Heavy Weather Sailing

[Daydream believer]

We did our first Biscay crossing in 2004 during a 15 month Atlantic circuit. Only overnight passages before that. Its hard to know how you would uild up to heavy weather slowly. It just happens.
We have had F8 sailing down to Padstow from Milford Haven when the forecast was F6 dropping to F4 at the start. Half way there the forecast said F8 imminent. We had at the point been in it for several hours! F8 in the Bristol Channel ain't much fun.
We also brought the current boat up from Falmouth to Milford. That was a conscious decision to leave in F7 that turned into an 8 but wind behind us so very bumpy but not life threatening. The seas at dawn were unreal as there had been F9 from a different direction the day before. Very confused but a heavy boat handles it well. We were still glad to arrive safely.

The point is that Falmouth to Milford ( I have done it laying with my head over the side, puking most of the way for 20 hours, TWICE) is about 115 miles. So you have had a healthy short day trip experience of rough conditions. There is not a lot to run to when mid Bristol channel on that trip. Presumably, you did that prior to Biscay- you did not say. However. One would consider a Biscay crossing a good training for the Atlantic. You build up to it. Well most do.

 

[Daydream believer]

Pete Goss also thinks it’s a good read, but neither you nor the tens of thousands of people who cross oceans on small boats every year should feel an obligation to read it. It’s entirely voluntary.

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Pete Goss would have done better to read about boat building & design first

 

[st599]

Only time I've ever needed what I'd read in that book was on a day with a forecast of 14 - 18 kts, sunshine, clear visibility. It was that until we were 10 miles off Beachy Head when it became 55kts, zero vis and lightning.

 

[geem]

Thepoint is that falmouth to Milford ( I have done it laying with my head over the side, puking most of the way, TWICE) is about 115 miles. So you have had a healthy 24 hour experience of rough conditions. Presumably you did that proir to Biscay I do not know. However. One would consider a biscay crossing a good training for the Atlantic. You build up to it. Well most do.

No, Falmouth trip to Milford was after Biscay. Biscay was easy. We had plenty of time to wait for a perfect forecast. We only had a week off work to get boat home on Falmouth trip so just did it knowing the boat was more than up to it. It was my crews first time in rough weather. A bit of an eye opener for him?

 

[Daydream believer]

Only time I've ever needed what I'd read in that book was on a day with a forecast of 14 - 18 kts, sunshine, clear visibility. It was that until we were 10 miles off Beachy Head when it became 55kts, zero vis and lightning.

So can you recall what you did that you first learned from that book that you would not have done otherwise.
Or put another way. How did the book help?

 

[jwilson]

Pete Goss also thinks it’s a good read, but neither you nor the tens of thousands of people who cross oceans on small boats every year should feel an obligation to read it. It’s entirely voluntary.

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I wrote most of a chapter of that late 1990s edition. The key points - in my bit at least - were that "active sailing" was better than lying ahull or running under bare poles. Early editions were mostly dealing with smaller and older type yachts, with a more limited range of reports, perhaps because some potential reporters did not survive. Medium range weather forecasts have become remarkably good, and boats are generally bigger these days and hence faster. Also the bigger the boat (usually) the better it handles heavy weather.

If you are sailing a Bristol Channel pilot cutter or a traditional long-keeled yacht, the old editions might actually be of more value than the newer ones.

 

[BobnLesley]

I wonder if those books are aimed at the tens of thousands of people who cross oceans on small boats every year to plan ahead?

For anyone with ambitions of crossing an ocean this is the very last book you should be reading; it'll scare the beejaysus out of you and you may never set off

 

[capnsensible]

For anyone with ambitions of crossing an ocean this is the very last book you should be reading; it'll scare the beejaysus out of you and you may never set off

I did and I went. ?

 

[Daydream believer]

I did and I went. ?

& look what it has done to you ??

 

[BobnLesley]

I did and I went. ?

Me too, but I'm sure it would've been easier if I hadn't.

 

[zoidberg]

One would consider a Biscay crossing a good training for the Atlantic. You build up to it. Well most do.

