On reflection, I must have been mad

[Frontier]

Well done!

The experience gained will be invaluable. The next time it’s really bad you will know what the boat and you can handle (or more likely want to handle) your decision will be a more informed one.

No one would ever get experience if they didn’t push the limits a bit. And when you do some will criticise and some will envy the adventure.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Solitaire, on balance I dont agree with that. Firstly, if there's a lot of water flying about, you run the risk that you lose the electronics and engine instruments on the helm and losing a navaid in dodgy weather is potentially dangerous. Yes I know they're supposed to be waterproof but repeated dousing will lead to earlier failure. Second, a cold and wet helmsman is more likely to make an error or take a wrong decision. Third, its not good for the crew's morale to get soaked as well
IMHO, its better to batten down the front part of the canopy and accept the reduced viz. Obviously this assumes the wipers are in good order and a radar is very useful in these circumstances

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Dave, I think we've all been out in conditions that we later regretted but the experience will be useful. First off you know that your boat will look after you and second you'll feel a bit less concerned the next time it happens as it surely will
I'm going to throw a brickbat here though. I think your decision to go onto the foredeck was the wrong one even if you were wearing a lifejacket. What would have happened if you had gone overboard? In rough seas the chances are that your crew would have lost sight of you in seconds and even if they were able to keep you in sight was there anybody left on board who could have manouvered the boat with sufficient skill to even get close to you? Even then trying to manouver a boat in rough conditions puts the boat and the remaining crew in danger
In retrospect, may have been better to accept the failed wiper as reason enough to turn back. Sorry, dont like to criticize

 

[tcm]

i agree. I have canopies up the whole time on any long trip in iffy weather - getting water chucked in *might* be ok on smaller ribs but not on cruising boats.

Secondly, tho - hammer the b*gger! If actual wind is from a little ahead of the beam or further aft, you can crack along wave tops and althouogh it might roll a lot and er smash things (ask no1moose) it's lots better than any rubbishy eight knots and less scary, sort of. Or at least however scary it is, there's less of it.

As hlb says if you were ok on foredeck it can't have impossible argh. However, you wd need a short trip (check) and good gear to be ok with no screen wiper.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

I accept your critisism and in fact it is the one portent that should have swung it for me to head back. As I have said in other replies, I think have pushed the envelope as far as possible and maybe a tad too far.

Guilty as charged.

 

[Solitaire]

But you have got a 23 metre boat! I'm referring to boats such as Dave has. The canopy on Diana 11 is a whole different ball park.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

The 4 broadsides we recieved would have soaked the crew and brought on board 300-400 gallons of water. Canopy was an ace!! And I has two other pairs of eyes on lookout.

 

[tcm]

aha, so regardles of siize of boat - canopies quite good to keep dry? Is solitaire very solenty - where keeping an eye out for myriad boats is more important than keeping dry cos always only minutes from home in fairly protected sea area, dig dig?

 

[hlb]

Size of sea relivant to size of boat. Obvious, So makes no difference. Christ, he's said it was to rough. What you want, blood!! Or just be expert very cleaver chappy??

 

[eyehavit]

You were ***KING LUCKY is all.