Thank you unit18, couldn't have said it better myself. Just mainly trying to temper the "bigger and slower is always safer" attitude of most people, and for what it's worth if Brendan ever invited me out on his boat to "gain experience" I would gladly join him before setting foot on someone's boat who is inexperienced, but convinced thet will be OK because they have a larger yacht with bags of expensive equipment.
How Stormy A Sea Have You Been in?
- Thread starter Gludy
- Start date
BrendanS
Well-Known Member
The big mistake people make, is assuming it's going to be uncomfortable out there, rather than just going to take a look. I've been out there in F7/8 when no other boats were moving, and it's been millpond flat and planed at 30+ knts from Needles to Cowes and had an absolute hoot.
Other times I've been out to the Needles in a F4 and turned back as the conditions were just too bad. You can't generalise about these things, which is why I head out that way, everytime I'm on the boat, just to have a look - you build up a huge amount of local knowledge this way, that often defies what you would expect from the weather forecast.
Other times I've been out to the Needles in a F4 and turned back as the conditions were just too bad. You can't generalise about these things, which is why I head out that way, everytime I'm on the boat, just to have a look - you build up a huge amount of local knowledge this way, that often defies what you would expect from the weather forecast.
powerskipper
Well-Known Member
Very true, Brendan. have seen the same many times.
tome
Well-Known Member
Agree. Provided you avoid wind against tide in the Solent, it can be very calm in quite strong winds. SWMBO thinks nothing of a 7-8 in these conditions. OTOH, big spring tides can put up a vicious short sea if opposed to the wind.
Gludy
Well-Known Member
I have to agree with your overall point.
I have been out and had an enjoyable time when no one else has been around because of a bad forecast.
I also agree that taking a look is the only way to learn and its often worth taling a look.
The wind force is of course only one factor - I realised this when I asked the question but I wanted to get a feel for the experience of forumites and it was much easier to form a question based on wind speed than sea state.
I have been out and had an enjoyable time when no one else has been around because of a bad forecast.
I also agree that taking a look is the only way to learn and its often worth taling a look.
The wind force is of course only one factor - I realised this when I asked the question but I wanted to get a feel for the experience of forumites and it was much easier to form a question based on wind speed than sea state.
powerskipper
Well-Known Member
I asked a similar question a while back, here is the thread.
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php?C...&PHPSESSID=
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php?C...&PHPSESSID=
Col
Well-Known Member
Absolutely agree. Got caught in 9/10 there once. Forcast was 6-7 gusting 8. Dec 4-5 later.... Except later it was 9/10 S/W. Had fun and games getting into north channel as wind was forcing us into a more northerly route.
ashanta
Well-Known Member
14% force 12. Very impressive!
kindredspirit
Well-Known Member
Gludy, you'll have to use the Douglas Scale now instead.
http://www.eurometeo.com/english/read/doc_douglas
.
http://www.eurometeo.com/english/read/doc_douglas
.
Gludy
Well-Known Member
Yes, f12 is really something in a power boat ... 14%, I am very impressed they are here to vote. 
Gludy
Well-Known Member
Yep the problem with the Douglas scale is noone knows it well.
Never the less with 14% having experienced f12 in a pleasure power boat .... there is really no need for nay more wind around here.
Never the less with 14% having experienced f12 in a pleasure power boat .... there is really no need for nay more wind around here.
Gludy
Well-Known Member
I am sorry but how can a thread on How Long you have been boating equate in anyway to a thread on what strength winds you have been in?
I cannot see the logic skip between the two. one has an answer in years, the other in beufort scale wind force ......
I await with baited breath for the female logic that is now going to be applied in answering this.....
I cannot see the logic skip between the two. one has an answer in years, the other in beufort scale wind force ......
I await with baited breath for the female logic that is now going to be applied in answering this.....
whisper
Well-Known Member
In all honesty I'm not sure that wind force is the best parameter for describing "stormy seas". Fetch, the length of time it has been blowing from this direction, water depth and tidal flows all pay a major part in creating big seas. The highest seas that I've been in, in our motor boat, occured with only a force 5 blowing and the wave height was a good 5 meters. Against this I was out today in an F 6/7 and the sea was almost flat because the wind was offshore. I've also been out on a yacht in a F9 with gusts up to F11 or more and the seas were no more than 1 m.
