Is enough made of the Squall ?

[Guest]

Had any, or seen any, bad experiences with sudden squalls ?

Seems to me that more emphasis should be given to it, particularly for new sailors.

 

[Ohdrat]

had an interesting moment (read broach) with a squall and a cruising chute ... hung on a for a few mo's wondering how cold the water was (Scotland) and then the squall was over and the chute came down where upon the wind died completely.. ho hum ..

 

[Twister_Ken]

Probably not. They are a fact of life, and not just in the doldrums. As far as training people I'm not sure how much you can do in the classroom to train people to see them coming, it's really down to sea miles with an experienced mentor.

My favourite squall story (he said boasting again) was during some local dinghy race on the Blackwater, when I was fairly new to my Fireball. There was a very obvious big black line squall moving down the Blackwater, and even thinking about it was enough to scare the fertiliser out of me. So we ran up onto the bank, dropped the sails and sat it out (only about 15 minutes). Meanwhile, on the water boats were going over, sails being torn, booms bent, rescue boat overwhelmed with customers. Afterwards we continued racing, and placed well, because most of the macho crews had come to grief. It was probably my best result of the season!

 

[peterb]

How long ago was that squall? We also got hit by a line squall in the Blackwater, but we were in a 32ft cruiser. The wind went from F2 to F7 in less than 30 seconds!

 

[webcraft]

First time I took a yacht round the Mull of Kintyre myself we were hit by a squall just as we were off the lighthouse. For the previous six hours or so coming down from Gigha the wind had been steady, the sea slight and the weather sunny, and I hadn't been paying much attention to the approaching band of cloud.

The wind went from 12 knots to 28 knots in about thirty seconds - which woke my crew rather rudely from his peaceful slumber opposite me in the cockpit. We were now hard on the wind on our current course with the lee decks awash.

Thinking it was just a prolonged gust I let the main right out, eased the (big, non-furling) genoa and bore away slightly. We were now screaming along at eight knots with the boom almost in the water and heading out into the tanker lanes. I shouted to my crew to let the jib sheets fly, and he did - and they did - with no stopper knots I now had a flailing, flogging nightmare waiting for me on the foredeck, with no sign of the wind dropping. In just five minutes the sea had gone from almost calm to steep six footers with breaking crests, and ahead I could see the main part of the tide race approaching with more broken water.

At this stage it seemed prudent to put the engine on . . . we dropped the main and I gave my crew a good laugh as he watched me getting severely beaten about the head by the flailing and now very knotted genny sheets as we slammed into the seas. Pulling the sail down I had to lie on top of it and attempt to fold it up underneath myself. Apparently the look on my face was priceless when at one point I left the foredeck and levitated six feet above it to the extent of my harness before crashing down again.

No sooner had we got the mess sorted out than the wind died away to less than eight knots . . . There is something weird about headlands which encourages an unnatural number of occurrences of this type of event.

I realised afterwards that we had basically sailed under a huge cu-nim, and that the prolonged squall was the result of the dramatic updrafts involved in a cloud of this type. In a microlight I would have known not to go anywhere near it, but on a yacht I had completely failed to percieve it as a relevant item. I haven't been caught out like that again. I think that one of the lessons of this type of experience is the value of reefing down at night, as you can't see this type of weather change coming.

Well, that's my tuppenceworth . . . as I said, I was relatively inexperienced at the time and now a similar sequence of events would be handled with a little more decorum. (Always a fig8 in the end of the sheets now!) I think people should be aware of squalls, know how to spot them coming and have a plan for dealing with them. Suddenly finding the boat seriously overcanvassed and almost out of control can be an alarming experience for a relatively inexperienced skipper, and could result in damage to sails or gear.

Hope this doesn't count as one of those scary stories people have been complaining about in the mags . . .

<font color=blue>Nick</font color=blue>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bluemoment.com>

</A>

 

[Twister_Ken]

>How long ago was that squall?< 1969 or 1970??? nm

§

 

[Spacewaist]

Strangely enough....

..I got caught by one yesterday, in the Eastern Approach to the Solent about 3 miles N of the Nab Tower.

Had just been to Brighton for Saturday night - (have you BEEN to Brighton? it's appalling!) - returning mid afternoon. Big black lump of cloud about 2 miles across (according to Radar). Conditions were about S 12-15 kts and then wind built to 30+ knots; p**sing rain. Dumped Main sheet and waited for it to pass - which it did but not without a thunderclap which knackered my VHF - again.

THE MOST spectacular rainbow once it had passed.

LOOK OUT!!! Behind y.......! Five more hoots and you're history!

