What conditions are you happy to go out in?

However if the air temperature is below about 10C it just gets horrible, lots of clothes to keep warm and the moment you start cranking winches it gets sweaty. Taking a pee is an episode and going to the head takes planning. Need gloves and boots, the fun starts to leave!
 
There seems to be some truth in the notion that cold air, being denser, carried more of a punch. Or perhaps it's all in the mind!
 
Depends on the context- RTIR 2011 at the start ( several boats dismasted and limping back, windspeed and wave height increasing) I thought: what the hell are we doing here? However, boat was well prepared and fairly experienced crew apart from one (who became quite seasick), so we pressed on. As has often been said in previous posts, the boats cope really well (which ours did), it's crew resilience that is key here. Had this been a day set aside for cruising, I've no doubt we'd have been in the local pub thanking our lucky stars we stayed put. However, we had a fantastic, exhilarating race, and confidence in the boat and our own abilities increased as a result. Less afraid (not more complacent) of testing conditions in the future.

Simon
 
Colvic Watson - difficult to tell if it's raining with a wheelhouse; happy up to a F7. We used to say F5 max but now we need a F4 to get going. The one condition we won't do is waves and no wind, we're a bit rolly :o
 
Can I safely get off and on a berth? So for instance leaving a swinging mooring and anchoring in a sheltered bay such as Studland in a westerly is fine, pinned onto a marina berth that I can`t get out of without a lot of warping off maybe not.

Forecast and actual wind and length of passage: we pulled out of the scuttlebutt Cherbourg trip because of forecast winds for the return but had a cracking sail down the solent in the forecast and materialised F8 with our big heavy old motorsailor doing 7.5 knots knowing it was only for a couple of hours an we were heading for the Folly and the Medina is sheltered.
 
When on my own singlehanded, I go out with F6 and stay out in F7 gusting F8 provided that I don't have wind against tide; however, with the family onboard, no more than F4 gusting F5. I don't go out when is raining or too cold; afterall, I am Mediterranean.

Sea state is important, ie sailing in West Wales and the Irish sea can be rough and no necessary high winds, however, in the Solent the sea state is mostly manageable despite high winds.
 
We go if both of us feel OK about it. As another poster said, happy to set of in a 7 downwind and with a forecast to improve. We do have the advantage of an almost 40 foot heavy cutter.

Some years ago we got up at 4.45am to catch the tide.
It was blowing a hooley, as black as a preachers hat and precipitating down very hard.
Our mentor, a Yachtmaster examiner who had joined us for the weekend, asked us what our intentions were.
A little voice -First Mates- piped up:-
"I dont mind the rain, I dont mind it blowing a 7 and I dont mind the dark. But I'm not having all three at once"
This was considered to be perfectly logical so we put the kettle on, cooked up some bacon butties and had some breakfast.
Half an hour later the wind had died down a bit, the rain had stopped and dawn was breaking-we left and had a great weekend.
All in all its horses for courses. That day we had an improving forecast, a strong crew and a well found heavy boat.
The Skipper in the Hot Liquid incident had the opposite and paid the price.
 
The more we sail... The more cautious we become.

It is better to be in harbour wishing you are sailing than the other way round...

As said above check forecast. We don't set off if there is more than 20 kts in the forecast for the passage duration. Sure Tomahawk will take almost anything the ocean throws at us... but I can't be bothered getting cold, wet, seasick..
 
Depends on the boat, mine needs a 4 to 5 to get it going and is quite happy in a 7, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I am!
For me 7 with the wind aft of the beam on reduced sail is great, but going up wind isn't.
When I had a 22 footer, crossing the channel I looked for a 4, but if it went to 5 when I was out in it that was ok, but I wouldn't start a crossing in a 5 unless the forecast was for it to moderate soon.
As others have said, rain is the pits :mad:
 
When going for pleasure my rule is max of F4 from ahead or F6 from astern. Once out there I take what comes but it ceases to be fun above those limits.
 
snooks said:
Any fool can be uncomfortable on a boat.

