john_morris_uk
Well-known member
No insurance for named storms is already the norm for many areas of the world as fas as yachts are concerned. Either that or if insurance is available, the premiums are eye watering.
Is climate destabilisation making cruising increasingly too risky?
- Thread starter bushwacka
- Start date
RunAgroundHard
Well-known member
But otherwise you are insured. Folks may not go sailing if weather risks increased such that no insurance became to expensive or not possible. Sure, some still will.
mjcoon
Well-known member
Will be; won't be; join the dance...
srm
Well-known member
Looking at the video I am left wondering why boats were parked ashore with the masts up in an area where strong winds could be reasonably expected.
When I lived in Shetland and Orkney no one ever put a boat ashore for the winter with the mast up because we knew it might get windy. We were too far north for hurricanes but around one year in four we could get sustained winds in the 70 to 85 knots range for a few hours.
When I lived in Shetland and Orkney no one ever put a boat ashore for the winter with the mast up because we knew it might get windy. We were too far north for hurricanes but around one year in four we could get sustained winds in the 70 to 85 knots range for a few hours.
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dunedin
Well-known member
Sshh don't tell anybody, but a lot of June & July it was wetter down in the South of England than many parts of Scotland.
rotrax
Well-known member
IIRC the following is a standard for the areas hurricane season. Obviously climate change is adjusting it.
June-Too Soon.
July-Stand By
August-You Must
September-Remember
October-All Over
That is a couple of hundred years old.
Supertramp
Well-known member
Depending on where you are in the world, there are a few places where the risk of serious damage or threat to life is increasing. For most the weather is changing established patterns which is an inconvenience rather than a risk. Incidents like Beryl reinforce this reality, especially as we can measure and forecast more accurately.
Scotland always was wet - is it measurably different in terms of rainfall amount and days with sunshine? I recall summers with few or no sunny days. I sense, but cannot prove, that Western UK winds in recent years have been more volatile with a greater difference between average and gust wind strengths.
With more accurate and accessible forecasting available I don't think cruising is more risky yet, but is more inconvenient with change from established patterns and more extremes.
Scotland always was wet - is it measurably different in terms of rainfall amount and days with sunshine? I recall summers with few or no sunny days. I sense, but cannot prove, that Western UK winds in recent years have been more volatile with a greater difference between average and gust wind strengths.
With more accurate and accessible forecasting available I don't think cruising is more risky yet, but is more inconvenient with change from established patterns and more extremes.
srm
Well-known member
While the Caribbean and associated areas are the typical haunts of hurricanes there have been two directly effecting the Azores in the last few years.
Jan 5 2016, and well out of the official season, hurricane Alex tracking north ran over the central islands, though it had been downgraded to tropical storm when 100 miles south of us.
Oct 2 2019 Lorenzo ran over the western Azores at hurricane strength causing very serious damage.
Jan 5 2016, and well out of the official season, hurricane Alex tracking north ran over the central islands, though it had been downgraded to tropical storm when 100 miles south of us.
Oct 2 2019 Lorenzo ran over the western Azores at hurricane strength causing very serious damage.
Supertramp
Well-known member
In complete agreement that global weather is changing.
My comment was that together with weathrr changes and greater extremes we have better understanding of weather event triggers, better monitoring and measurement, better forecasting and better tools to receive information when cruising. Which for most turns a risk into an inconvenience.
That said, I have no desire to endure a hurricane while cruising.
Sea Change
Well-known member
We were one of the only boats who took their mast down. The yard really wasn't expecting it, and didn't have proper storage etc.
RunAgroundHard
Well-known member
The videos suggest the design of boat props to manage hurricane risks could have been better. Of course, there is a limit to design capability, cost and probability.
RunAgroundHard
Well-known member
Rainfall in Scotland is fairly consistent over the decades but is now increasing, as it is in the UK as a whole, roughly 1500 v 1100 mm per year average, Scotland, UK, respectively. Of course local weather varies significantly from place to place.
Annual rainfall in Scotland 2023 | Statista.
UK: annual rainfall 1910-2023 | Statista.
srm
Well-known member
Many years ago Don Street produced a map of the Caribbean showing all known hurricane tracks to make the point that no where could be regarded as safe.
westernman
Well-known member
Fred drift.
Is climate change going to make getting up to have a pee in a long airplane flight seriously dangerous?
Is climate change going to make getting up to have a pee in a long airplane flight seriously dangerous?
ctva
Well-known member
Yes, remember the party line… weather is always shit up here. That along with the midges and locals make it a not nice place.
Sandy
Well-known member
You are being very short termist. You are only looking at 'recorded weather' events.
I can't think why the OP though that hurricanes are unexpected as they happen every year. Perhaps unusual in terms of month, but lots of pals were surprised by storm Antonio in August 2023 and had to be reminded about the Fastnet storm many years ago.
When it comes to weather and climate nothing surprises me. I can show you round some lovely glacial features in north Devon and on Dartmoor.
GHA
Well-known member
Opencpn has a climatology plugin which shows lots of historical data, inc. cylones, displays 30 days from date in the box (configurble)
Showing tracks doesn't tell much without looking at when. Beryl was a first in many ways..
srm
Well-known member
According to news reports it already is.
LittleSister
Well-known member
"In Hertford, Hereford, and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly ever happen"
That is nearly 70 years old.
RupertW
Well-known member
What? The whole point is that the “foreigners with boats” have been at the forefront of helping those much worse off than themselves. Nobody has suggested the boats get any priority.