Guernsey in strong NE or E winds

[doug748]

Thanks all for your help. Does sound like the best option in North Easterlies are the bay's to the south.
Coincidentally we walked round the cliff path there yesterday and they did look sheltered - but not a single boat there.

Fortunately the really helpful harbour staff managed to find us somewhere more secure so our immediate problem resolved.
But still a lot of boats bouncing around and into each other

Thanks again for your help

How did you get on that evening? In Plymouth it veered westerly and blew very hard

 

[dom]

Whilst reluctant to mention the dreaded "a" word, anchoring in big blows is something few have that much experience with, including me. The wind force increases roughly as a square function, so the pressure of 40kts of wind is about 4x greater than 20ks. Add snatch loads from a swell shortening as it enters a bay and the load could increase to 10x. Passing squalls could push the loads still higher.

One might or might not get away with it; I'd personally rather stay put in harbour and buy a few extra-long fenders, something like F6s, than take my chances in a bay not personally known to me in those conditions.

PS: only time I've tried this in sand (Spade anchor) it was a bi**h to get out the next morning.

 

[Seajet]

Whilst reluctant to mention the dreaded "a" word, anchoring in big blows is something few have that much experience with, including me. The wind force increases roughly as a square function, so the pressure of 40kts of wind is about 4x greater than 20ks. Add snatch loads from a swell shortening as it enters a bay and the load could increase to 10x. Passing squalls could push the loads still higher.

+1, better to stay put and work on fendering, unless the boat is really being smashed when there should be an obviously better place close by - in emergency I'd go anywhere, say locals or fishermens bit then argue later.

Staying in the marina has / had the major advantage of being able to walk ashore, either to go and get things or people to help, or if it really goes pear shaped, walk to survival.
One might or might not get away with it; I'd personally rather stay put in harbour and buy a few extra-long fenders, something like F6s, than take my chances in a bay not personally known to me in those conditions.

PS: only time I've tried this in sand (Spade anchor) it was a bi**h to get out the next morning.

+1, in the marina you can go and get things or people to help, or walk ashore if it all goes wrong.

If things were getting bad in dire conditions I'd think there'd be somewhere better nearby, and if necessary go for a fishermens or locals bit, then argue later while sitting on an intact boat.

 

[stoker_3rd_class]

This was the entrance to Beaucette at about 7pm on the 10th June. We decided to stay in Victoria!

 

[dunedin]

This was the entrance to Beaucette at about 7pm on the 10th June. We decided to stay in Victoria!

View attachment 52170

Interesting. Good call not to go there.

And when we later walked there it looked like still some wave surge inside two days after the real winds had dropped