What wind force would keep you in harbour?

[Dockhead]

Would anyone else thinking of replying to this thread please remember that OP has a DINGHY!

LOL. Dinghys and large keelboats are different universes, of course.

On deeply reefed main and staysail alone, our boat hardly heels in a F9, and is a doddle with the self-tacking staysail. In the Solent, which does not really have bad sea states (no fetch), there's not really any upper limit to wind force people go out in. We went out in a F9 with gusts well over 50, last October, and the biggest danger was collision, from all the boats out playing in it.

Not in a dinghy, of course.

 

[smeaks]

I once left one of my crew ashore at Craighouse on Jura overnight because I near as dammit didn't make it back to the boat with the other one and the wind was freshening considerably.

as long as was not the aupair you took leaving the wife on the beach....

 

[Searush]

Is that an ironic comment?

Whoops, sorry, wrong thread. That's the problem with Altzheimer's

 

[westernman]

If it is blowing more than a F5 in the marina I won't be leaving. I can't. I just cannot make the right turn needed to get out the berth.

 

[dt4134]

Went out racing in a F8 on a thirty footer. Finished the race and got back to find the weather had caused the TP52's racing to be called off!

 

[nimbusgb]

Anything less than F2 and it's better to stay at home and light up the braai !

 

[Major Catastrophe]

How many sail boats do you know that have no engine? That's why I said MoBos are only half a boat. All I do is turn a key & off we go.

And when was the last time you hung out the washing?

 

[OGITD]

7

Anything above a 6 is a little uncomfortable for my little 23’....& did I mention hard work!

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

Completely daft question!!!!!
It depends on where you are heading, it depends on the weather forecast , it depends on the sea thats running, it depends on the shelter immediately after the harbour.....it depends on so many things .
If Gavin has to ask the question you shouldn't think about going out!!!!!!....Ever!!!

 

[gavin400]

Completely daft question!!!!!
It depends on where you are heading, it depends on the weather forecast , it depends on the sea thats running, it depends on the shelter immediately after the harbour.....it depends on so many things .
If Gavin has to ask the question you shouldn't think about going out!!!!!!....Ever!!!

Thats a bit of a personal attack! - have been sailing for many years and am completely comfortable in deciding what weather to venture out in and when to stay on the mooring.

Was only interested to hear others views, and judging by the quantity of posts other people have found the question to be of some interest.

 

[Searush]

And when was the last time you hung out the washing?

True enough, I spend a lot of time single-handed in restricted waters, & last time I was aboard I spent most of the time in harbour doing odd jobs, but the previous time aboard I was able to give the cobwebs a good airing. But I do have the CHOICE to use them or not.

I suppose, you could stand on the roof with shirt undone & arms akimbo.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I'm with Guapa and Sgeir here.... i'm less concerned about wind speed, and much more concerned about sea state...

We had a superb sail across to Oostende on Friday... gusting to 30kts, but sea pretty flat... was a truly memorable sail... we delayed the return trip for 2 days, as sea state had increased dramatically, and wind direction was naff.... it wasn't any windier though.

 

[Fourbees]

Bavarian masts

Very disappointing that no-one has cited the make of boat as a factor. If I understood a previous post correctly, Bavarian masts fall down at anything over 20 kts and there were pictures to prove it! ;-)

We sailed a Bavaria 36 in F8 gusting F9 off La Gomera (Canaries), and the mast didn't fall off. Reefing was a bit hairy but luckily we had three of them. Even more luckily, although the visibility was bad, the waves were a lot smaller than we expected.

Back home in the Solent with our lift keel 32-footer (a Feeling), we wouldn't want to take the Needles Channel, wind against tide (as usual) in more than F3. If going west we'd opt for the North Channel instead. But we'd happily sail from Lymington to Hamble, wind with tide, in F7. As others have said, it depends on a range of conditions. We wouldn't usually leave harbour with more than F5-7 forecast.

 

[snowleopard]

Thats a bit of a personal attack! - have been sailing for many years and am completely comfortable in deciding what weather to venture out in and when to stay on the mooring.

Don't worry about it. If you hang around for a while you'll find that most seamanship questions attract a 'If you don't know the answer you shouldn't be allowed on a duckpond' response at some point in the thread.

 

[fireball]

Don't worry about it. If you hang around for a while you'll find that most seamanship questions attract a 'If you don't know the answer you shouldn't be allowed on a duckpond' response at some point in the thread.

Well - if he didn't know that he shouldn't be allowed to register on the forum!

 

[Searush]

Roll up! Roll up!

I run an excellent range of courses on forumising. Lots of illustrations of what not to do. Special rates for newbies, OAPS & Wimmin. It could save your virtual life, you know it makes sense.

You will need a life jacket, harness, flares & a laptop.

 

[Sybarite]

Assuming open water, my general rule for a long passage with wind on the nose (if I cant avoid it altogether) is F5. For wind on or aft of the beam it's usually about F7. A lot depends on the experience of those with me because you can put people off for life if you give them a bad experience in the beginning.

If it's an out and back trip for a day or a weekend I head upwind to start with so that there is a lower risk of problems on the way back.

In my younger days I have set out in F8 to test the boat's windward ability. Once on the way back we were hit by 60kt squalls which physically tore open the metal in some storm jib hanks. The previous evening we were moored inside the harbour with the inflatable tied alongside. In the morning it was in the cockpit.

 

[Sgeir]

You will need a life jacket, harness, flares & a laptop.

Flares? Would a tracksuit bottom be OK?

 

[Searush]

Flares? Would a tracksuit bottom be OK?

You can wear one of your tribe's outlandish & highly patterned skirts - provided you don't sit down or bend over. I have a weak heart & could not cope with the awful spectacle that you would make of yourself.

 

[TradewindSailor]

I went on a sea trial once with the owner ...... it was a blast at 40 knots ...