what would you do if...

[manos]

hellow all,
let assume that you are in an open or half decked boat,not heavy displacement(something like Drascobe or Caledonia yawl).You are
3-5 miles from the coast and the sea becomes very heavy in 2-3
minutes(7-8 beaufort scale).
Can these boats handle this wheather?
What should the skiper do(limited experience) to save 1)the crew 2)himself 3)the boat?
How much wind is too much wind?(for this size of boat).
What would you do in this situation.
The situation is suppositively but it could be real.
thank you all.

[Michael s/v Sannyasin]

I've never sailed one of these, so, I can't speak from practical experience, however, I did just read a book about 3 guys that sailed a modified "ships boat" from the Aukland Islands to New Zealand (I think it is about 300 miles in the Southern Ocean) in the 1800's after their schooner had been wrecked.

Their boat was decked over half way, and the other half was covered with sail canvas, with slits cut for their upper body to poke through. This would keep most of the water out of the inside of the boat (kind of like what people do on a kayak).

If you followed their practices, when hurricane force gales blew, they dropped all sail and fashioned a sea anchor that would keep the bow pointed to the waves, but at one point the tether parted and they lost it. You might be able to fashion a sort of sea anchor with your jib.

These guys had also added a lot of ballast to the boat, so, it was more stable. Probably not much you could do about that if you were surprised off-shore.

You could try to secure the mainsail over the open part of your cockpit, though, ensuring that you were still able to steer. Then, perhaps, point the bow downwind and let it run under bare pole(s) taking any waves directly astern (unless the waves are so bad that they might damage your rudder, then, your best bet is that sea anchor).

[ssor]

What you are discribing is a small life boat. Keep you CG low, the bow quartering the seas if you can, and keep your wits about you. If the weather got that bad, that quickly it will probably improve just as quickly.

[Thorne]

Too many unknowns to answer. I've always disliked 'word puzzles' for that exact reason -- too vague for any real response.

Only way to know for sure would be to drop 50 boats into this situation and average the results....

Try this:

You are in a web forum. A vague question is asked. How do you answer? Can you answer it correctly? How long does it take you to answer? What color shirt should you wear?

;0 )


Answer = same as above.

[outofthenorm]

Well, in general, I would:

- Put on my lifejacket
- locate the bailing bucket
- put passenger weight as low as possible.
- Assign responsibilities to people - one person monitors the inside water level, one watches for other boats, one keeps an eye on the nearest landmark - like that. It keeps them busy and alert.
- reduce sail to a minimum - on a yawl like the 2 you mentioned, I'd likely go with the mizzen only, to keep my bow to the wind. That really depends on the boat's individual behaviour. Could be good, could be bad.
- If the blow lasts very long, I'd stream something bulky over the bow. A sail bag or a floor board on a long line would do.
- I might break out the oars and try rowing to keep her head to wind, but that's problematic in waves.
- As SSOR said, keep your wits about you. Stay calm, pray if it helps you. And be prepared to bail.
- Remember everything. It'll make a great story back at the bar.

- Norm

[rbgarr]

Are you on a lee shore? Being blown offshore?

[Ian McColgin]

Can you really experience getting into a gale in such a short time with no warning?

Maybe with a clear air microburst, but there's still warning. I saw one coming in Vineyard Sound because the water under was so wierd and I had about three minutes, plenty of time to douse before it hit.

Anything else in my experience comes with considerably more warning.

Anyway, strip sail. If it really had to go fast, I'd drop the sail and pluck the mast out, tossing it and the rig right over. Better to concentrate on boat handling than securing a flogging bit of canvass. If you can, keep the rig attached to the boat by the sheet so it can act as your sea anchor till the blow passes.

In my dory Leeward off the Oregon coast I occasionally let her swamp and stay that way till the worst was past. This is not a first choise for most boats. For this to make sense the boat has to float awash so it can hold you but be low enough that rather than free water destabilizing the boat, stuff is washing over. It's well to practice swamp and self-rescue in benign circumstances so you can judge what happens.

It's far easier if you can keep the boat dry. A wee boat like this will lie bow into the wind if you put your weight a little ahead of center, bringing the bow down a hair. You can just huddle like that and bail as needed.

You may want to sit in a slightly forward rowing station - which you should have in a boat of this sort - allowing the boat to weathercock, you facing aft are facing downwind in relative comfort, and control the boat with your oars. Don't fight the weather, but go with it.

The good news is that fast on is fast gone.

[Wild Wassa]

Being offshore, notifying other boats and the authorities of your position and crew numbers is mandatory, sending weather updates is a good idea for all shipping. Continually monitor the radio.

If you do get into an emergency situation and requiring assistance don't hesitate to give your position immediately. Certainly don't talk about everything else before giving your position.

Warren.

[peter osberg]

Sounds like our last 10 days off the west side of the Queen Charlotte Is in our 23 ft freighter canoes, The boats were fine, any sea kindly hull would be as well, however the people give out long before the boats do. Besides when you turn and run for a beach, surfing down those rollers is kind of fun. peter

[Craic]

Manos,
I was out in a Drascombe Longboat recently in F7, voluntarily, it was sporty. Being single-handed I just used the double reefed mainsail, no jib and no mizzen, and could just hold her with my weight (85kgs) on the windward gunwhale. Then the wind got even heavier, and the seas went much bigger. I finally decided to go home to downwind. I took all sail down, and still did 4 knots and more. The biggest problem then are the seas, if they break and swamp the boat, you are in trouble. The seas get steeper -and more prone to break- when you approach the shallower water. You must keep the boat just fast enough so the following seas break behind the boat, not over it.
Anyway, nothing happened, looking back it was another fabulous ride. However, today there are unswampable boats (i.e. self-righting boats with self-draining cockpits) of similar size and sail-plan as the boats you have in mind, so if you are concerned with safety, you may want to look at them, the 'Hawk 20' for instance, or the Swallowboats 'BayRaider'.
C.

[manos]

thank you all

[Tom Hunter]

The wind can hit beaufort 7 or 8 pretty quickly, but the sea takes time to build.

If the wind came up that much I would take in sail. if I thought it would stay that way I would head for home.

But if it was due to a thunder storm or other passing effect I might just keep going. I like Thorns answer. My shirt is pink right now, and has a sillouette of a schooner on it.

[George Roberts]

" 3-5 miles from the coast "
"What should the skiper do(limited experience)"
"crew"

One should never crew with a skipper who gets himself in deeper than he can get out of.

One should never skipper where the crew is in danger.

[ssor]

" 3-5 miles from the coast "
"What should the skiper do(limited experience)"
"crew"

One should never crew with a skipper who gets himself in deeper than he can get out of.

One should never skipper where the crew is in danger.

BUT it does happen!! How does one know beforehand whether or not he can swim? If he has never tried only watched, he may think "that looks easy enough".

[George Roberts]

ssor ---

Yes. Most of life looks easy.