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Old 02-10-2013, 01:26   #1
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What would you do,

Todays Weather,, Its a Bit Blowy out there,


Scenario,

Your half way between Perth and Melbourne, In the middle of the Great Australian Bight,

And this storm,Brews up and your in the middle of it,

Those are sheer Cliffs along that coast, and the are no Islands to hide behind,

So what would you do,

And forget about the garbage posts, you shouldnt be out there in the first place,

Perth to Melbourne is approx 3000 miles by sea,

Perth to Hobart, approx same distance,
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Old 02-10-2013, 01:52   #2
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Re: What would you do,

heave too, or run with it,depending on the direction!

alternatively just press the big red button if it all gets too much,and pick up your boat from the beach at a later date...................
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Old 02-10-2013, 01:58   #3
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Re: What would you do,

Head east! Assuming thats the way I was going in the first place, As that low is moving anticlockwise there will be yummy wind up the bum the whole time. Or if I had been attempting to go west, I could head up into South Aus and travel into the Barrossa for a few days of Cheese n vino while I waited it out.

Btw, you do realise that the image is wave heights not wind strength dont you? Because realistically, my trip up to South Aus would be met with Winds abeam- Nasty.
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Old 02-10-2013, 01:59   #4
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Re: What would you do,

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Originally Posted by atoll View Post
heave too, or run with it,depending on the direction!

alternatively just press the big red button if it all gets too much,and pick up your boat from the beach at a later date...................
Oh you have a red button? Damn I gotta get me one of them. Can it order pizza and beer deliveries as well?
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Old 02-10-2013, 02:03   #5
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Re: What would you do,

Those are some serious waves - but significant wave height and direction is only part of the story; what is the wave period associated with those <gulp> 9m waves? Where is the storm center causing those waves and what are the wind speeds/direction and storm center direction?
I mean to say that unless those waves are fully developed and breaking they aren't dangerous - but they will certainly be uncomfortable. I imagine that given the size of the high-wave areas they are breaking and any ships in there are in survival mode - bare poles or trysail, drogues (if present) deployed and imprecations being sent to the appropriate deities.
If I had sea room, I'd have my Jordan series drogue deployed if the waves were breaking. If they aren't, I'd be running bare poled with as much southing as I could get. Either way, I know I wouldn't be getting any sleep.
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Old 02-10-2013, 02:04   #6
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Re: What would you do,

Significant wave height equal to your boat's LOA? If they start to break, it will be fairly hard to avoid getting pitchpoled. I would keep that red button to hand.

According to Passage Weather, you guys have a Force 10 going on there, which might be a Force 11 in reality.

I were in my own boat, I would run off under a little scrap of headsail, and, if necessary trail warps, and if possible, enjoy the ride. I have been out in open water in that kind of wind force before (been there, done that, got the video ), and running off in that is reasonably comfortable in my boat. But I don't know if I was experiencing 10 meter significant wave height or not -- and as everyone knows, it's the sea state which you have to beware of.
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Old 02-10-2013, 02:09   #7
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Re: What would you do,

Mr. B,
I presume I'm sailing and I'd be in 50' cat. so would rig for avoiding too much speed.
I presume the wind is a bit more than brisk and from the west.
Do I set a sea anchor and wait out the worst, presumably not as you've already put me in the middle of 30' plus seas asking what I WOULD do, a bit too late but not impossible.
Do I try and make for Spencer Gulf to NE, not an easy course as too many islands and closing the coast in that storm sounds a bit hairy.
I'd therefore try to make as much south and east as I could, hopefully missing Tasmania and let the storm crash into Victoria funneling into Bass Strait, an experience to be avoided.
So North and East and due South are out IMO, S of E if possible, if not sea anchor, a cup of coffee and a video camera [for Utube].
No need to panic because if I get it wrong I'm dead.
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Old 02-10-2013, 02:36   #8
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Re: What would you do,

