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Westerly · 28-10-2013, 01:59

Well the storms here now and it's a wild one. Reports of 105mph winds in the Dover Straits
I'm weather bound at the Swale on south east UK coast. On my way back to my berth in Gravelines Northern France.
Everything's locked down and secure and we're safe and in a very sheltered area. To everybody else in the area be safe be lucky.

goboatingnow · 28-10-2013, 02:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westerly

Well the storms here now and it's a wild one. Reports of 105mph winds in the Dover Straits
I'm weather bound at the Swale on south east UK coast. On my way back to my berth in Gravelines Northern France.
Everything's locked down and secure and we're safe and in a very sheltered area. To everybody else in the area be safe be lucky.

Yes it's a bomb , rather like the 79 fastnet , spun of the bottom of a big low that went north over Ireland.

Dave

**Dockhead** · 28-10-2013, 02:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoofsmit

Well they are mad if they are, it's been forecast for over three days! it's the volunteers of the RNLI that will risk there lives for them.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=y...ure%3Dyoutu.be

A well-found yacht with decent crew and strong rig and storm sails would be ok in these conditions in the Solent. Strong wind by itself can't hurt you. The Yarmouth-Lymington ferry has been operately continuously through the storm, by the way.

I've been out in the Solent myself in 50+ knots of wind, and more than once. The Isle of Wight prevents the sea state from building into anything horrible, although wind of that magnitude against tide in the Solent creates an extremely unpleasant square chop which can really shiver your timbers.

I have seen the Solent full of boats with orange storm sails in such conditions -- out practicing coping with strong conditions.

Out in the Channel is a different story, of course. In my boat, Force 8 or even Force 9 out in the Channel is "exciting", but not too horrible as long as the wind is behind the beam and you give a wide berth around anything like a tidal race. Beyond Force 9 it starts to get hairy.

Actually, the hairiest conditions I have ever experienced in the Channel (or anywhere, for that matter) was in calm weather -- hardly a F4 -- rounding Start Point on my way to Plymouth from Dartmouth last year. A good lesson on wind versus sea state. There had been a tremendous storm the night before, a F10 or F11. It piped down by morning so I didn't think there would be any problem. How wrong I was. The sea was still up -- an enormous confused, steep sea around the point, although I was supposedly a safe distance away from the race. I thought we would be knocked on our beam-end although, in the event, we were not.

bbowers2004 · 28-10-2013, 02:27

Looks like the life boat had a fun day, seems like it would be a bad day for a picnic though.

Hoofsmit · 28-10-2013, 05:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Bramblemet is showing a maximum gust of 60 knots: BRAMBLEMET - Weather Reports from Bramble Bank That's not out in the Channel; that's in the relatively protected waters of the Solent. Average wind speeds breaking 40 knots only briefly. I bet there are people out sailing in the Solent! With storm sails would be manageable as there is not enough fetch in the Solent for a really dangerous sea state to develop. But out in the Channel would be suicide! I do hope no one is out there!!

I was referring to your last sentence re. The channel.
Had a similar experience to you around the Lizard in a NW 7 with wind against tide , thought we would be in the lee but those over falls are not nice, standing waves still freak me out !
I just thought the comment and the YouTube clip was appropriate . Those RNLI guys have some balls.

Ypake · 28-10-2013, 05:12

Whell here in Dokkum north holland is blowing over 50 kts with gust on the range of 70 , nice to be on a canal, trees are falling around.
5 linea to keep the boat on the pier and many ropes around the solar panel to not fly away.
Hope no one is out.

Zeek

**atoll** · 28-10-2013, 06:44

never really got more than 30knots here,but i am tied up to a large building to the SW!

will have to get in the dinghy and check on "Hina"which is on a mooring in the main harbour,lots of trees down and roads closed.

at least we have neap tides at the moment,otherwise there would have been a lot more coastal flooding,
boy am i pleased we moved the catamaran down from london last month!

**carstenb** · 28-10-2013, 12:00

weather services reported winds were 70-80 knots with gusts peaking at over 100 knots here in copenhagen.

Capri damn near had a knockdown lying there in her slip.

worst is over now. but it appears there is another one brewing out in the atlantic and set to hit the continent next monday (break out more lines guys)

goboatingnow · 28-10-2013, 12:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by carstenb

weather services reported winds were 70-80 knots with gusts peaking at over 100 knots here in copenhagen.

Capri damn near had a knockdown lying there in her slip.

worst is over now. but it appears there is another one brewing out in the atlantic and set to hit the continent next monday (break out more lines guys)

Hmm I see that on the met offices synoptic charts , there's a possibility of a big low thats spawning off the Greenland that may make it to the continent. But forecast beyond 3-4 days ....... There's a high forming too

Dave

Searanger50 · 28-10-2013, 12:42

It passed us by in the marina but created havoc inland and out in the channel. Max wind I recorded in the marina was between 35 & 40 kts but we are well protected here and we did rock around a lot. Now just showers and light winds with occasional stronger gusts.
kevin & Sandy.

**Pete7** · 28-10-2013, 12:56

In the time it took to drive from Swanwick down to Gosport the wind has picked up again. Looks like our trysail halyard has been banging against a spreader because there is a fluffy bit half way up and the solar panel brackets are a bit bent. Otherwise everything looks okay and the bilges are still dusty.

Pete

**atoll** · 28-10-2013, 13:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

In the time it took to drive from Swanwick down to Gosport the wind has picked up again. Looks like our trysail halyard has been banging against a spreader because there is a fluffy bit half way up and the solar panel brackets are a bit bent. Otherwise everything looks okay and the bilges are still dusty.

Pete

good to hear you survived okay

,all my decks are now nice and clean,guess i won't need that pressure washer after all