whole gale? Half a gale?

G

grendy

New Member
Joined
3 Dec 2005
Messages
5
Visit site
Roger Taylor, in his excellent "Mingming" book refers to the wind force as "a whole gale" or "half a gale".

Does anyone know what these terms denote? I've consulted Professor Google but it's a bit vague and the answers seem to be anywhere between F6 - F10.
 
I'd tend to agree with that.

Of course, strictly speaking, a F6 is merely a strong breeze, a F8 a gale and a F9 a severe gale. How one interprets them in practice, however, rather depends on the extent of one's LWL and experience.
 
Just to confuse the issue, I seem to remember an F7 referred to as a ' Yachtsman's gale ' .

Don't hear the phrase much these days though...........
 
Half Gale and Getting Caught Out in A Fresh Breeze

grendy said:
Roger Taylor, in his excellent "Mingming" book refers to the wind force as "a whole gale" or "half a gale".

Does anyone know what these terms denote? I've consulted Professor Google but it's a bit vague and the answers seem to be anywhere between F6 - F10.
Click to expand...

The link below is from the UK Meterological Office who have produced a fact sheet on the history of the Beaufort Scale. The term half gale doesn't appear in the history. However, Force 7 is a "near gale", was once called a "moderate gale". There are lots of other gale terms as well: -

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/4/4/Fact_Sheet_No._6_-_Beaufort_Scale.pdf

The term half gale doesn't appear in this history but I would assume it was a Force 7. There appears to be a lot of descriptions around this wind speed which is getting towards brown pants territory. Why settle for a wipe out in a Strong Breeze, when a Half Gale sounds like a better excuse. Based on nothing more than avoiding embarrassing explanations at the club bar, I think Woodlouse probably is right, the F6 (which I believe is the Yachtsmans's gale) is the half gale of legend.
 
Half a Gale I would of put as F7.

If I HAD TO put a number on it.

Other wise its probably N2-N3 :D

The winds your out in and really did not plan on being out there in...
 
I've heard F6 referred to as a Fisherman's gale, and F7 as the Yachtsman's gale. Good thing we've got some numbers to keep things consistent.
 
whole gale/half a gale

Thanks to all who replied. I shall bravely attempt to contact the Great Man himself and ask him - I'll report back if successful.

Gren
 
A Yachtsman's Gale

I was wrong - an F6 it is .

So what is an F7 ?

A yachtsman's Gale-and-a-Half ? :)

As in " It's blowing a gale and a half out there"
 
Whole/Half gale: the Answer

Friends, the blessed Roger Taylor has vouchsafed the following information - or at least how he uses the terms anyway:

Half gale = Force 7

Full gale = Force 8

Severe gale = Force 9

Storm = Force 10

Violent storm = Force 11

Hurricane = Force 12

(I had to promise him that all the members of the forum had undertaken to purchase his Mingming book in return for his reply - hope that's ok)
 
grendy said:
Friends, the blessed Roger Taylor has vouchsafed the following information - or at least how he uses the terms anyway:

Half gale = Force 7

Full gale = Force 8

Severe gale = Force 9

Storm = Force 10

Violent storm = Force 11

Hurricane = Force 12

(I had to promise him that all the members of the forum had undertaken to purchase his Mingming book in return for his reply - hope that's ok)
Click to expand...

Not to sure who Roger Taylor is, but Andrew Simpson (former editor of PBO? and frequent writer in PBO) mentions the Yachtsman Gale being F6 in the RYA Multihull Handbook (RYA code G92, page 67, chapter 6 for those with a copy).
 
Flashy said:
I've heard F6 referred to as a Fisherman's gale, and F7 as the Yachtsman's gale. Good thing we've got some numbers to keep things consistent.
Click to expand...


Would suggest that a fishermans gale is somewhat in excess of a Raggies gale.

Many years ago came out of Boulogne on filthy night in a blimming great ferry that was bouncing every which way. About half way across,to get away from the smell of Mal de Mer in the lounge,popped outside for a breath of fresh air and while firmly clinging onto handrail peering through the spray,noticed some lights bobbing about in the wave crests.
Surely some emergency thinks I,it was some small french boats happily fishing away.:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top