I doesn't matter a fig what I would go out in, it matters what I feel is safest and most comfortable for my weakest member of my crew, currently my 22 month old daughter. It also matters what the forecasts says and what boat we're on.

If she isn't happy and comfortable neither are we.

55 knots in a Sadler 32 is a completely different game than 55 knots in a Discovery 57 (see this month YM)
Click to expand...

+ 1 excellent answere.
I dont have the 22 month old daughter. Excellent point though, it's not my limit which matters.
 
Mavanier said:
There seems to be some truth in the notion that cold air, being denser, carried more of a punch. Or perhaps it's all in the mind!
Click to expand...

Not all in the mind ! The old traditional gaff rigged working boats used to send down their topmasts for the winter, because of the cold damp winter air being denser & heavier.
 
I can cope (but wouldn't intentionally go out in it) gusting 40 & rolling 40 (I have the Crew / Witness & the photos) ..... but I prefer 10 - 25 kts of wind & a slight sea ..... but I'm only little ... :(
 
Seajet said:
Not all in the mind ! The old traditional gaff rigged working boats used to send down their topmasts for the winter, because of the cold damp winter air being denser & heavier.
Click to expand...

It isn't, though, at least not so as you would notice. Anyway, winter is more likely to have low pressure weather (ie low density) than summer.

I suspect the real reason was that in damp weather, natural fibres in sails swelled, making them less porous and so getting more oomph out of the available wind.
 
Uricanejack said:
I dont have the 22 month old daughter. Excellent point though, it's not my limit which matters.
Click to expand...

I sail with a small child, who prefers considerably rougher weather than I do. It's a bit boring sometime, it seems, if the boat isn't going up and down a lot.

However, I agree with both of you. Sailing is supposed to be fun, and as soon as conditions mean that it is avoidably not being fun for anyone on board one should choose to avoid.

Me? As for Snowleopard, F4 in front of the beam or F6 behind is my normal limit.
 
JumbleDuck said:
It isn't, though, at least not so as you would notice. Anyway, winter is more likely to have low pressure weather (ie low density) than summer.

I suspect the real reason was that in damp weather, natural fibres in sails swelled, making them less porous and so getting more oomph out of the available wind.
Click to expand...

One can analyse and theorise to death, but the fact is the winter winds hit harder, I don't think that's down to fabric swelling !

If someone with a Falmouth Working Boat or similar is on here it would be interesting to hear from them.
 
As per others, I don't like rain that much. I don't tend to set off for a weekend of rain but if its raining come home-time then so be it.

Under about 7kn we don't move at all well and I don't like being rolled by the stream of mobo's that come out of the Hamble so unless we have somewhere to be, I tend to do maintenance that day.

At the moment, about 20kn is our limit. I have a sail plan I can easily rig and handle single handed up to that. This winter, I need to give some time to working out the sail plan for 20-25kn as I would like to be confident in that.

F3-4 Genoa + full main
F4-5 No1 Jib + 1st reef main.
Storm Jib and 2nd reef main is too small for F6 so I am thinking about adding a middle reef in the main and a number 2 jib to the sail plan.

I don't take the up wind / downwind into account that much because most days I'll be doing both as its often marina hopping Solent or day sails.
 
Seajet said:
One can analyse and theorise to death, but the fact is the winter winds hit harder, I don't think that's down to fabric swelling !

If someone with a Falmouth Working Boat or similar is on here it would be interesting to hear from them.
Click to expand...

The only reason Falmouth working boats reduce their sail is to use them to work, the rest of the time it's hang as much cloth up as they are allowed. Not allowed kites in Falmouth, but they can use them in Fowey week.

As for cold air being more dense, it's one of the fundamentals of weather forecasting in Simon Keelings excellent book the yachtsmans guide to weather.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

Refueler
Darn it ...... bl***y engine wont start - want to lift out boat.
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
Refueler
Refueler

Share this page

Top