Me personally, Drop the Motor, Drag it in the water, It keeps the boat in line, A very small tip of the Genoa out, Depends on wind and waves, High side centre board down fully, I like to keep the speed down, That way I dont break any thing,

Sit back and enjoy the ride, Take Video's, (More cards next time, Idiot, You cant beat a good piccy)
Run with it, My Gemini loves it, Down wind,

My cockpit and hammock out the back, sit level and dont leap about, My wind vane is my hand hold for relieving myself, Harness is on, Hahahaha

14 foot beam, 34 foot long, I thought it was supposed to pitch and roll heavily,

The front 1/4 of my boat, Is suicidal in heavy weather, Just dont go in there, It corkscrews through the water, Levitating a foot off the Dunny seat is not fun,
Upwind, Heavy weather, front of my boat, You will die, Simple,

So every one tells me, They dont sail well, Coastal cruiser, Etc, Make no mistake, My Gemini will sink if holed, Easily counteracted by carrying blow up air bags, If it ever happens again, I am prepared,

Those big Red Knobs are a Modern invention, Like an Epirb, Even Television was Science Fiction to me, Im an old Fart,

I was around long before all of them, Get your self out of the Crap, Your on your own, Ingenuity was the keyword, Sink or Swim, Its your choice,

If you need an Epirb to rely on, You shouldnt be out there,
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Old 02-10-2013, 02:45   #9
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Re: What would you do,

I might add a bit more to this, I live in the Dandenongs of Victoria,

We cop all this wind out of the the Bite to where I live, These winds are snappping of big trees here,

I am just getting other peoples views on what they would do if caught in it,

I certainly hope you never have to experience a storm like that, But they happen here Frequently,

Especially November,

We have a severe wind warning or a severe storm front, Thats our Max, We dont have Force 10 or 11 type wind warnings,

I know force 6 is a nice windy day, Makes up the miles, Got that from a passing ship,
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Old 02-10-2013, 03:01   #10
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Re: What would you do,

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wraith_Mac View Post
Mr. B,
I presume I'm sailing and I'd be in 50' cat. so would rig for avoiding too much speed.
I presume the wind is a bit more than brisk and from the west.
Do I set a sea anchor and wait out the worst, presumably not as you've already put me in the middle of 30' plus seas asking what I WOULD do, a bit too late but not impossible.
Do I try and make for Spencer Gulf to NE, not an easy course as too many islands and closing the coast in that storm sounds a bit hairy.
I'd therefore try to make as much south and east as I could, hopefully missing Tasmania and let the storm crash into Victoria funneling into Bass Strait, an experience to be avoided.
So North and East and due South are out IMO, S of E if possible, if not sea anchor, a cup of coffee and a video camera [for Utube].
No need to panic because if I get it wrong I'm dead.
Cheers,
Mac
I ran out of video cards for my camera, I could have got some grouse waves,

I think that would be the best and safest way, South East under Tassie, Spencer and Bass straight, In those conditions, Nope, Too many objects in the water, The Open Ocean till it blows itself out, Close into the east coast of Tassie going north,

Tassie protects you from the savage seas, Crossing Bass Straight, Is just waiting for a weather window,

I have been watching the weather where you are on the east coast of NSW, since my boat got turfed up onto the beach,

You have a Mini Cyclone happening there all the time, How the hell do you ever predict wind conditions there, Its going round in circles,
Your area is the only place in OZ that does it,
I dont think even Local Knowledge could predict your weather,
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Old 02-10-2013, 03:59   #11
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Re: What would you do,

Quote:
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I ran out of video cards for my camera, I could have got some grouse waves,


I think that would be the best and safest way, South East under Tassie, Spencer and Bass straight, In those conditions, Nope, Too many objects in the water, The Open Ocean till it blows itself out, Close into the east coast of Tassie going north,


Tassie protects you from the savage seas, Crossing Bass Straight, Is just waiting for a weather window,


