Who Ordered the Frikkin Cyclone?!

[sailorgal]

You guys stay safe.

I keep checking in here to see how you are doing. When this is all over and everything is back to normal, I'd really like to know what kind of setup you have that you can keep posting to the forum during a cyclone!!! I am seriously impressed!

[Hud3]

Glad to here you're both OK! Sounds like the worst may be over for you. Hope 44'Cruisingcat makes out as well! It looks like it's headed for Bundaberg, but it should be weakening a bit as it heads south.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Glad to here you're both OK! Sounds like the worst may be over for you. Hope 44'Cruisingcat makes out as well! It looks like it's headed for Bundaberg, but it should be weakening a bit as it heads south.

Should be ok, these are weatherzones guesses for Monday Tuesday and then it starts to drop

7 day GFS model weather forecast of isobars and rain

[Celestialsailor]

Hi Guys...Hope you're doing ok. I went through Hurricane winds one time in an anchorage. The boat would sail up on her chain then snap back. I didn't sleep for 2 days. Checking the chafe gear on the anchor chain and watching a 60 ft Tug drag past me. I think I found religion that day!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Hope 44'Cruisingcat makes out as well! It looks like it's headed for Bundaberg, but it should be weakening a bit as it heads south.

yes! Lets hope his boat is fine

I've just come off so I'm going to bed. Its moderated and is dead here


Mark

[cat man do]

The EYE has just gone over Latest Weather Observations Creal Reef

12-00pm blowing 80 gusting to 102 knots

1-30 pm CALM blowing 0 gusting to 4

2-30 nuthin


Hold on

Dave

[nicollej]

Hi Everyone,

I am just sitting watching the weather as we are still getting some strong winds and gusts even though the worst now appears to be over. My amazing, brave and wonderful fiance' who is my hero is asleep after over 20 hours of hard work through out the cyclone and no sleep.

I wanted to say THANK YOU so much for all of your advice and support on this topic over the last day or so. You are all so amazing, helpful, special, kind & wonderful people.

I can't tell you how touched I was to read al of your words of encouragement and best wishes during last night when we were online to track cyclone Hamish.

We are so lucky to have such wonderful internet friends who care about our safety in a dangerous situation. Thank you for taking the time to post something to us or for us. You really showed what the cruising spirit is all about!

You gave us inspiration, ideas, comfort and encouragement when we really needed it most.......thank you!

It was amazing we could even get our internet here and that it lasted through the whole cyclone. It was wonderful to be able to track and study the weather information and the cyclone data. At least we felt more prepared and informed.

So thank you for helping us through that challenge......we both really appreciate you all so much!

Have a wonderful day!

We are just waiting for the strong winds to slowly settle down and trying to catch up on sleep....

Smiles & hugs,

Nic from Sea Life - The Whitsunday's
www.ourlifeatsea.com

[Pelagic]

Hi Mark and Nicolle,

Just came in on the end of your posts. Sounds like you guys were well prepared and dodged a high caliber bullet.

The good thing about one of this magnitude is that it gets your attention and generally moves fast. The big danger are the ones that show less initial intensity and a wobbly track, that can turn around and bite you in the as* if you don’t take everyone seriously. (Happens all the time here in the Philippines where we get about 8 to 10 a year)

The 2nd anchor dilemma is an easy one for me to work out.

As Wotname advises have it in the water but how you deploy depends a lot on the holding conditions, swing room, yachts tendency to sheer and anchorage topography.

Once I lay out my primary anchor at maximum scope to keep me off anticipated dangers I make sure that the remaining chain can be run out easy and I put a lighter line on the bitter end so that it can break away easy if I need to let go due to a barge or ship dragging down on me.

Well before any wind comes I lower my secondary anchor to full extent replacing any faded marks, then retrieve it back while carefully laying the chain in the locker so that no snags can happen if I need to run it all out in the storm.

Then when the anticipated wind settles in, but before it builds too much, I lower the secondary anchor at my stretched out position so that it just drags the bottom.

The reason is that most Typhoon holes are in Mangrove areas and the shallow bottom can be a muddy slurry.

