Got caught unprepared in high winds again

[Be Free]

Often the first sign of these storms popping up is a slight increase in the wind and a noticeable decrease in the wind temperature. As soon as I get a little puff of cool air I know it's time to put in a reef. There's a thunderstorm about to pop up.

[thunderhoof]

I do a bit of racing and I find we as a group often get wrapped up in the competition and don't look at anything but sail trim, wind on the water and the boats around us. Plus we always have the maximum sail area for the present conditions.

Once, on Long Island Sound, we were on an up wind leg toward a developing line squall. We turned tail for the harbor while those around us pressed on, probably wondering what happened to us. We spent much of the evening helping them dock in high winds and rough seas.

The obvious moral is to size up the weather, at least every 10 minutes, regardless of the current conditions.

[sailingchiro]

No global warming. Just 4pm on the West Florida coast.
Drop sails and roll the headsail once you feel the cool breeze front. Start engines and wait 30 minutes. Put sails back up and sail on.

[sjm823]

Was just wondering what is meant by “putting the electrodes in the water?”

[Wallaby]

Poseidon has a thing for electrodes. I always put a few in the water when it gets stormy.



It might also have something to do with a possible lightning strike. Actually, would it be worth clipping a heavy duty copper wire from forestay to anchor chain, when anchored? Anyone done that?

[MicHughV]

sailing offshore Florida's coast during summer is always a crapshoot...coastal thunderboomers build along the coast and they can move with alarming speed.

these storms often breed so-called " roll clouds"....you can't miss them...if you see them, you will have scant minutes or less to douse all sail...as the wind can ...and will be ferocious, as will the sea state....

they don't last long, 3-45 minutes, but it takes a while for the sea state to lie down again..

my experience has been that they generally arrive in the afternoon.....often accompanied with a lot of lightning and thunder...and pelting rain that will come at you sideways.....fun...fun.....fun....

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

I think we'll be encountering situations like this with the trends toward unsettled weather that we're seeing because of global warming.

really .. are you blaming south Florida wind gusts on climate change? ever sailed in that area in the summer? it's why we like heavy displacement boats.

[MicHughV]

I can remember a time, about 2-3 miles offshore West Palm Beach, south Florida, when I got hit by one of the thunderboomers as described above, accompanied with black roll cloud. The sea state went from enjoyable to intolerable in less than 10 minutes.

To say it was like being in a washing machine would be kind. It was neither possible to sail or motor out of this quandary. My boat was heeled over a good 30-40 degrees under bare poles...it was an insane 45 minutes, and it was all I could do to just hang on. I had about 30 seconds to douse all sail, as it came over me far quicker than I would have guessed.

I was out there with 2 other sailboats. We had all been sailing south, and until up to this time, were in relatively close proximity to each other. During the thunderboomer, it was raining so hard, I could not see where the other boats went. After the storm blew over, I noted we had all been blown a very long distance from each other.

Since then, I have experienced several of these storms. Off the coast of Florida, they are quite common, especially in the summer, you can almost predict these storms by looking at your watch..

I'm no weather guru, but it seems that the predominantly eastern wind flow on the Florida east coast, meets up with westerly winds/rainstorms that come across the land and when they meet is when the mayhem starts.

I can't speak for the west coast of Florida, but this is how things happen on the east coast.

Global warming...nah, I don't think so....just your basic east coast Florida summer weather...

[capn_billl]

Did you not feel a drop in the air temperature just before the 20-knots-out-of-nowhere?

No, but come to think of it my ears popped just a minute before it hit.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Did you not feel a drop in the air temperature just before the 20-knots-out-of-nowhere?

Originally Posted by capn_billl

No, but come to think of it my ears popped just a minute before it hit.

Well, that wouldn't give you much time, would it?

I was just sharing something that I find helpful. My experience has been that there would be a noticeable air temperature drop.

LW77

[MicHughV]

LittleWing, I think you are quite correct....my experience is that a notable temperature drop precedes the arrival of the thunderboomer...giving some advance warning to take immediate action...this is most helpful at night, when one's vision is restricted....

which brings to mind another wet weather issue offshore....water spouts.....I've seen quite a few of these, some very close up...but never been hit by one, but clearly a hazard to be avoided

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Increasingly, I think we'll be encountering situations like this with the trends toward unsettled weather that we're seeing because of global warming.