 

[vyv_cox]

My favourite is similar, but not quite. We sailed a regatta at Montrose in about 1988 when we still owned a Hobie 16. We were the only cat to enter (acceptable in Scotland) the other 30 or so competitors in a variety of monohull dinghies. On the Saturday the wind blew F5 or so and we won both races. On Sunday the wind was much lighter and we knew we would be lucky to hold on to our first place. We sailed race 3 without either of us needing the trapeze, finished, and watched the fleet approach the finish line only a few minutes behind, nothing like the 10 or 12 minutes that we needed. Suddenly a massive squall swept down the loch and the whole fleet was capsized! It was many minutes before the survivors finished, and we won the event. I still have the "yard of ale" trophy on the wall at home.

 

[jamesjermain]

Feeling like an idiot

I find squalls quite impossible to predict. I've sat like a lemon a number of times with a well rolled genny and double reefed main on a mirror sea while a big black cloud passes harmlessly over.

During a passage back from the Azores we had been becalmed for nearly 48 hours when a thin line of cloud approached from the south west. Anticipating the first true wind for two days, we put in a reef and six rolls in the genny - just in case.

All we got was a plague of sub-tropical moths.

We remained becalmed for another 18 hours.

JJ

 

[jimi]

Re: Strangely enough....

We were returning from Poole yesterday afternoon where we had been hit by severe squalls both on the way there and the way back, wind up to 30 knots plus in 15 secs then could'nt see the wind display as blinded by driving hailstones and busy winching the rollerreefing in on the genoa in before the genoa blew itself to bits! Think we probably saw the cloud formation that caught you. It was pretty impressive and we were arguing whether it was a line squall formation or a conventional thunderstorm. It seemed to dissipate pretty rapidly over the land!

 

[Cornishman]

Where do you suggest that more should be made of squalls? An evening class seems inappropriate, and you could do a dozen 5 days practical courses without experiencing one and then the first time you are on your own - Whoosh!
Nobody has mentioned here the violent changes to wind direction as well as rapid increase in force. I have experienced squalls in the Western Channel where the wind backs about 2 points ahead of the squall and veers 4 points after it, all in about 10 minutes.

Fishing's scat
Farming's scat
Mining's scat
Ah! well, back to wrecking

 

[sailbadthesinner]

Probably not. but all you can really say to your novice sailor is keep your eyes peeled and reef ealry even if you are not sure. and keep drumming that in.

the rest is all experience. 30 to 76 knts is the best i have seen. we were tied up in falmouth but I was still blown off the coach roof trying to parcel wrap the sail cover.

Come on brain.get this over and i can go back to killing you with beer

 

[bedouin]

Why not evening classes? Okay so it is only theory - but given that these are comparatively rare then the theory is important. After all we discuss TRS in evening classes don't we.

I don't mean to criticise the RYA syllabus, but there does seem to be a gap - YM is a good course but it doesn't cover everything. It would be nice to see RYA (or someone) looking at an "Advanced Sailing", or "Performance Sailing" course which looked at things like wind, sail trim and the like.

So many sea schools concentrate purely on the RYA syllabus that it is difficult for the cruising sailor to get courses in anything beyond YM.

 

[robp]

About 1994, I think. Took some company members out for a jolly and to watch some racing off Cowes. Typical early September day. Solent CG came up; "Storm over Hurst Castle, mid Solent 45 minutes". I never checked but maybe he had said "4 to 5 minutes"! The words were just coming out of my mouth, "we'd better reduce sail", when there was an almighty bang and someone turned the lights out. I managed to roll away the Genny but clearly not tight enough, as the wind pulled it out above and below the sheets. Nicely shredded! The ferry started to come out of Wooton Creek and went back in again! and the mayday calls went up. Then a body found near the forts.

Sun came out and off we went - under power with a very nervous staff.

Monday morning I called a well known sail maker for the necessary. He said, "must have been that squall on Saturday?" "Yes" I says. He told me that they heard the same call and being out by the NAB, took note of the spinnakers behind him, with a view to dropping his when they did. Next time he looked they were all in tatters! At least he had some warning. 68 knots over the deck.

 

[nicho]

I must confess I did not know it was such a common problem, or are these related stories gathered over a long period of time. I've been boating in the Solent area for around 5 years, and have never experienced one - have I just been lucky, or do they only happen occasionally.

 

[tome]

Had a similiar experience 9th Sep coming into Chichester, though a bit prolonged to be a squall. Furled headsail in lull before it hit but not tight enough and watched it disintegrate in gusts up to 58 knots. Wife thought it was exciting, bloody pleased it didn't put her off for life!

Most squalls I've experienced have been in winter sailing when few others about. Some are classic cold front line squalls which are easy to spot, but occasionally hit without warning.

