capnsensible
Well-known member
Plenty of times. Mostly due to broken bits but sometimes weather. Being two or three days into an ocean trip and turning back develops a certain mind set! Beat back, fix it, start again. It teaches patience.......
Have you ever turned back ?
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Gary Fox
N/A
Yes and I have learned that planning for the possibility , as if the port of departure was an alternate harbour, is a good idea.
I'm just talking about 'poking your nose out to have a look', and deciding it's too rough at sea, but that might take an hour or two.
For example, motor against the flood to get out of a harbour, rather than wait for the ebb which will make it hard to get back in.
If course it won't work everywhere, but worth bearing in mind.
My biggest turning back: We left SE Norway aiming for the Tyne, and spent 3 days beating back and forth between Norway and Denmark, trying to get out of the Skaggerak. Eventually gave up and sailed into Norway again.
(There's a bay, more of a bight really, on the top NE corner of Denmark called Jammerbucht, ('windjammer bight'), where countless square riggers have gone ashore in a similar wind direction, it's existence had began to prey on my mind..)
I'm just talking about 'poking your nose out to have a look', and deciding it's too rough at sea, but that might take an hour or two.
For example, motor against the flood to get out of a harbour, rather than wait for the ebb which will make it hard to get back in.
If course it won't work everywhere, but worth bearing in mind.
My biggest turning back: We left SE Norway aiming for the Tyne, and spent 3 days beating back and forth between Norway and Denmark, trying to get out of the Skaggerak. Eventually gave up and sailed into Norway again.
(There's a bay, more of a bight really, on the top NE corner of Denmark called Jammerbucht, ('windjammer bight'), where countless square riggers have gone ashore in a similar wind direction, it's existence had began to prey on my mind..)
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Gary Fox
N/A
Turned back into Scarbourough after being flung on my beams ends by breaking waves, half a cable outside the wall. It looked ok from the harbour, but the locals were not surprised to see me again so soon..
A nice gently shelving shallow sea bed causes it.
A nice gently shelving shallow sea bed causes it.
PhillM
Well-known member
Lots of times in small ways. You know the sort of thing ... weekend to Yarmouth that becomes Cowes instead. Sat out a few days of fairly strong winds in Ouistreham waiting for a decent weather window to cross back to Hamble, etc.
One passage that perhaps I should have turned back from (or at least taken shelter instead of pressing on was my s/h Jester qualifier (and we all know how that ended). Do I regret it? In a way yes, but it was one hell of a learning experience. I know that there is plenty that can be learned from books and from being on other people's boats. However, at some stage you have to have a go yourself and sometimes that means learning hard lessons.
One passage that perhaps I should have turned back from (or at least taken shelter instead of pressing on was my s/h Jester qualifier (and we all know how that ended). Do I regret it? In a way yes, but it was one hell of a learning experience. I know that there is plenty that can be learned from books and from being on other people's boats. However, at some stage you have to have a go yourself and sometimes that means learning hard lessons.
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When we were safely back in SPP we turned on the radio to hear that Beacette had closed as the marina approach was dangerous due to large waves. The approach channel required boats to go beam on to the waves. It was F5/6 but the wind over tide did the damage that day. So we felt justified after hearing the news!
Resolution
Well-known member
Wise words indeed!
jordanbasset
Well-known member
Turned back once when on the way to, France from Plymouth, a crew member was violently sea sick and it was not even that bad conditions. Bearing in mind it would have been a 20 hour or so journey I asked him what he wanted to do and unsurprisingly it was to return to Plymouth.
Myself and my wife continued the journey the next day on our own
Myself and my wife continued the journey the next day on our own
Kukri
Well-known member
Yes, and funnily enough in the very same place, heading for the very same place, probably in the same weather, late summer of ‘87. “Mirelle” is a 37ft Thirties gaff cutter, of surpassing beauty, and with all the windward ability of her kind, and after a few hours of going nowhere we gave up, retreated to Flushing and my sister caught the ferry whilst my wife and I stayed in Flushing until the wind had another idea.
“Kukri”would have put her head down, soaked everyone in the cockpit, and charged through it at five or six knots.
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capnsensible
Well-known member
As we are swinging the lamp, here's one. ?
Warrior 40 Antigua to Lanzarote. Actually I'd taken it there six months previously so knew the boat. What I didn't know was that in the forefoot right up under the forward berth was a bodged repair from a grounding some yeas before.
This made itself known after swooping beautifully out round Barbuda and meeting another two days of head seas. Took an age to find crack and stuff loadsa whatever came in heady into it. I'd already turned round but that leak concentrated efforts for two days back. At least it was warm. Got lifted, owner very stroppy until I sent him piccies and he fessed up about the previous event.
So four days with crew in an all inclusive beach resort. Had to ditch all the fresh food and re victual. Finally got going a week after arriving back....the repair was fab, watched it all. But of course by then we were even more into the hurricane season than when we first set off.
There were several more challenges to come, but didn't have to turn back for them!
Warrior 40 Antigua to Lanzarote. Actually I'd taken it there six months previously so knew the boat. What I didn't know was that in the forefoot right up under the forward berth was a bodged repair from a grounding some yeas before.
This made itself known after swooping beautifully out round Barbuda and meeting another two days of head seas. Took an age to find crack and stuff loadsa whatever came in heady into it. I'd already turned round but that leak concentrated efforts for two days back. At least it was warm. Got lifted, owner very stroppy until I sent him piccies and he fessed up about the previous event.
So four days with crew in an all inclusive beach resort. Had to ditch all the fresh food and re victual. Finally got going a week after arriving back....the repair was fab, watched it all. But of course by then we were even more into the hurricane season than when we first set off.
