When was the last time you sailed in a force 8?

[Laminar Flow]

Forgive my questioning, but I seem to remember being in those waters in and around that time. There was a brief period where it blew 30 knots late July (and as normal gusted a few knots more) but I can’t remember or find any record of a F9 in July. Perhaps you’ve got the month wrong? F9 in the CI in July is not very common.

Weather in July 2019 in St. Peter Port, Guernsey

Thank you for that link. I looked it up and it may have been August the 10th, when they recorded 48kt winds at St. Peter Port, though when we left early in the morning, after collecting a fresh weather report at the HM office (F4-5), we had much lighter winds than indicated in the posted link or the F4-5 promised. We were making lazy progress at 5kt, close hauled, when things suddenly went to hell in a hand basket.

 

[shaunksb]

March 2014.

__________________________

 

[lustyd]

towards or away from the wind? In what sea state? one direction it's effectively a 9 and the other it's barely a 7. I've done both more times than I'd like and see it as neither something to be proud of nor a suitable way to test a boat. The simple truth is that most boats will survive a storm happily but sailors get into troule, usually because their poorly maintained equipment breaks and causes a pit of doom type scenario where things get worse and worse because of poor choices in an emergency

 

[LittleSister]

We decided, just like Motorcycling, Sailing is to be enjoyed, not endured!

Since when? Who knew?

 

[Sandy]

Ive sailed in many a yachtsman's gale, most recently this year. Forecast was rubbish saying 5-6 and it underestimated the sea state too. Amazing how often that happens.

I had a chat with the chap who does the Shipping Forecast at the RIN/RMetS event Weather and Sailing a few years ago; a fascinating chap.

It's a forecast not actuals, in other words a really well informed suggestion of what might happen. I'm actually really impressed with what they do.

 

[rotrax]

Since when? Who knew?

First Mate and I have NVQ level 5 in poor weather motorcycling.

22.5 Hours in the Lands End Trial on our 1955 TriBSA sidecar outfit in the non stop pissing rain proves that. And we finished! The veteran antique never missed a beat. We used it for over 25 years non stop in long distance trials. We failed to finish only twice, a loose valve seat insert one year and a burned out clutch in another.

During a very cold Exeter with much freezing fog, I blinked and my eyelid froze to my cheek. Yes, really!

So, we knew, and we are old enough and ugly enough to be able to transfer the same advice to sailing!

 

[westhinder]

As I get older, I tend to avoid bad weather (to me this is F7+) as much as possible.
But still, I'd rather sail an older boat I know that can handle such conditions rather than some of the more recent models where internal volume and keeping the costs down is the prime consideration.
But, that's just me.
Sort of like my attitude towards having a spare tire in my car: I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

I’m with you there, if I can avoid it, I will. But sometimes you can’t, or it overtakes you, or you’ve run out of luck, and then it’s nice to know your boat will handle it well.
I’m not sure it has to be an older boat, there were enough older designs that would be pigs in heavy weather and there are still very good new boats being designed and built. It depends on the designer’s brief and the yard’s approach. And your wallet, obviously

 

[westhinder]

We decided, just like Motorcycling, Sailing is to be enjoyed, not endured!

Quite agree.
And on the occasions it has to be endured, it is a great help if you are certain the boat is up to it.

 

[Shuggy]

Troon to Ardfern after the SIPR 2019. Overnighted in Gigha Saturday with F9 in the inshore waters forecast for Sunday. Had to get home for Sunday evening so went for it anyway. I wasn't proud but my crew was pleased to tell me they'd never been seasick. Apparently I fixed that. Boat was brilliant and very stable but it was quite a rollercoaster in the shallows north of Gigha. We got very, very wet.

Wind was just ahead of the beam.

 

[andytrombone]

On various deliveries;
2017 - BVI's => Azores; Lanzarote => Naples
2016 - 2 out of the 4 trips moving Neilson boats from Marmaris => Vounaki (including emerging at the top of the Corinth Canal into a full blown 8 +); Costa Blanca => Hamble
2015 - Up the North Sea delivering from Kiel => Isle of Bute; Cagliari => Marina Del Este; Sicily => Cartagena
All with very experienced skippers and experienced crew.

When sailing for fun - never if we could avoid it but...
2011 Scheveningen => Falmouth (ended up in Harwich after 15 hrs!) and Cascais => Lanzarote (secondary low ) on the same trip

 

[Seven Spades]

1o years ago returning from the Deauville race with my 14year old on board. We left Deauville in a F4 and it just kept building. When we were 50 miles from land CG broadcast imminent halve F8. Terrific, as it happened as it built I just kept reducing sail and my Starlight 39 just couldn’t give a dam.mit just ploughed on under complete control. I had to close the hatch as water was running along the deck each time she hurried her bow. At no point did I feel anything but in complete control, it was a real confidence boost.