I seem to recall Sir Robin Knox-Johnson writing * about 'the worst 24 hours I'd ever had' almost at the end of ENZA's 1994 record-breaking circumnavigation, with Sir Peter Blake, when struck by an exceptionally fierce storm that required them to employ serious drag devices to avoid a pitchpole...... crossing Biscay.

In that set of circumstances, one might be forgiven for remarking that the Southern Ocean might be considered good training for Biscay.... one builds up to it!


* In 'Flying Fish' as I recall, with a reference to that in HWS Third Edition.

 

[capnsensible]

& look what it has done to you ??

Yeah, so good I keep going back and doing it over and over again.

 

[capnsensible]

Most times I've crossed Biscay it's been mostly calm....

 

[allanc]

Only those who already know everything will ignore the wisdom of others.
Just look at the list of contributors to the book and ask yourself which one you would choose to ignore.
if you don't buy it for you, then get one of your crew, or family, to buy it for you.

Happy Christmas.

 

[capnsensible]

Me too, but I'm sure it would've been easier if I hadn't.

It inspired me! And jwilson advice regarding active sailing in heavy airs has worked for me.

 

[geem]

I did and I went. ?

Ditto that

 

[dunedin]

I seem to recall Sir Robin Knox-Johnson writing * about 'the worst 24 hours I'd ever had' almost at the end of ENZA's 1994 record-breaking circumnavigation, with Sir Peter Blake, when struck by an exceptionally fierce storm that required them to employ serious drag devices to avoid a pitchpole...... crossing Biscay.

In that set of circumstances, one might be forgiven for remarking that the Southern Ocean might be considered good training for Biscay.... one builds up to it!


* In 'Flying Fish' as I recall, with a reference to that in HWS Third Edition.

Wasn’t that in an 80 foot or so racing catamaran with big wing mast? Certainly weren’t going to heave to though in that.
RKJ was proud to say afterwards, that he held both the records for the fastest non stop round the world in a sailing yacht (on this cat) ……and the record for the slowest, on Suhali Quite a versatile sailor.

 

[geem]

Wasn’t that in an 80 foot or so racing catamaran with big wing mast? Certainly weren’t going to heave to though in that.
RKJ was proud to say afterwards, that he held both the records for the fastest non stop round the world in a sailing yacht (on this cat) ……and the record for the slowest, on Suhali Quite a versatile sailor.

Back in about 2003 I had a chance conversation with a guy who had just returned from an around the world trip on his boat. I was at the time planning our Atlantic circuit for the following year. I asked the circumnavigator what was his worst heavy weather experience. He said the Bristol Channel last Saturday!
I replied that I was also there! Seem we were both entering Milford Haven within an hour of each other in some of the biggest seas I had ever seen.
You don't need to go far to get some practise in for heavy weather sailing?

 

[srm]

Just got my copy off the shelf, first edition, third impression. Bought it with a book token given by colleagues when I left my first job (as a trainee hydrographic surveyor) after university. That was a couple of years before buying my first cruising boat.

Have not looked at more recent editions, and was not put off sailing by it.

 

[Daydream believer]

Mine is 4Th edition published 1991
As for rough weather I was asking a friend who had completed a transatlantic circuit in his Carter 33, about the constant motion.

My friend said that he had encountered rougher seas off Canvey Island. He says that the N Sea chop is different to the Atlantic swell. I still think that the water on the swell must be rough regardless of the swell itself. I am following the "Sailing Brothers" on You Tube & they seem to get some serious motion.
It is one reason why I have turned down the chance to crew a 40 ft yacht with friends on the 2023 ARC. The other is fear of everlasting sea sickness.

I still cannot get my head around how people cope with the motion. I get slung about in my 31 ft yacht down below in just F4.
On one rough trip from Ramsgate in September, I was hit by a wave & fell across the cabin. I was badly injured for 5 months. I was only below because Dover CG called me up on VHF, because they had received 2 different reports of a yacht in apparent difficulty. I went below to get my binoculars to look for the yacht. Turns out it was me & I was perfectly Ok- Until I went below that is.

In rougher water I rarely go below if I can help it. I find it difficult to move about the cockpit as well. Even on 100 mile passages I stay put to avoid injury. I just eat prepared sandwiches & water which I keep to hand from the cockpit. All sail handling is done from a small area with as little movement as possible.