I have been watching the weather where you are on the east coast of NSW, since my boat got turfed up onto the beach,


You have a Mini Cyclone happening there all the time, How the hell do you ever predict wind conditions there, Its going round in circles,
Your area is the only place in OZ that does it,
I dont think even Local Knowledge could predict your weather,
Keen eye there Mr B, Not many people outside this area seem to have noticed this regular little weather feature.
We've had some ripper twisters come ashore here at Norah Head and take a few roofs off. It ain't even Kansas Toto!
Kills the sailing/fishing but even worse screws up the golf on a Saturday.
Local knowledge helps I think but no long term predictions possible, they seem to build very quickly from a nuisance wind warning to "Oh *****".
That 65hp on our dive boat is there for a good reason. Get home quick.

We have a lot of weird eddies and water temperature changes here close to the coast, look at your soundings for the Norah Head general area, may explain some of it.

I prefer to avoid seas like you mention but like you lads down south, you learn to live with them.

Damned exhilarating actually.

Cheers,
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Old 02-10-2013, 05:27   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dockhead View Post
Significant wave height equal to your boat's LOA? If they start to break, it will be fairly hard to avoid getting pitchpoled.
I thought that was the purpose of a good series drogue- to prevent a pitch pole. Set the drogue, button her up and pray like hell....periodically check for chaffing of drogue line and knees while continuing dialog with The Almighty.
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Old 02-10-2013, 07:16   #13
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Re: What would you do,

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr B View Post

And forget about the garbage posts, you shouldnt be out there in the first place,

Perth to Melbourne is approx 3000 miles by sea,

Perth to Hobart, approx same distance,
The low was forecast for close to a week. Here is the BOM chart from 5 days ago. The low was visible a day before that so there was enough time to find a safe anchorage.

Then, Perth to Melbourne is about 1,600 odd miles, not 3,000. The last safe port on the way is Esperance, leaving a gap to Spencer Gulf of 600 odd miles - see the green arrow I pasted on the chart. The pink circles show Perth and Melbourne. So the prudent sailor would not have gone past Esperance, or would have time to get to Spencer Gulf, or even return to Esperance. There are also some partially sheltered havens close to each end of that leg.

Neverthelss, your point is well taken that there is no safe anchorage for a few hundred miles, and the Bight is renowned for nasty weather.

Ozskipper, I assume it was a typo where you said the low would be anticlockwise (it's clockwise in Southern hemisphere). You had it right when you said "there will be yummy wind up the bum", although I would not describe it as "yummy".


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Old 02-10-2013, 14:14   #14
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Re: What would you do,

I hope you don’t mind if a long range trawler joins the discussion.

The Eagle has a 10 ft high bow, and tend to run with the bow up as the sterrn digs in. So would prefer taking the waves on the bow instead of the stern and/or broad side.

My understand is a drogue is similar but smaller than a sea anchor. The Sea anchor is deployed off the bow to hold the bow into the wind wave with no forward motion/power. Where as a drogue is deployed off the stern to hold the stern straight and/or slow the forward motion. Our drogue is a cone shape about 5 ft in diameter so it could be used as both. As long as the engine was running providing forward motion into the waves, I would use a drogue if necessary.

I almost deployed it once when we blew a high pressure oil transmition hose to keep the bow into the wind as a sea anchor. Luckily the local US tow boat saw us go side ways, so he knew something was up!
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Old 03-10-2013, 18:09   #15
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Re: What would you do,

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr B View Post
Me personally, Drop the Motor, Drag it in the water, It keeps the boat in line, A very small tip of the Genoa out, Depends on wind and waves, High side centre board down fully, I like to keep the speed down, That way I dont break any thing,

Sit back and enjoy the ride, Take Video's, (More cards next time, Idiot, You cant beat a good piccy)
Run with it, My Gemini loves it, Down wind,

Snip

,
So youre going to run with it? What is the point of the question then? Every good yachtsman knows to run with a storm.
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