My goal is to reduce and slow down the sheering tendency that will break out the primary anchor and if the topography is steep hills or cliffs around you, it will slow down the effects of rebound gusts.

If the eye passes close by and the wind starts to go 180 I then deploy my second anchor using engine and clocking angles to lay it out at an angle away from the primary anchors bight.

I don’t believe in committing both anchors before the TRS shows it’s hand, since they can fool you, but I do like the second one in the water and ready to use for any scenario.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by cat man do

The EYE has just gone over Latest Weather Observations Creal Reef

12-00pm blowing 80 gusting to 102 knots

1-30 pm CALM blowing 0 gusting to 4

2-30 nuthin


Hold on

Dave

Hey Dave check it out... its still Calm there...... A big eye of the cyclone? Or the last gust broke it!

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

yes! Lets hope his boat is fine

I've just come off so I'm going to bed. Its moderated and is dead here


Mark

Great to see you two got through fine. You seemed pretty well prepared, so no surprise it all went well.

The latest prognosis looks just a little better for us here (Hervey Bay).




The hook south at the end of the track is still a worry. If it passes East of Fraser Island that will make a big difference here.

Spent today cleaning up all the loose left over Duflex, plywood etc etc, moving workbenches, tools etc into a (hopefully) more permanent structure than the boat is in...tomorrow is decision day, if the prognosis is still not great I'll drop the boat off it's stands onto the ground, fill deck lockers with water, (should get several tonnes in them) and tie the boat down to star pickets hammered into the ground.

I'll also take the cover off the shed, the bare frame should handle the wind easy, with it's cover on the shed has stood up to over 50kts before.

I'll also have to board up all the window and hatch holes... tomorrow could be a pretty busy day... the really annoying bit is the boat is all masked up for painting, final application of topcoat should have been tomorrow. I'll have to mask it up all over again, if it's still there...

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by seacap

44 where are you?? I have ridden out 3 direct hits on board in St. Thomas including a force 4. Proper gear and a good hole make the difference. My pryers are with you.

MarkJ...isn't it nice having a barometer?

In Hervey bay, and not able to get the boat into a sheltered hole:



Not much shelter here at all....thanks for the prayers though, seems like they might have helped!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Not much shelter here at all....thanks for the prayers though, seems like they might have helped!

Well I don't see that theres much you can do. That is Hervey Bay in the background isnt it?
All you can do is get it tied down. Goodness its so exposed.

Even this afternoon we've had 40 knots in here at 70nms off the side. It will lose intensity meant to be a 3 soon.

Good luck with it.. and we are both thinking of you. we know how it feels

Mark

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

I'll also take the cover off the shed, the bare frame should handle the wind easy, with it's cover on the shed has stood up to over 50kts before.

I'll have to mask it up all over again, if it's still there...

Most of the opther boats here didnt take down all their sails, covers etc. Our Bimini was a pain and will be a far bigger pain to get back on with all the nylon zippers UV destroyed. Every bit of our deck kit was removed, every rope coiled tight and removed or rendered unflapable.
My point is, its far better to take all the precautions though you are making more work for yourself next week.
Its like that thing where: if we do it it wont happen, but if we don't do it it will happen.

Luck favors the hard workers

Mark

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

In Hervey bay, and not able to get the boat into a sheltered hole. Not much shelter here at all....thanks for the prayers though, seems like they might have helped!

44'CC,

Is there anything you can do to anchor your boat? My last three hurricane seasons here in the Caribbean, the yards I was in strapped the boat down with heavy nylon straps to "yard anchors". Even if you could just drive iron pipe or heavy rebar into the ground, you could get some lines over the hulls to hold her down.

That's too pretty a boat (and way too much work on your part) to risk damage.

Good luck to you!

[S/V Willow]

Hey 44CC, My what a pretty view and let's hope it stays that way!! Star pickets sound good to us. We have crossed our fingers for Mark and Nicolle and continue to do so but we have now crossed our toes for you. If the sailing gods are listening to all of us you will be fine! Keep us posted and we are so sorry we can't be there to help you tie down. Ray and Fiona. ps - all quiet here in Adelaide but there again it's always quiet here.