Gonzalo

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by zeehag

have you tried this in a gale?? how did the boom act against the huge winds--i find i cannot manage a long tube/cylinder in gale force winds-- i had hella time manually furling an already collapsed sail in 30 kts, measured.......

as the storm was predicted and arrived to the island as a tropical storm, and as it rapidly intensified over the island, .

Of course, I haven't had to try it at all. Just thinking I could do it, on the boats that I have owned.

I've sailed and windsurfed in big winds. I've a good idea of the forces against a flaked, covered and tightly wrapped sail on a boom.

I know these people got caught off guard by a stronger storm than they were told to expect. One reason for trying to get creative.

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[SVTatia]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Has anyone heard from Blue Stocking?

Maurice, I hope all is well with you and your boat.

Maurice is well and I heard Bluestocking broke loose and is grounded, but would be floated shortly, which is good news. I am really hoping for minimal damages. I don't think power has been restored at where Maurice is.

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by Fiveslide

I meant without hoisting the main, just taking boom and all down.

Remove the boom? Now that's over the top

[Zanshin]

Originally Posted by SVNeko

Remove the boom? Now that's over the top

I think they meant dropping the boom so that it isn't supported by the vang or topping lift and is securely attached to the deck.

[accomplice]

Speaking of removing the boom.... one of the boats in Bermuda last week told me that their insurance company required that if they were hauled that they had to remove the boom. This is one reason why he did not pursue a haul-out when Gonzalo approached. I had never heard of this insurance requirement before.

I'm not sure if it matters, but they had a v-shaped boom, possibly carbon-fiber, that held their flaked main. (sorry, I don't know what they're called...)

[SVNeko]

Some call them a park avenue boom.

Sent from my SM-T210R using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[S/V Alchemy]

Out of interest as to how the story didn't end with Bermuda after the Caribbean, here's a roundup on how the broken-down Gonzalo lashed Britain yesterday. There was still a lot of twitch left in the corpse, it seems:
Hurricane Gonzalo kills 3 people and another 5 injured as it hits UK | Daily Mail Online

[MarkJ]

Nasty little storm. I cant believe it still had 108 mph winds in the UK.
Some great photos in that article

[dohenyboy]

Ask Boatman about Gonzalo in the North Sea


Sent from an undisclosed location on the high seas or from the lounge chair by the pool, you decide.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by dohenyboy

Ask Boatman about Gonzalo in the North Sea.

Boatman, what about Gonzalo in the North Sea?

[NSboatman]

pretty normal really, for post-tropical storms to have that kind of intensity by the time they reach the UK. They're not named storms then, and have lsot most of the tropical characteristics too...that happens off our coast here. They're no worse than the dozen or so winter storms that blow thru the UK each fall/winter... only they're much more polite: they are warmer and provide 2 weeks of notice before arrival!!

[John A]

This was sent to me by a former cruiser that I had shared anchorages with in the Caribbean in 2002-03

Hi John, many thanks for the mails on Gonzalo.
But in future I would be pleased if you keep these storms at your side of the Atlantic, you're used to them and we don't want them here!!
Last night the bugger came over Switzerland, dropping the temperature to freezing, winds of up to 150km/h and snow on top of it.
At the moment still snowing, in some regions will be up to 1m.

[dohenyboy]

I think I am the only person who had boats on two continents banged up by Gonzalo


Sent from an undisclosed location on the high seas or from the lounge chair by the pool, you decide.