STORM SURVIVAL (tips & techniques)

That is true uncle Wallie. I'm not a panicky type of person but you have to do the right thing as soon as something happens that needs attention. Not so sure about doing things in my sleep... you want me to get in serious trouble with the missus or what ?

As for my friends, they have to do their skipper's too or stay home. I'm defenately not going to dry their butt's the whole time unless they pay me very very handsomly Up front too that is.

We do check the weather forecast. My wife is almost fanatic about it, she phones me when we're fishing and tells me what the weather forecast said
- for what that is worth. I have a list of instruments I am building myself for use on the boat, I'll rather trust that. I don't trust our weather forecast too much, I sometimes think a Philamon checks out the SABC's window and forecast on what he sees We do go online and check the 7 day or 10 day forecast out online in any case.

Never heard this one before True.

Another Q. When one overnight I assume you anchor down somewhere. Could be it is going to be closer to shore and in shallower water. If the weather becomes unpleasant do you up the anchor and move to deeper water ? Seems one will have to !

 

Good tips here.

Kay 9's emphasis on preparation and training is probably the single most important element, and can't be over-emphasized. Trying to secure loose gear while the boat is breakdancing under you is no fun and unlikely to get the gear stowed properly, contributing to the potential storm damage. Trying to think about what comes next under stress means you will react much too slowly, or you have a much greater chance of forgetting something vital.

I have been in life-threatening situations more than once. In each case I reacted according to hours of training, didn't think about it consciously after that first split second "Oh S__t". Later, I couldn't believe the actions I took without thinking about them. No credit to me, it's the result of training: learning what to do, then practicing it over and over. I saw an interview with a champion martial arts fighter recently. He said he practiced a few basic moves over and over because, "In a fight, you react. You can't think about what's happening. If you try to think of the best response to the other guy's punch, you'll end up unconscious."

 

If you are caught out, deeper water is always the best, for the reasons mentioned. The height of the seas is not as much of a problem if they are not steep. A young girl wrote a book about her circumnavigation in a 26' sloop. She survived several storms, used varying techniques, but was always in deep water and far from a lee shore.

 

Mmmm... a girl in deep water I've read an article on an English girl who circumnavigated, but I somehow recall she had a bigger boat...

 

Maiden Voyage 1989. Tania Aebi, 18 year old septic, city girl from New York. It's a great read.

 

Didnt she hook up with some guy and tow her boat behind his or something??

K9

 

Her circumnavigation is not an official record because she rode with him from one island to another, not a very big distance. Later someone told her she would have an official world's record as the youngest solo circumnavigator, except that short trip would disqualify her. By that time she was hundreds of miles further on and decided it wasn't worthwhile to sail back and redo that small trip solo. The purpose of the voyage was self-fulfillment, it wasn't a big sponsor thing. Her decision, so it's not an official solo record voyage.

 

Still, must have take some guts, only 18 year old, and a girl, no SMS's, no telephones, no mother...

 

No body to tell you no! No body to worry about your broken finger nails, or the dirty patch on yer shirt!

 

Uh-hu. You can fart, burp spit, swear... what else is there ? Females can wid dry their nails over the side and not cause an accident. Mind you on second thoughts...

 

Funny thing...not many girls sail, but the ones that do are really good at it. My uncle and I came second in the NZ phase 2 championships. We were a bit light for the gale force winds (I was only about 10 yrs old at the time). We were beaten by a couple of women.
Sorry...a bit irrelevant.

This storm survival stuff is very dramatic. Makes good reading. Excellent stuff from Kay9.

 

What is the best thing to do if you are caught in steep waves even when you are far out at sea? Just heave to and hope for the best? And what if the waves are not curling, but they are so big that the white water is still huge. Is there a way to manage this....or again, do you just heave to and hope that you will make it?

I've never been in a 'perfect' storm.

I am referring mainly to a sailing catamaran (my future boat), but would be interested to hear what a motor driven vessel should do too. Just heave to?

 

I hate sailing with girls, If we sink I have to save them or worse pirates( I have to consider this round here) If im with blokes I only have to think about myself which is a nice comforting feeling.

The best storm tactic I know of is --try not to be there in one. Serious!

Weather forecast,-- seasons,-dont go ,--run with it,---sea anchor,--lie ahull.

I admit to not reading the other 2 pages, if this has already been said --sorry.

 

Frosty, those points you mention have been discussed. They were talking about staying far out from land so as to avoid the steeper waves. I was wondering what to do if things are at their worst, and there are steep waves even far out from land. Maybe you are out of options by that stage.

 

Know your boat (be prepared & have "drilled what to do", regularly), hunker down with a drogue and/or parachute anchor off the bows (on a bridle) and make a hot cup-a-soup....