Staying aboard during a storm

[NC11]

Being relatively new to boat ownership I was a bit concerned about the 120kph gusts coming last night on the east coast of Ireland. I'm still figuring out the best combination of lines. I thought the best way to this would be to stay over in the marina and react to whatever was happening if it happened.
Lines I kept nice and tight so that was fine but dear god, that was not a good nights sleep. Something I will do once and once only.

 

[Seastoke]

Good fenders are most important

 

[Daydream believer]

Good fenders are most important

So is a good hotel

 

[Refueler]

Done it a number of times ....

Each line should have a second line added ... make sure springs are as well ... DO NOT pass lines through cleats / rings and back to boat - that will chafe. Lines should be made fast BOTH ends to avoid chafe.
Lines should be taut - but not bar tight .. taut enough to stop boat ranging on berth .. but not so fittings are strained.
Fenders - double the number you usually use and try use less diameter at widest part of boat - so you even out a wall of fendering along the boat.

Have a sharp knife - bread knife is good ... handy just in case ... with engine ready to go.
I usually have a basic plan in mind if things go bad ... I pass on enough to others on board - so its a team game if needed. But not to frighten them... let them feel you have understanding of the situation.

Important - ONLY one CAPTAIN if it does go bad ...

 

[tico]

Rock n roll last night but the worst is the bang when a wave hits the locker under the bathing platform. Stern facing into the wind on our berth and very exposed.
Not looking forward to tonight!

 

[Daydream believer]

Definately stop the surging. It puts strain on the fittings as it jerks. Plus makes it impossible to sleep. Earlier this year in Ostend a storm came through & with my dodgy legs I could not stand on the constantly moving pontoon. I had to crawl in my pyjamas along the pontoon, about 8 metres, to attach an extra line to a cleat on the pontoon, to the bow. My bare knees were in extreme pain. Then once back on deck I had to swig the line on each surge to get it in tight. 45 mins at 01-00 just under the high street by the fish dock. Fortunately I was not on one of the Buoyed berths . The following day I locked in to the mercator marina

 

[47GC]

We slept on board last night. Tied up nice in the marina, you could hear the wind whistling through the rails. Bounced about for a bit, but overall was not to bad! Woke up twice, checked the lines, all good!

 

[Bouba]

Springs or rubber stubbers help the snatching....but watch the shore power cable....make sure it has enough slack so it doesn’t strain....but also it doesn’t snag when it’s slack....have extra fenders on ropes on deck so that a deckhand can grab them in an emergency to protect the boat.....figure out how you and your crew and pets can get off and onto the dock in the worst conditions as safely as possible. Then sit back watch the tv.....and every time you get up in the night to pee, have a quick cursory check that everything is shipshape

 

[tico]

Update
Still gusting to 66kts last night but wind had moved round to Nthly so waves hitting the transom not so bad. Yachts having a worse time as their masts etc catch the gusts.

 

[oldgit]

On a bad night the only place to be is safe in your own bed at home.
Screw the boat.
Put out and double up as many lines as you have aboard to add weight and to damp the boats movements.
Give all lines a bit of extra slack. Especially those springs, as long and heavy as possible.
If a real blow forecast turn the bow of the boat , if practical, into the wind, it might just result in some /all of the covers being there in the morning.
Our moorings lost 6 boats during that " Hurricane " in 1987. Fortunately no brave soul was onboard at the time trying to protect their boat.
You will not be getting any sleep either.

 

[BruceK]

Well my fenders were no good. They blew merrily in the wind like kites and the wind pushed the boat onto the pontoon and the pontoon cleats. Pontoon rash but nothing more than cosmetic. Still. Sucks though. Where I am on the seawall of the marina I get great views but at the expense of protection at high water. The waves roll in

 

[Bouba]

Well my fenders were no good. They blew merrily in the wind like kites and the wind pushed the boat onto the pontoon and the pontoon cleats. Pontoon rash but nothing more than cosmetic. Still. Sucks though. Where I am on the seawall of the marina I get great views but at the expense of protection at high water. The waves roll in

I spend a lot of effort making sure my fenders don’t pop out of position....especially on the dock or over the guard rail....linking them together at the bottom ads a little gravitas to them.

 

[The Q]

40 years ago-ish , Spent a long night being kept awake by a 126mph storm, we were swaying in the wind, the water was sloshing in the loos..
And that was in a 3 story, steel framed, concrete panelled barrack block in the outer Hebrides.


Just south of there on / in South Uist (same year) , spent a couple of nights bouncing around in a gale in a small bay off loch Carnan, both anchors out, lowered the mast, still very uncomfortable..

That same boat sank on its moorings on the Norfolk broads during the 87 gale, the sailing club had pumped out my and others boats, but couldn't get in the cabin. I drove down from Northumberland slept in the club house for a couple of nights while I pumped out the rest of the boat, and dried her out..

Darragh is still blowing 36 mph here in Norfolk at the moment..

 

[tico]

Happy now!
Flybridge cover survived, all poles still up.
Took screen cover off before it all started
Doubled up on all lines + extra fenders
Only casualty was the 'flying saucer' TV aerial - easily fixable.