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CharlieCobra · 31-07-2008, 07:20

Considering that the wind is already starting to clock, you're in the NW quadrant of a storm likely moving WSW. Do a 180, steer 330 to clear the path and beat feet back to Bermuda as quick as ya can. You're still ahead of the storm which is why the temp is dropping as the storm sucks all of the heat ahead of it.

Pelagic · 31-07-2008, 07:45

Sure beats the FOG!

I would be immediately concerned with hypothermia and suggest that we hove-to for 35…no make that 45 minutes for the four of us to crawl under a blanket to generate some heat.

1)……What’s going on?...... Let’s just fantasize!

2)……Where is the storm……… By being hove-to I am plotting and confirming the trend

I’ll let someone else answer the rest…..time for a cigarette!

Fishspearit · 31-07-2008, 09:38

I agree, heaving to and going below may be the best answer!

Charlie, you understand what I was getting at, but in the interest of education, the correct answer will have to include a detailed explanation of how and why you made the conclusions that you came up with.

How do you know where it's at? Why pick that course?

Alondra · 31-07-2008, 10:45

Look, the best thing is to have multiple back ups. We carry some 4 or 5 gps, and have maxsea installed on 2 pCS + our normal raymarine plotter. It may seem to much or diificult but I want to stay out of trouble and keep the Misses happy.
And if it realy all goes wrong I wait it out and sit tight. After a fire or whatever big disaster the approach is the least of my problems.
Good LUCK, Rene
Alondra, India, www.alondrasailing/india

CharlieCobra · 31-07-2008, 10:47

Ok, typically Hurricanes in the Atlantic move Westerly unless they run up against a High. If the swells were from the SE, the disturbance is likely in that direction but a ways off. The wind being light from the NE tells me there's a Low to the SW somewhere. Once the winds start building and bands start forming, that tells me that the storm is either strengthening, approaching or both and that I'm in the outer band area. The NE direction, given the other factors, puts me in the NW quadrant and in the path, especially given that the temp and barometer both are dropping. Having been through 5 Hurricanes, ya notice the drop in temp as the storm approaches just as ya notice the rise in temp and humidity after one passes. The winds clocking around to the ENE tells me that the storm is SE of me or that I'm in the Northern edge since Hurricanes rotate counter clockwise so the best route to avoid the worst is an about face and approx 330 magnetic to make the best speed out of it. This isn't a right angle course but actually about 30* toward the direction of the storm's travel in order to slow it's rate of advance on my boat. A right angle course in my estimation would be 350* but would leave me exposed to the possibility of catching some of the NW quadrant sooner. The NW quadrant is definitely NOT the place to be in a named storm.

David_Old_Jersey · 31-07-2008, 10:58

Am finding it hard to visualise this scenario.

I have tried to Googling 3 Swedish Models in Bikinis but not very helpful (educational though).

I will try Googling "Babes in Bikinis".

See you all next week

CharlieCobra · 31-07-2008, 11:20

Jeesh, you guys remind me of the photo of a girl in a thong with the caption "Somewhere in this photo, if you look close, there's a boat".

Fishspearit · 31-07-2008, 11:41

Alright Charlie, you got most of what I was looking for with the question. David old Jersey is searching for the rest.

A few points to add. Buys-Ballot Law tells us that in the northern hemisphere when one faces the wind in a low pressure area, the center will be located to the right and behind, or 90-135 degrees when facing the wind. So in this example, the center of the storm was between SE to S of us, and by the clocking of the wind the storm was passing to the South of us, and we were as you said, in the NW quadrant.

Of course, we don't know the track of the storm, which would be usefull, because which side of the storm is the 'bad' side depends on the storm's track, it's not always the NW quadrant. Although in this example we know that we are on the bad side because it's passing South of us from West to East.

If the wind direction had been steady, then it would have been coming straight at us. But since we know that we are in the dangerous half, we want to put the wind on the stbd side as you said, to sail away from the center. Although this is open to opinion, I would have put the wind just forward of the beam on the stbd side to head as East of North as possible.

So who's got the next question?

imagine2frolic · 31-07-2008, 11:50

Charlie,

How does one get to be lucky enough to get caught in 5 hurricanes? Were you in the NAVY?

**David M** · 31-07-2008, 12:03

From Bowditch page 515 "Buy's Ballots Law, an observer whose back is to the wind has the low pressure on his left in the Northern hemisphere and on his right in the southern hemisphere. If the wind followed circular isobars exactly 90 degrees from behind when facing away from the wind....."

Edit...just noticed Fishspearit beat me to it.

LtBrett · 31-07-2008, 12:03

I like Charlie's answer. I have just one thing to add--if the wind is clocking while I'm going south, I can estimate the storm is not heading directly for me, but rather will pass south of me.

Oh, and bulky clothes are hazardous in high wind. Get those girls as aerodynamic as possible.

Brett

Lodesman · 31-07-2008, 12:09

How do you figure the path of the storm being WSW? Since the winds jumped from 5 to 35 in less than a day from more or less the same direction, wouldn't you assume the storm is tracking towards you? Wouldn't an E or ENE course be the best strategy? Of course that takes you away from shelter, but does Bermuda really offer any shelter from a hurricane?

Kevin

Fishspearit · 31-07-2008, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lodesman

How do you figure the path of the storm being WSW? Since the winds jumped from 5 to 35 in less than a day from more or less the same direction, wouldn't you assume the storm is tracking towards you? Wouldn't an E or ENE course be the best strategy? Of course that takes you away from shelter, but does Bermuda really offer any shelter from a hurricane?

Kevin

There was no way to know what the storm's path was from the information that I gave, other than that it was passing to the south of us. That conclusion comes from the slight shift from NE wind to ENE. The shift being slight meaning that it would track pretty close to you, so continuing south would likely take you into it.

ENE would be a nice direction to go, but a tough one to sail since the wind was from that way. North to NNE would probably be the most comfortable and still away from the center. Hopefully, winds would continue to clock around as the storm passed, and you would be able to adjust your course clockwise as well.