Interesting conditions off Devon yesterday

[Dutch01527]

We have been on a long weekend trip out oif Dartmouth down to Salcombe and the Yealm. Sailed back yesterday and the forecast looked good. About 30 miles, wind speed about 16 knots from the SW, gusting to about 22kt. Run or reach all the way.

Reality turned out to be different. Extremely variable and quick changing wind speeds. We experience a range from 8 knots to 30 knots over the trip which is not totally unusual but the speed and frequency of change was. We were lucky to get a settled wind speed for more than 30 minutes and when it changed the change was dramatic.

Made sail choices interesting and a few moments of excitement when hit by 25kt plus winds with full canvas up. Crew were two realitive novices and did a great job. I think they learnt a lot and so did I.

 

[johnalison]

I think the rule is that when cruising you reef for the gusts while when racing you reef for the lulls. However, I dare say that many of us will hold on to canvas longer than we should when the gust is not expected to last long, and at least it gives us a bit of fun.

 

[sarabande]

What time of day were you off Start and how far off ? Probably tide changes plus interaction of dominant wind with land masses. That's quite a trip uphill !

 

[johnalison]

You can generally expect at least one wind force more than forecast off headlands, hence Michael Fish's all-purpose but useless forecast "Variable 2-4, possibly 5 at times or 6 off exposed headlands".

 

[Adios]

I'm based in south Devon and can agree the wind this summer has been interesting in its general consistency of dreadfulness for the time of year, first strong chilly easterlies for a month, then strong gusty westerlies for a couple of months. I'm getting fed up of this for the lack of dinghy sailing and paddle boarding opportunities. The forecast is for more of the same all August, in fact with added cold air. Long range forecast

 

[fisherman]

I sailed up the Helford just before a SW blow, the wind was steady ish W <20kts dull, rainy and I did well, it's always a head wind upriver, and the high treelined banks can make it tricky. Soldier's wind.
Primitive sailing rowing boat.

Same trip after the blow, wind W <20 kts, sunny.... nightmare. Sudden gusts from directions unknown to the compass, ie straight down, taken aback, knocked down, b hard work.

 

[Dutch01527]

We were off Start Point at about 1.00pm approximately at tide change. Unusually the issues were not there or off any of the headlands, I went wide of them whilst well reefed. I would then get lulled into a false sense of optimism across the bays in benign conditions of about 12 to 14 knots. Gradually shake out the reefs and have 30 minutes of great sailing before a very quick wind increase to 25 knots plus which lasted for about 1/2 hour.

My boat is a Southerly 100 which has a undersized rudder due to it's lifting keel and minimum 0.7m draft with the keel up.. A combination of big quartering seas, too much sail and strong winds caused the boat to round up as the rudder was overwhelmed. First time I had experienced this on my new boat.

Luckily the two guys I had with me were inexperienced but rock solid. Both are senior RAF officers with combat zone experience and you could tell. No sea sickness, no panic and they followed instructions precisely and calmly.

I should have been more cautious and kept the reefs in and motor sailed as necessary. On the plus side the boat rounded up but did not crash gybe or broach and the recovery to control by easing sheets, using engine and reefing worked well so lessons learnt. I also learnt that my oversized and newish 35 hp engine and old, oversized, commercial spec chain driven autopilot were well within their comfort zone even in those conditions which is reassuring.

 

[Hermit]

senior RAF officers with hotels near a combat zone experience

Fixed it for you

 

[WoodyP]

Fixed it for you

Cheap shot.

 

[capnsensible]

Cheap shot.

From the mini bar?

 

[B27]

That area is funny sometimes.
It seems to be windier in Salcombe than outside some days.
Ithink the wind will funnel up the valleys and rattle out of Beesands and Torcross?
Sometimes near the valleys, it's better to be a few miles out where the wind is straighter.

I don't think the season has been bad genrally, compared to what we lost to 'no wind' early last season.
Just a bit light when we want to go dinghy racing and a bit rainy/windy/unpredictable now we want to go cruising.

 

[Dutch01527]

Fixed it for you

Brave people died or were horribly injured in in Iraq and Afganistan. My mates were operational and frontline then. Your post does you no credit, you might want to reconcider. .

 

[Adios]

Brave people died or were horribly injured in in Iraq and Afganistan. My mates were operational and frontline then. Your post does you no credit, you might want to reconcider. .

I think it was the *senior* officers that did it. Brought up images of General Melchett bravely sending squaddie's over the top from his office in the chateau. Pretty sure a bit of ribbing won't be enough to worry hardened veterans.

 

[KeelsonGraham]

We came back the other way from the West. A lovely 8 hour run from Falmouth to Plymouth on Friday as we cut our intended 3-week cruise down to a week. The relentless succession of lows rolling in (with no prospect of change) became tedious. There’s only so much pottering around the Fal that one can do. Conditions round Plymouth were certainly interesting on Saturday. It felt more like late September than July.

 

[Dutch01527]

Quote “I think it was the *senior* officers that did it. Brought up images of General Melchett bravely sending squaddie's over the top from his office in the chateau. Pretty sure a bit of ribbing won't be enough to worry hardened veterans.”

I agree and no offence taken. Maybe a bit sensitive because late last night, back on the boat and drinking too much red wine into the early hours after a good dinner ashore, talk turned to their experiences 20 years ago and some of it was harrowing to say the least. Never heard them talk about the reality of war before.

 

[Dutch01527]

We came back the other way from the West. A lovely 8 hour run from Falmouth to Plymouth on Friday as we cut our intended 3-week cruise down to a week. The relentless succession of lows rolling in (with no prospect of change) became tedious. There’s only so much pottering around the Fal that one can do. Conditions round Plymouth were certainly interesting on Saturday. It felt more like late September than July.

We sailed Dartmouth to Salcombe on Friday and Salcombe to Yealm on Saturday and it was fine albeit with some motor sailing because wind was on the nose. Sunday was very different but good in a challenge, teamwork and boat capacity sort of way.

 

[KeelsonGraham]

Ironically, we were also a boatload of ex RAF officers!

 

[Dutch01527]

Ironically, we were also a boatload of ex RAF officers!

They are everywhere. I have another trip with a different mate who is an ex bomber pilot leaving on Wednesday. Little bloke with a engineering bias so unknown to him I have a list of jobs that require crawling into spaces impossible for a ex rugby forward to access lined up for him.

 

[Greg2]

Brave people died or were horribly injured in in Iraq and Afganistan. My mates were operational and frontline then. Your post does you no credit, you might want to reconcider. .

Very true but this is the stuff of standard military banter and inter-service rivalry - would be taken in jest and met with a suitable retort by those that serve / have served

 

[capnsensible]

Ironically, we were also a boatload of ex RAF officers!

Can you sail sideways?