How Much Wind?

[Argonautical]

You live 110 miles away from your pride & joy, you have limited free time, mainly your boating is limited to weekends only! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

You arrive at the marina, having been let down by the ever changing his bloody mind weather man.............. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

How much wind would you endure? Waht sea state would you consider going out in, just for a quick blast?

Force 5, becoming 6 maybe, sea state moderate or rough......?

I wouldnt, but how about you? How much do you want some use out of your engines?

Jas. The ever peeed off with the weekend weather man!

 

[Whitelighter]

Well, I am going out tomorrow come hell or (and?) high water. The wind strength looks to be about 15knts and once you are out there will be fine.

 

[rubberduck]

Inland 5, sea 3-4. The last couple of years do seem to have been a bit blowy. SWMBO blames it on me, and the hole in the ozone layer. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[SnaxMuppet]

I don't have any hard and fast rules just for a hour's jolly. It very much depends on conditions and circumstances. For example... if the wind is a force 6 but in an easy direction for getting on and off my berth and it isn't likely to change much while I am out then I might go out for an hour or two knowing that if things don't look good then I can get back safely onto my berth. On the other hand a F4 that makes getting on/off the berth difficult I might decide not to go at all. I try to avoid strong wind over strong tide situations too.

That is for little jollies for an hour or two but I have more strict "rules" that I apply if going further afield. Generally, if I am going away for the night or going far enough away to make a change in the weather possible/probable then I don't go if the forecast is:

wind > F4
vis < moderate
sea > slight

This depends SO much though on which boat you have, your experience, your attitude to being in poor weather (it could be safe but some people just don't like it!), your passengers, the forecast and many more things so my guidelines really only apply to me. You have to have your own limits based on your own boat, experience, berthing situation etc.

 

[Richard10002]

I know it's a bit different for raggies, but I'm as happy pottering about on the boat in the marina or at anchor as I am sailing, so if there is any doubt I stay put and:

fix something
read a book
watch the world go by
have a kip
etc.....

 

[volvopaul]

Have got plenty of wind after last night session!
On a serious note the solent is ok for 5/6 if its wind with tide have been out in it quite a few times, but near hurst it gets a bit different as its a very uneven bottom , just be sensible and dont take any chances, if theres no one else out there then stay put!

 

[gjgm]

if theres no one else out there then stay put!

yes+ when it was just me and the lifeboat at St Albans Head, I decided maybe it was time to retire...

 

[Wiggo]

Well, I've been out at night with no moon and horzontal rain in a 7 gusting 9 (Rickp will vouch for this one), pontoon bashing in Cowes in a 9 and crossed Christchurch bay in an 8 gusting 10. But that's just me. Being more sensible, F5 is about the limit if the wind has been blowing for any length of time, F6 if it's just picking up and we're not going far. Sea state is more important than wind, and as 'moderate' can mean virtually anything, it's best avoided IMHO...

 

[[2068]]

Anything more than a sustained F5, and you'll find me in the pub or at home...

F6 maybe in and around the Harbour, but anything stronger makes mooring v.difficult as Sparkes is a bit tight!

dv.

 

[blueglass]

[ QUOTE ]
Sea state is more important than wind, and as 'moderate' can mean virtually anything, it's best avoided IMHO...

[/ QUOTE ]
agreed. the term moderate is a misleading one in this case and in my experience there is nothing moderate about it at all, in a small boat.
smooth or slight is the only safe (ish) bet.

 

[blueglass]

I prefer a decisive forecast which leaves nothing to think about, like the force 11 (yes!) we had in the S of F in june.

 

[aquaholic]

As long as I can get off and on the pontoon with no damage I'm off, thats why I had to get a boat with a wheel house and not a stitch of canvas /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Oen]

F11...














As long as you have a Nelson, know how to drive it, and have been out in F10 before!






...or you have an Arun and have b*lls of steel, in which case there's no need to listen to the forecast.

 

[benjenbav]

[ QUOTE ]
You live 110 miles away from your pride & joy, you have limited free time, mainly your boating is limited to weekends only!

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like me. I'm often on my own on the boat so I try to avoid leaving my berth if it looks like I'm not going to enjoy the conditions. There's always something else to do and I'd much rather avoid putting myself and others at risk.

 

[Elessar]

Impossible question.

Saturday I did Chatham to Ramsgate. White horses bulding so top end of a 3 I reckon. Experienced crew, no kids, but it had been strong S-S/W for days so lifejackets were put on before going round N Foreland and we were indeed greeted by the steep, horrid waves that expected. I wouldn't have like to have taken them on the beam at all and the fordeck was being completely submerged in some of the troughs. We got rather wet even on the flybridge and used quite a lot of throttle to get into the harbour between waves as we had to dash with them on the beam.

In the harbour we had some lunch then moved to a more sheltered berth over by the wall. Nearly into the berth and there was a back eddy in the wind which caught me completely unawares and a nice raggy cleaning his boat with quick reactions saved my gelcoat.

So F3 in harbour - not normally a problem - but was too much for me on Saturday!

Oh and when I was in Sparkes you could log onto chimet and see the actual wind before getting in the car - are there any other live services like that around?