in a 25 foot bilge keeler).
It later turned out that tide tables were incorrect by 2 hours and we had come in far too early !!! Fortunately I had some power on the engine and was able to keep her abreast of the breaker using rudder and we had a shallow enough draft to avoid pitch poleing - moral of story - be born lucky and if timing is critical to safety cross check any tide tables with Reeds or BBC website

 

[Ben Dockrell 22]

A few people know how to make it work.

Rumour has it you can only have that priviliged information if your over 50 with grandparents both alive and thier both freemasons.