There were several more challenges to come, but didn't have to turn back for them!
Tomaret
Active member
2009 Vlissingen to Niuewpoort - very slow progress in choppy seas so overnighted in Oostende and turned back the next day. That evening had the best steak I’ve ever had at Middelburg Yacht Club.
2011 single handed from Niuewpoort to Dover, motoring all the way in bright sunshine. Next day set out for Brighton into the face of a F7. Turned back just outside the Western Entrance of Dover Harbour and have never set out in an F7 again.
I’ve often decided not to go out because of the forecast only to find that the foul weather never arrived.
2011 single handed from Niuewpoort to Dover, motoring all the way in bright sunshine. Next day set out for Brighton into the face of a F7. Turned back just outside the Western Entrance of Dover Harbour and have never set out in an F7 again.
I’ve often decided not to go out because of the forecast only to find that the foul weather never arrived.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
Old flier's saying, easily adapted to sailing: It's far better to be down here wishing you were up there than to be up there wishing you were down here.
Gwylan
Well-known member
Left At Vaast for night crossing to Brighton and then onwards.
Usual iffy forecast but things seemed OK.
Set off with the dusk at the last moment before it shut.
Got out and set course for Brighton. The mother and father of rain storms. Then crew announced that they were not sure their waterproofs were waterproof. And started asking questions about how long the passage was going to be
French meteo then went off about incoming weather.
Took the decision and went for Le Havre. Crew got the ferry home next day. They were all sick, the trip was dire.
I waited 5 days for better weather and new crew.
Usual iffy forecast but things seemed OK.
Set off with the dusk at the last moment before it shut.
Got out and set course for Brighton. The mother and father of rain storms. Then crew announced that they were not sure their waterproofs were waterproof. And started asking questions about how long the passage was going to be
French meteo then went off about incoming weather.
Took the decision and went for Le Havre. Crew got the ferry home next day. They were all sick, the trip was dire.
I waited 5 days for better weather and new crew.
capnsensible
Well-known member
Reverse polarity for a coal miner. ?
Biggles Wader
Well-known member
One place best avoided in a F7 is just outside Dover's western entrance. A lot of "let's turn back" decisions are made there.
Kukri
Well-known member
It’s famous for it; has been for the last hundred years at least.?
ip485
Well-known member
Yes.
On occasions not exactly turned back but curtailed a long passage because it was obvious everyone was getting a bit tired, and it made far better sense to divert and get a good sleep.
I have also gone somewhere else going into harbours when the conditions for one reason or another were especially unpleasant and there was a danger of hitting the bottom in big swells.
On occasions not exactly turned back but curtailed a long passage because it was obvious everyone was getting a bit tired, and it made far better sense to divert and get a good sleep.
I have also gone somewhere else going into harbours when the conditions for one reason or another were especially unpleasant and there was a danger of hitting the bottom in big swells.
westhinder
Well-known member
The plan was from Nieuwpoort to the Channel Islands and North Brittany. We were taking the tide around Cap Blanc Nez and Griz Nez against a fresh SW, with the associated awkward seas on the Ridens de Calais. our Rival 34 was coping ok, but hobbyhorsing, and my 4-5y old daughter was being sick in the cockpit, 9y old son with his feet up on the bench to avoid getting his rubber boots dirty. So we decided to divert into Calais, and waited for 3 days for the wind to moderate and veer. When the forecast did not show any improvement for the coming week, we turned tail and ran off to the Netherlands. It turned out to be the right decision as we had a wonderful time in the Frisian Islands, complete with heat wave.
it reminds me of the philosophy of the man from whom we bought that Rival: he made no plans other than that the first day of his holidays he would not go to windward. Whatever happens next, he would say, that is at least one day I won’t have to sail against the wind. He did make plenty of fine trips in that boat.
it reminds me of the philosophy of the man from whom we bought that Rival: he made no plans other than that the first day of his holidays he would not go to windward. Whatever happens next, he would say, that is at least one day I won’t have to sail against the wind. He did make plenty of fine trips in that boat.
mainsail1
Well-known member
Many is the time I have turned back.
You poke your head out of a peaceful harbour and find large waves and a nasty wind on the bow. I usually give it an hour or so and then decide if it is likely to improve or whether it is best to turn round and run for cover.
The worst decisions are made when you think you are under pressure to be somewhere. You need to always resist that pressure.
You poke your head out of a peaceful harbour and find large waves and a nasty wind on the bow. I usually give it an hour or so and then decide if it is likely to improve or whether it is best to turn round and run for cover.
The worst decisions are made when you think you are under pressure to be somewhere. You need to always resist that pressure.
alan_d
Well-known member
Similar story the first time I rounded Ardnamurchan, heading for Rum, and I wasn't even beating. Broad reaching with a lumpy sea, just passing the lighthouse and feeling increasingly sick, I thought "I'm supposed to be doing this for enjoyment, to hell with it", turned round and spent a pleasant afternoon and a restful night at anchor in Loch Sunart.
Fascadale
Well-known member
Out of Tobermory for Arisaig, turned back just short of Ardnamurchan Point
Out of Scrabster for Wick, turned back just short of Dunnet Head
Out of Milford Haven for Falmouth, turned back after about 40nms into a south westerly
Out of Viveiro for Camaret, turned back after about 30nms into a north wind trying to get back to the UK for work, ended up leaving the boat in Spain for the winter.
Out of Scrabster for Wick, turned back just short of Dunnet Head
Out of Milford Haven for Falmouth, turned back after about 40nms into a south westerly
Out of Viveiro for Camaret, turned back after about 30nms into a north wind trying to get back to the UK for work, ended up leaving the boat in Spain for the winter.