'Not so heavy weather' survival

[pcatterall]

Reading the heavy weather survival thread with some interest and also some concern.
We just returned our yacht from Liverpool to Preston. The forcast was force 4 but gusty ( in the event wind speed was around 20/25kn W). As we had more time than required we motored slowly down the channel exiting about an hour before LW. We were tempted to turn back due to quite a big swell/breaking waves but reasoned we could 'have a look' outside the channel to see if conditions improved. In the event there was an improvement and we felt ok to sail on to Preston. The waves were quite confused and for comfort we were hand steering. Going into the Ribble we again experienced a high swell but quite comfortable with the tide.
We finished this short journey quite tired, bruised and glad to be ashore.
When I read about sailing in 8,9,and 10 I wonder if we are just softies or were our conditions made worse by waves being piled up close to the shore and especially over the L'pool ebb.

 

[nigel1]

Assume you went to the end of the Queens Channel, but yes, your right, the seas can get really bad in the channel, especially with the wind over the ebb.
Even the pilots on the commecial ytaffic comment on that it's a nasty sea there.

Glad to hear you arrived safely anyway

 

[Stu Jackson]

Hi, could you help explain "bruised?" Were you and your crewmates physically harmed and banged up and black & blue, or was it just a "bouncy" ride?

 

[pcatterall]

Stu, just a few bruises from the bumpy ride! being of a 'certain age' I bruise easilly but more from pressure against objects ( keeping wedged in) rather than falling!!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Ah, I get it. We all get to the point when all we have to do is look at it, right? Glad you made it all safely home.

 

[Searush]

The river is relatively shallow & fast flowing, wind over tide (esp NW'ly over ebb) makes for really evil seas, very short & steep.

The Ferry boats can struggle sometimes, even with their "storm" gangways which are longer & have rollers to accomodate the movement. Passengers leave in small groups with a run & a jump, tough luck for the elderly, but the kids love it!

 

[Heckler]

Reading the heavy weather survival thread with some interest and also some concern.
We just returned our yacht from Liverpool to Preston. The forcast was force 4 but gusty ( in the event wind speed was around 20/25kn W). As we had more time than required we motored slowly down the channel exiting about an hour before LW. We were tempted to turn back due to quite a big swell/breaking waves but reasoned we could 'have a look' outside the channel to see if conditions improved. In the event there was an improvement and we felt ok to sail on to Preston. The waves were quite confused and for comfort we were hand steering. Going into the Ribble we again experienced a high swell but quite comfortable with the tide.
We finished this short journey quite tired, bruised and glad to be ashore.
When I read about sailing in 8,9,and 10 I wonder if we are just softies or were our conditions made worse by waves being piled up close to the shore and especially over the L'pool ebb.

Peter
A babtism of fire then? Funny how we stick our nose out to have a look and then we go for it, I did the same 3 years ago from Holyhead, got a call from Holyhead Coastguard once we were past South Stack, there was a 9 imminent! we got through OK though!
Stu
Stu

 

[JimC]

When I read about sailing in 8,9,and 10 I wonder if we are just softies or were our conditions made worse by waves being piled up close to the shore and especially over the L'pool ebb.

On Saturday at our sailing club (Glasson S.C.) we had a very interesting talk by Roger Taylor who makes incredible voyages in a 20ft Corribee. He said he wasn't worried by the open sea, it was where the sea and land came together that the danger came (I'm paraphrasing his words). I've heard similar from other experienced ocean voyagers. Also you were going into the Irish Sea; Admiral Nelson reportedly said that if you can sail in the Irish sea you can sail anywhere.

P.S. Did you get to the Clyde? you were asking about routes and transit harbours recently I recall.

 

[KellysEye]

> I wonder if we are just softies or were our conditions made worse by waves being piled up close to the shore

No not softies but sensible by the sound of it. You went out, looked at the conditions, and decided they were OK but by the sound of it a bit testing. That's the perfect way to gain experience and precisely what we did. We wanted to go ocean sailing so we went out in ever more testing conditions up to a near gale. Then when we got our first full gale you basically know what to expect.

Having said that I've never set of in a full gale, it's dumb thing to do. However if ocean sailing it comes wth the territory and as I said before it's a been there done that feeling. If you go out in the same conditions again I suspect you will have that feeling too.

Basically I'd always say don't push it too far just little by little gaining confidence.

>he wasn't worried by the open sea, it was where the sea and land came together that the danger came (I'm paraphrasing his words). I've heard similar from other experienced ocean voyagers.

Yes that's true. We were always nervous approaching land, but that's good it keeps you on the ball.

 

[Sailfree]

Reading the threads on heavy weather I am in awe.

I have always avoided the worse but in one F8 in the Solent I chose to try to get some experience and beat. We only had a 36 Dufour (AWB). We did it for some 1hr but there were no other sailing boats stupid enough to go out and I got more concerned with the stresses on the boat and decided that the risk of gear failure was getting too high. We then ran into Southampton water.

Not sure if it was connected but that winter we could not get the genoa down as so many screws in the foil had become loose.

 

[KellysEye]

>I have always avoided the worse but in one F8 in the Solent I chose to try to get some experience and beat. We only had a 36 Dufour (AWB). We did it for some 1hr but there were no other sailing boats stupid enough to go out and I got more concerned with the stresses on the boat and decided that the risk of gear failure was getting too high.

Good for you. Gear failure can often be caused by too much sail, with hindsight would you have reefed more or do you only have two reefs in the mainsail which could have been the problem?

 

[pcatterall]

Jim C,
Half way to IOM, engine overheated, sailed to L'Pool, fixed engine ( water trap blown),
problem put down to water intake out of water on Stbd tack, alarm fitted.
Return trip to Preston Thursday, left Queens channel, slow running into wind fixing sail problem, engine alarm followed by overheat, sailed to Preston!! ( motor OK after a while)
Later discovered that no ceramic or brass washer in 'speed seal' impellor plate, assume insufficient water pressure to pump through anti-syphon loop.
Teething problems !!! ?
I have been in and out of L'pool a few times before and it has not been so bad, I usually aimed for slack water and perhaps there was a little less wind.

 

[aardvarkinvader]

A lot of it for the blue water sailors is to do with preparation. When setting off to cross an ocean you will prepare yourself and the boat differently than for crossing the bay. You will be mentally prepared for the tuff stuff and you will have strategies worked out and ready to implement at the first sign of a deterioration in weather. So when it does arrive, a few simple actions and it's done (OK not always that simple but you get the idea).
Weather always tends to seem worse when it comes as a surprise and spoils your day, as it appears to have done in this case. You did the right things and got back in one piece and I suspect you may well have already worked out your strategies for the next time and will be a lot more comfortable with it. Confidence in both your boat and in your personal abilities will make it a much less painfull experience and the only way to achieve that is to do it.