Originally Posted by gonesail

Really .. are you blaming south Florida wind gusts on climate change?

Yes - really. As you'll note, other posters have noted it as well (tilostal #8, landsend #9) that afternoon thunderstorms used to be predictable - now they are not. Pay attention when you're next out sailing.

Originally Posted by gonesail

Ever sailed in that area in the summer? It's why we like heavy displacement boats.

Yes. I ran a 125' privately owned Feadship that regularly cruised from Ft. Lauderdale to Naples. I also was a Charter Skipper for the Moorings, as well as Delivery Skipper in and out of Ft. Lauderdale every few months. For now, I recently returned from a delivery through the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Hope that meets your qualifications standard. How 'bout you? Have you sailed much? Recently?

LW77

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

I was sailing offshore full sail in light winds, <5kts.

And going nowhere fast. I idly thought of ways to increase sail area, but I knew thunderstorms were predicted, so I decided to stay put.

Then suddenly a 20kts gust came out of nowhere, and began ramping up.

I immediately released the jib sheets, and it began flogging like a madman, and the pressure on the main weathercocked me into irons..

I started an engine to get steerage, and forcibly furled the jib. (it took some cranking to get it in)

The main was now parallel to the wind, so I didn't worry about it except it was very gusty, and not always from the same direction.

I also noticed the sky was getting dark, and spits of rain, and crackle of thunder.

SO I dropped the main to the first reef, and let out half the jib, and went back to sailing. Gusty, but manageable, and put the electrodes in the water.

Then after half an hour the storm moved ahead of me, and toward shore where I could see heavy rain bands, and active lightening hitting the water.

Then after an hour the wind dropped back to 5 kts, the sun came back out, and it was all good again.

I guess just another typical sail.

Somehow I find it hard to believe that winds came out of nowhere with no other climate signals being around. I'm sure your observation of "I also noticed the sky was getting dark, and spits of rain, and crackle of thunder." Took place well before you received gusts.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by guyrj33

Sounds like a typical Gulf Coast afternoon.

Yep, there comes a point where you can see these coming, and shorten sail before they hit you.

Originally Posted by MicHughV

LittleWing, I think you are quite correct....my experience is that a notable temperature drop precedes the arrival of the thunderboomer...giving some advance warning to take immediate action...this is most helpful at night, when one's vision is restricted....

which brings to mind another wet weather issue offshore....water spouts.....I've seen quite a few of these, some very close up...but never been hit by one, but clearly a hazard to be avoided

Yep, definitely one of the signs. I've been sailing in the gulf since the mid 80's and it doesn't really seem any different to me.

[Sailing Ohm]

If you’re in Naples, I was probably out there with you! I’m sailing around Fl from WPB up to NOLA as we speak. Just hopped from Ft Myers to Tampa a few days ago.
It’s been either light winds or way to much wind... A storm came up behind me and I caught a 25-30kt downburst before a storm the other day while beginning the reefing process. It seems to come well before the storm and I hadn’t yet got my preventer unrigged. Next thing I know the toe rail is under water up to the stay deck attachments with full main up while struggling to get preventer unrigged. It has a cam cleat so luckily with one final tug I was able to release it (bruising my fingers pulling so hard) but I was about to cut the line. Lesson learned... reef even earlier than I think and be fine with bobbing around waiting for the storm to show up.
Another storm had me sailing 9.5kts with just a reefed main and a hull speed of 7.5...consider myself lucky things didn’t break. Learned to put in the third reef just in case. Better to be going slow than way to fast.
When the next storm came I just dropped anchor like 3 mi offshore and took the opportunity to have dinner.

Oh and another really scary thing was the masthead was making a loud static discharge noise and I was bracing for a lightning strike but thankfully it didn’t happen. Ended up putting my phone, Garmin in reach and an extra epirb into the oven just in case.
This is my first experience single handing sailing and the learning has been steep. Thankfully nothing has broken yet and no major injuries!