GrahamD
Active member
Yesterday evening, just before sunset my wife and I were watching the waves at Portland Bill when we spotted a German flagged aluminium yacht, about 40', making her way under motor round the Bill, about 250m offshore and trying to head up the eastern side of Portland.
Conditions were very difficult. There was a strong westerly wind (measured at 30-45 kts at Portland Harbour) with a large confused and breaking sea quickly building up against the strengthening ebb tide. There was no safe inshore passage last night!
We kept the yacht under observation through binoculars. There was one person at the helm throughout, who was struggling to steer in those conditions. On two occasions we saw the yacht overtaken by breaking waves, broached through 90 degrees and knocked down; however it recovered quickly and was soon back on course. We drove slowly up the coast and kept watching until, with some relief, we saw that the yacht was in calmer conditions, still motoring hard against the tide.
Clearly the yacht was in the wrong place at the wrong time so I'm not really looking for a discussion about the wisdom or otherwise of their choice of the inshore passage in this wind and tide. What surprised me most was that it was under engine only, despite appearing to be well equipped, with sails furled and stowed. Of course I've no idea whether the sails could not be used or whether this was the best judgement of the skipper. What are members' views about the best tactics in such an extreme situation? Using a small headsail would have increased their speed quite a lot. Would it have made the boat handling more difficult in such wind and steep seas?
I imagine the skipper and crew slept very well when they finally got in!
Conditions were very difficult. There was a strong westerly wind (measured at 30-45 kts at Portland Harbour) with a large confused and breaking sea quickly building up against the strengthening ebb tide. There was no safe inshore passage last night!
We kept the yacht under observation through binoculars. There was one person at the helm throughout, who was struggling to steer in those conditions. On two occasions we saw the yacht overtaken by breaking waves, broached through 90 degrees and knocked down; however it recovered quickly and was soon back on course. We drove slowly up the coast and kept watching until, with some relief, we saw that the yacht was in calmer conditions, still motoring hard against the tide.
Clearly the yacht was in the wrong place at the wrong time so I'm not really looking for a discussion about the wisdom or otherwise of their choice of the inshore passage in this wind and tide. What surprised me most was that it was under engine only, despite appearing to be well equipped, with sails furled and stowed. Of course I've no idea whether the sails could not be used or whether this was the best judgement of the skipper. What are members' views about the best tactics in such an extreme situation? Using a small headsail would have increased their speed quite a lot. Would it have made the boat handling more difficult in such wind and steep seas?
I imagine the skipper and crew slept very well when they finally got in!
I would have been 7 miles off under sail..:encouragement:
