Weather to Sail in .. hands up!

[jimi]

With a strong crew I for one would rather have a F7 than a F0! I would'nt hesitate taking the boat out (including a channel crossing) in a F7 even though I know there's a chance of a F8 developing unless it was directly to windward. I would'nt cross the channel with a F8 forecast but I would sail in the Solent or across to Poole or somewhere with an all weather,all access port within a couple of hours sail and without too much of a lee shore. I've got an AWB , Oceanis 331. Am I a reckless irresposible soul?

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[claymore]

I dont think its the wind but its associated sea state that causes the biggest problems. So in my cruising area I would do the same as the Islands prevent massive seas from building - except of course when its been blowing for a few days. Crew strength, number and knowing them is an important factor and choosing a route that doesn't mean a long hard slog to windward is another.
We've had the boat for a long time now and have been in out in the wind range F1 - F9 so we know the boat and we know ourselves.
I don't think you are irresponsible.

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Claymore
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[global_odyssey]

Everyone needs to experience bad weather - fair weather sailers will probably get caught out sooner or later.
We got caught in a bad gale returning from Holland and had 2 waves break completely over the boat approaching N Foreland. Fortunately we were motor-sailing to windward. In the process we bust the mainsail at the reef and mizzen and took on plenty of water through the dorade vents, etc.
OK so my wife spent about 12 hours down below with a bucket, and at times I wondered whether we'd lose the deposit on our hired lifetraft, but I now have immense confidence in our boat. I'm actually glad to have experienced what at the time was an exhausting 8 hour ordeal.
As for purposely looking for bad weather, I usually try to keep my wife happy - If it's too rough, I won't get fed properly and I'd probably end up with food-poisoning or scurvy. A F5/6 is our maximum preference in the Channel, depending on sea-state (and boat).




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[jhr]

Maybe you are; maybe you aren't. In all but the most ridiculous weather situations, the crew will give up long before the boat - even if they're in an AWB ;o). So, with your hypothetical strong crew; probably not. If it all went pearshaped - and even with the most experienced crew in the World that can happen - you would no doubt be castigated as an irresponsible maniac. Hindsight's a wonderful thing....

Speaking personally, I crewed on the Round the Island Race a few years ago in a F7 - one of the best sails of my life.



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[wayneA]

If, as skipper, you have assessed that boat and crew are upto the conditions likely to be encountered in the area you will be sailing, then of course you are not reckless.

To be honest, I worry more about sea state than wind strength alone. I’ve had great fun in a F9 with a strong boat and crew, but moderate sea state – things would have been very different in heavy, rough seas going to windward.

Wayne

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[tcm]

Crawly bumlick

No, probably not, as a skipper. But is this thread going anywhere? I think not.


SO, seeing as i am not on your boat to cherbourg I do not have to shamelessly grovel like Claymore, i can reveal that you might have perhaps triple -mortgaged the house to buiy the boat and sold off most of the kids clothes at a jumble sale to get a new genoa and if this is true, then that would make you irresponsible. Likewise, if you abandoned the kids for a staurday to go to the boat show and left them all eveing to attend a party afterwards, then that would be er well, erm er well erm



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[jimi]

Stuck

Must admit I expected a bit more response along the lines of:

1)Yer boats a AWB and won't handle it, you'd be better off in a Contessa 32
2) You're a blithering idiot just asking for trouble.

but in actual fact I enjoy windy weather as long as the sea state is'nt too excessive and I really enjoy winter sailing!

Now what do you reckon I could pawn for that fully battened main?

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[romany123]

Re: Crawly bumlick

I think its not as simple as what force wind would keep you in your berth. It depends on where the wind is coming from, where you are going, sea state, strength and experience of crew, and size and type of boat I sail on the east coast short handed I have a good sound boat and my wife is good crew. Before we go anywhere we take all the above into consideration. We then (if we decide to sail) go through our heavy weather check list before we move out. We are then happy in the knowledge that we have done everything possible to have a safe journey (including having safe havens along the route should we need them).
Regards Dave

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[Twister_Ken]

Re: Stuck

Keep sailing in F7 and you'll have a fully battered main in no time.

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[tcm]

Re: Sectioned

The main is now almost completely battered already, so why would you need another?

If you do have problems at sea which goes a bit legal my advice is NOT to call the lockkeepers at Hythe as witness cos he now thinks the skipper and crew of that boat are dipsticks and have no idea how often the tide flows and ebbs. In fact, letting someone else use your finely -tuned vessel pretty much demonstrates how totally irresponsible you are, you raving lunatic you. Also, I beleive that all of the knots on your fenders show paranoid tendencies.

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[jimi]

Re: Sectioned

Cos once its fully battered I'll eat it as I'm a scot and everything we eat is battered, so once its crap I'll need a new one .. simple init.

I've spent years as well as bottles of wine cultivating the lock keepers so I can skip the queue and you go and wreck the relationship with one radio transmission...


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[penfold]

Re: Sectioned

You definitely have a point there; some of the best sails I've had have been in 5-6-7 wind strength, with the point of sail (usually beam reaching) and sea state being far more important when deciding to call chicken. My most memorable chicken moments both involved F8 gusting 10, and we were badly battered by the first because of the huge seas, and got off lightly with the second because of favourable tide/current conditions and the short duration of the storm.

cheers,
david

<hr width=100% size=1>What in the wide, wide world of sports is goin' on here?

 

[Peppermint]

If you enjoy that sort of thing, do it. But there is much to consider. Often a F7 is accompanied by a F5 seastate were as tomorrows F5 will have the F7's residue. In some waters a F7 with a Neap is a pussycat compared to a F7 with Spring tide.

I'd reckon sea state to be pretty important but wind strength and your angle to it are just as crucial. Your boat for example, will reach a lot better in a F7 than it will beat.

The length of time on passage is also a consideration. Beating into a gale can become a bit dull over time.

Provided your not doing it because you've got outside time pressures, heavy weather cruising can be rewarding though I find fewer and fewer boats being built that have a galley and berths designed for protracted heavy weather, so the reward can be harder to enjoy.

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[graham]

Theres not enough info in your post for anyone to make a worthwile assesment.

The number of crew ,their ages and experience,Your abilities as a skipper.All make a big difference.

Also the most important point overlooked is tide.A F7 against a 5 knot tide will be a much different animal to the same wind in the same direction as the tide.

Like you I enjoy going out on a fresh day with a double reef main and tiny bit of jib.It blows the spiders off the boat and clears the mind at the same time but thats completely different to planning an offshore passage in the same conditions.



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[Neraida]

Scrubber!!!

We saw you, lurking round in too shallow water scrubbing the deck like the lovely Glen Rosa was yours! PAH!!!

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[ianwright]

Reckless? No idea. A bit of saloon bar show off? Probably.
I mean that in a nice way,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

IanW.

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[jimi]

Eh .. explain yourself .. or I'll think you're an extremely ignorant person!

I'm trying to put the other side of the coin .. so far everyone has stated how prudent they are do'nt go out in the winter stay in a port when a F6 is forecast .. and everyone has nodded sagely and said how wise ... OK thats up to them and I've got no quarrel with that at all. But I and many of my mates do enjoy a good blast in winter waters when there's a good blow. I'm not showing off its a fact ... over to you, an apology for rudeness may be in order!

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by jimi on 17/09/2003 21:48 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[longjohnsadler]

Re: A man\'s a man for a\'that

Ay, but the real question is, with the deck heaving, the autumn wind swirling off the European steppe and the rigging sounding like a bad case of the pibroch, would ye still be wearing the kilt?
Now that's what I'd call irresponsible.


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[ianwright]

I answered you question honestly, no apology for that.
This may be a one sided coin,,,,,,,
Being willing to accept the possibility of a hard blow and to prepare for it is one thing. To go out in the face of an adverse forecast is bloody stupid IMHO.
I suspect that only a blow hard claims to enjoy a hard blow.
7 could be 8 on a cross channel trip? No thanks, not if I can avoid it.


IanW

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[tcm]

Re: Sectioned

i have lost track of this sub-threadette. But i agree with your point - nothing beats a kentucky fried chicken.

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