 

[Frank Holden]

I had a chat with the chap who does the Shipping Forecast at the RIN/RMetS event Weather and Sailing a few years ago; a fascinating chap.

It's a forecast not actuals, in other words a really well informed suggestion of what might happen. I'm actually really impressed with what they do.

In Australia - since the 1998 Sydney Hobart race - they always include this bit...

'Please be aware Wind and wave forecasts are averages. Wind gusts can be 40 per cent stronger than the forecast, and stronger still in squalls and thunderstorms. Maximum waves can be twice the forecast height.'

Too many people were taking the forecasts as gospel....

Meanwhile.. in NZ ... education requirements to be considered for training as 'weatherman' can be found here.. Become a Meteorologist » About MetService
Bit beyond my skill set....

 

[Biggles Wader]

I had a chat with the chap who does the Shipping Forecast at the RIN/RMetS event Weather and Sailing a few years ago; a fascinating chap.

It's a forecast not actuals, in other words a really well informed suggestion of what might happen. I'm actually really impressed with what they do.

I quite agree. Not sure if you missed the irony in my use of the term "yachtsman's gale"

 

[johnalison]

I have never sailed in open water in F8 or more, though F7 with a free wind at times. A few years ago we sailed down the Scheldt from Terneuzen to Breskens in an 8 when all the Dutch stayed in harbour. The water was flat, but the stress of the wind and noise was tiresome, even for the couple of hours. Every now and again the wind dropped to 32 knots and it seemed like peace. Modern forecasts are good enough to make being ‘caught out’ a thing of the past in passages of only a day or so.

 

[Robin]

Our wind instruments were networked with an extra multifunction display set to true windspeed although IIRC it could also display Beaufort. Best not to use 'apparent' when beating and wifey watching the dials. Tad unfair as mine was very forgiving albeit that has worn off somewhat in latter years. When she did her YM shore based course and answered a weather question of 'you are leaving Needles at night heading for Cherbourg in a 32 footer with 4 crew and hear an imminent gale warning for SW8, what would/should you do.?' she said 'make a flask of hot soup and stow it and some sarnies safely under the sprayhood.' When the instructor said 'no no no, not right answer Mrs Robin' she said 'but we do it all the time. She still passed top of the class though and is still First Class in my book.. though I may just be a tad biased as well as blessed.

 

[st599]

There was that fantastic Round the Island Race where it was F8 gusting F9 at the Needles. 1600 yachts. Never seen so many lifeboats parked near the Varvassi.

Came back from France in 2019, steaming hot week, forecast 16 knots, we had 50 knots and lighting.

 

[Stemar]

Another jaunt springs to mind. A mate, elderly and relying on me to be skipper, a work colleague, a bit of a beginner, and I had a trip to Cherbourg planned on a Dufour 385. The forecast wind had too much south in it to get a decent course from Chichester, so we went to Yarmouth during the evening and got a fairly early start next day.

I can't remember what the forecast was, but there was a good bit more than promised. We went out of the Shingles channel in company with a Halberg Rassey of about 36-38ft and, as we got towards Bridge Buoy, I could see the HR showing far more of her bottom than I considered decent, so I took an executive decision that Cherbourg wasn't going to be fun and we had a boisterous ride round the south of the Island back to Chichester. The HR went on her way; with that boat and a stronger crew I would have done the same, but I rate the change of plan to be one of my better decisions.

 

[Sandy]

I quite agree. Not sure if you missed the irony in my use of the term "yachtsman's gale"

Not missed at all, I quite enjoy a F6. In the middle of a F5 is where I find the boat starts to wake up.

 

[claymore]

What a wuss I must be. I never have. I don't suppose the trip from Harwich to Esbjerg counts? (DFDS)
We have done that in a forecast F8 and I really don't think I would want to be in anything smaller.
Sat out a few forecast Gales - the worst was in the outer harbour at Whitehaven before the days of the Marina - it was pretty awful.

 

[Bobc]

I think that may have been the year we copped that lot just south west of the Needles. 46knot gusts and some very rolly conditions plus the skipper wouldn't leave before the boulangerie opened, so instead of being 2 hours ahead of a front we spent 8 hours in it in the pouring rain. The sense of humour departed just outside Cherbourg's outer walls.

That's the one. You guys got hammered because of leaving later (and getting rid of the hangover from the "rum and cards against humanity" session the night before).