 

[TheBoatman]

This year on the Medway regatta we were hit by a squall, up at Chatham no wind at Garrison Point 45 knts. In 5 minutes we had 3people in trouble 2 went over the side, one via a smack on the side of the head with a boom and another other guy with suspected heart attack. It all got a bit hectic for 10 minutes and that was the entire length of the squall, but it all turned out OK. One put back on to the boat and two landed to the ambulance service. BUT very frightening all the same. I ask the question "How do you train/tell anyone about squalls"
I have been in mid channel both fishing and sailing and seen water spouts in squalls, its all very frightening, but all you can can really do is batten down and ride it out.

 

[kingfisher]

oosterschelde, april 2000

We were sailing in a fleet of 6 yachts, during the sea-scout training week "Ships command, tidal waters". Weather was a brisk 4-5bft, when Wemeldinge Radio issued a weather warning F9 coming from the south. So we had about 30mins to prepare. Everybody who wasn't suited up got their gear on (of course they were already in pfd and lifeline). Engine started to warm up, main sail fully reefed, head sail removed.
You could already make out a black band at the horizon. When the shore disappeared, eveything that floated, including the barges and coasters, went head to wind (never saw that before, scared us shitless). When it hit us, it was like nothing I'd ever gone through. You couldn't talk, you had to yell. The main was flogging itself to death, the engine was going full blast to keep us in position, as suddenly the hanked on headsail that was tied to the rail came loose.

I went forward and put my (considerable)weight in the scale, and tried to subdue the beast. Suddenly I saw something come out of the rain: one of the other training yachts, opting for the running strategy (they have an OB engine, which probably couldn't take the strain). They passed three lenghts in front of us, and were gone in a split second. Don't want to think of the consequences if they had struck us.

After 10 mins. it was gone, and even the sun returned. We were in the middle of the 5 M wide Oosterscheld when it started, and just 500m from the leeward shore when it cleared. Another 5-10 mins and we would have beached.

Group of people on the pontoon: skipper is the one with the toolbox.
http://sirocco31.tripod.com

 

[pugwash]

How Blake made something of it

Peter Blake was racing up the Rangitoto Channel into Auckland on his last Whitbread. He was neck-and-neck with 'Fish-pie,' wind aft and huge spinnaker up, huge spectator fleet, whole country watching on TV or listening to radio. He must have felt something in his bones because he got his navigator to see what he could pick up on the local radio. It was a phone-in. A bloke in an outer suburb said: "Don't know what's happening to Blakey but I can tell you one thing, my washing's blowing the other way." This was reported to Blake who convinced his puzzled crew to get ready on the spinnaker haliards and the big jenny. Seconds before the big squall hit on the nose he yelled "Drop it!" The kite came down and the jenny was set and Fishpie was left floundering and aback. He won by ten minutes.
Not sure what the moral is but squalls can be good for you -- as long as you see them coming.

 

[AndrewB]

Looe Channel, Sept 85.

I've experienced quite a few over the years, with at least 3 in or around the Solent. Apparently they are particularly prevalent in that area. Scarey, but are usually over too quick to be really dangerous.

An exception was one I encountered in a 26' cruising yacht when in the Looe channel, off Selsey Bill. I was delivering the yacht down channel with my son, sailing west towards the Solent. We had a F6 easterly wind behind us, and with a fair amount of swell I'd taken a bit of a chance going into the channel with night coming on. But with the full spring ebb under us it would get us into the Solent before nightfall.

We were thundering along with the genoa poled out, when I suddenly realised it was getting very dark. Looking up, I could see that the sky ahead was being blotted out by a huge, inky black cloud that was coming straight for us. To see clouds moving dead against a strong wind is a truely unnerving sight. Underneath the cloud flashes of lightning could be seen. Normally it would be a case of get all sails down, put up the storm jib, get everyone below and lie hove too. But in our position this was unthinkable. We were approaching the narrowest, shallowest part of the Looe Channel, with little room between the rocky shelves to left and right, and I was just desperate to get through the narrow gap at the western end before the squall struck.

We blasted past the twin buoys with just moments to spare when, with all sail up, we were flattened by an instantaneous 180 degree wind shift and a F7 from the west. It was pitch black, but as we bore off and struggled to get the sails down, in the lightning flashes we could see that with a near gale now against the full ebb, combined with the heavy swell, the Looe channel had been transformed into a maelstrom. Was I glad we had made it through.

Then the heavens opened and we were soaked. We motorsailed up to Chichester Harbour. By the time we reached there, the cloud had passed over and all became calm in the last rays of the setting sun.