When to remove all canvases?

[Alex_V]

The whole Irma thing got me thinking. My current Catalina 27 is on a North GA lake in a marina. We wont get anything crazy. Winds of 40 knots at the most, and rain. Easy stuff compared to what some of the people have to deal with.

Planning on some very minor preparation... make sure dock lines are solid, and add an extra bumper or two. Thats about it.

But it got me thinking, what would be the projected wind speeds to warrant removing all canvases from a boat? 50+ knots, 60+?

[a64pilot]

Only takes an hour or so to strip the boat, why not be conservative?

[sailorboy1]

If I knew it was going to be 50+ for a while and it was possible I would remove the sails etc.

But if I had something small like a Catalina 27 I would take it down anytime i started thinking to myself "I wonder f should take down the sails?"

[thinwater]

Saying it only takes and hour depends on the boat. Vinyl windows can very easily be scratched in the process.

How much wind do you see in summer thunderstorms and winter storms? 40 knots is nothing special. 60 knots should be nothing special or you won't be able to sail in squally weather.

I'm not saying that if severe conditions are possible special measures are not prudent, but EVERY boat should be prepared for 40-60 knots and tied up for this every time you leave it. True? The only difference with tropical systems is that the tide can be higher than other storm types, and harbors subject to surge (pulsing wave action) will be troublesome.

150 knots is all together different, with over 6 times the force of 60 knots and 14 times the force of 40 knots. More if waves are considered. Any direct comparison is peas to pumpkins.

[barnakiel]

It is very difficult to remove sails (esp furled genoas) once it blows hard.

If the forecast looks bad, remove everything as early as you can.

Good luck, be safe,
b.

[SSgtPitt]

Remove everything you don't have time or money to replace. After Harvey, I now remove everything when I leave. It's cheaper than replacing it and cheaper than a plane ticket to fly down and remove it later.

[Kenomac]

We remove all sails and canvas at the end of each season.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

If the forecast looks bad, remove everything as early as you can.

I think the question is, what is a "bad forecast?" Given uncertainty in forecasting, not an easy question.

Another approach is to wrap sails:

• Genoa. Take the spin halyard and spiral it around the furled genoa, from top to bottom, in the reverse direction. The sail cannot unfurl.
• Main. Spiral a rope over the cover.
• Dock lines. Check the condition. Add real chafe gear where needed. Add extra spring lines (2 on each side); these really reduce movement and impact loads. Confirm the lines are long enough to move vertically.

[JPA Cate]

I would like to add something that should be obvious, but I sorta forgot about one time. The galvanized cleats on docks are rough, and particularly when the nylon dock line is wet (rain, or spray), that lack of smoothness acts like wet sanding on the line, so, the cleat needs its own chafe gear (I've seen children's flops used for this), or kevlar, or similar chafe gear on the line where it contacts the cleats.

Someone else started a thread showing some dyneema soft shackles that were used with sleeves for hurricane Harvey, and using them for 2 lines also freed up space on the dock cleat.

Stuff to think about.

Ann

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

I would like to add something that should be obvious, but I sorta forgot about one time. The galvanized cleats on docks are rough, and particularly when the nylon dock line is wet (rain, or spray), that lack of smoothness acts like wet sanding on the line, so, the cleat needs its own chafe gear (I've seen children's flops used for this), or kevlar, or similar chafe gear on the line where it contacts the cleats.

Someone else started a thread showing some dyneema soft shackles that were used with sleeves for hurricane Harvey, and using them for 2 lines also freed up space on the dock cleat.

Stuff to think about.

Ann

I have a slip and I use dedicated dock lines. I use chafe guards, the kind that seal around a line with a Velcro closure, to protect the ends which are cleated. I use the same chafe guards where the dock lines pass through my chocks. They certainly increase the usable life of my permanent dock lines.
Another thing to keep in mind is that dock lines don't last forever. I replace mine every four or five seasons.

[boeing1]

I removed mine yesterday,and doubled up my dock lines, I do not like the west movement and the size of this storm.

[Capt Jerry]

I rode out the fringe of a hurricane in the Bahamas years ago. We endured 70 mph wind and did not have time to take down canvas. We just pulled into a protected cove, put out two anchors, furled the sails, tied them down and left up the bimini. Everything held up fine. Still, if I knew such a storm was coming and had time, I would have taken off the canvas.

[The Garbone]

Treat it like reefing, if you think you may need to do it, do it. Saw a lot of lost sails and rigs here in Daytona from Matthew last year.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Capt Jerry

I rode out the fringe of a hurricane in the Bahamas years ago. We endured 70 mph wind and did not have time to take down canvas. We just pulled into a protected cove, put out two anchors, furled the sails, tied them down and left up the bimini. Everything held up fine. Still, if I knew such a storm was coming and had time, I would have taken off the canvas.

Wind direction is key, the dodger is of course designed to take water and high winds from the bow, which swinging at anchor is likely where most of the high wind came from.
But tied in a slip, it may come from the stern, where if your Bimini / dodger is like mine, it's a funnel and would likely take a whole lot less wind.

[Dave22q]

Jib is hard to secure, quick and easy to drop. I pull mine if expecting wind over 50. My main is not easy to pull but can easily secure to the boom by wrapping with line or heavy shock cord over the sail cover. Of course for Irma I pulled the main and the boom. Windage matters.