Mind you, the thought of F11 or more, in the open sea, with a 23000 tonner surfing, is pretty awesome however the seastate was created /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Mind you, the thought of F11 or more, in the open sea, with a 23000 tonner surfing, is pretty awesome however the seastate was created /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
BrendanS
Well-Known Member
In fairness, Gludy has already acknowledged that point, but I can see why he used windforce, as many people cannot accurately describe sea state
Based on practical experience (ie just looking at who else is out on the water) very few powerboaters venture out on the water in much over F4 to be honest, and even those few tend to be sticking close to home rather than cruising along the coastline.
In anything above a F5, I'd only expect to see maybe one other powerboater out between Solent and Weymouth, and that would probably be a rib, or something over 35'
Based on practical experience (ie just looking at who else is out on the water) very few powerboaters venture out on the water in much over F4 to be honest, and even those few tend to be sticking close to home rather than cruising along the coastline.
In anything above a F5, I'd only expect to see maybe one other powerboater out between Solent and Weymouth, and that would probably be a rib, or something over 35'
Gludy
Well-Known Member
That is my experience in the Bristol Channel. Very few power boats out in f5 and above - even sometimes when the f5 is coming off the land and wave height is small.
Gludy
Well-Known Member
If you now look at the survey figures the most popular highest wind is f7 and that is what I would expect - figues build up and die down after this most popular answer until you get to f12 when suddenly they jump up to an amazing 16% again. Yet f12 winds are very rare and the chance of being caight out in one even rarer ...... now that is surprising.
whisper
Well-Known Member
Yes, fair comment. I'd be interested to know, however, how people have judged wind force in most of these answers. I'm not sure how many of us have anemometers?? fitted on our boats. In my answer I quoted what the forecast said it was, or was likely to be, at the time. Presumably that's what others have done.
BrendanS
Well-Known Member
This is ybw, not an carefully selected group of mori poll respondents - so don't expect the results to give you anything workable with. I suspect that forum members are more experienced and keen than most boaters, so F7 is believable, but even that is higher than I'd have expected.
Having said that, given some of the posters here, I'd quite believe F10 type numbers, as I know several have been out in that and higher
A number are not going to admit to it though, as they'll be worried about the knee jerk 'RNLI statistic' reaction. Most people know I go out in rough weather, and have admitted to it before, so not too worried about taking stick, and can argue my corner. Many I suspect may vote, but won't publicly admit to it.
Having said that, given some of the posters here, I'd quite believe F10 type numbers, as I know several have been out in that and higher
A number are not going to admit to it though, as they'll be worried about the knee jerk 'RNLI statistic' reaction. Most people know I go out in rough weather, and have admitted to it before, so not too worried about taking stick, and can argue my corner. Many I suspect may vote, but won't publicly admit to it.
jimi
Well-Known Member
I've been in F10 in Soton water and nothing to worry about. I've been caught in F9 in wind against a big spring tide near Alderney and got knocked down twice .. not an experience I'd care to repeat, Wind is not the problem, sea state is.
Gludy
Well-Known Member
I ay no time would dispute that it is sea state that is the issue.
I also agree that sea state does not have a direct corrleation to wind speed.
There is no issue whatsover with me on that.
The poll was to get folks discussing what sea they have been out in using a aimple measure that is reasonably well known, Many have made the point that wind is not the important ascpect but sea state is ... I do not think anyone has denied that.
In as much as the poll had a purpose, it has achieved it because the stories and discussions, all relating to boating, have been good.
I also agree that sea state does not have a direct corrleation to wind speed.
There is no issue whatsover with me on that.
The poll was to get folks discussing what sea they have been out in using a aimple measure that is reasonably well known, Many have made the point that wind is not the important ascpect but sea state is ... I do not think anyone has denied that.
In as much as the poll had a purpose, it has achieved it because the stories and discussions, all relating to boating, have been good.
