Storm Gear

[kb79]

Originally Posted by kb79

maybe this is naive, but i was thinking that if you've got a para anchor and pardee bridal, that it'd be all but impossible for your boat to to do anything but drift leeward, regardless of your keel design... not true?

no takers on that one?

[markpierce]

True, but a water current would also influence a boat's drift.

[DannySt]

Originally Posted by Black Diamond

I saw the one comment about personal EPIRBs, but nothing about harnesses, life vests, jacklines, tethers, ditch bags, weather gear">foul weather gear, spare radios, spare batteries, lights, first aid kits and what to do if a lightning strike takes out all your installed electronics. Even survival suits depending upon where you sail. I've had far more opportunity to wear harnesses than tow sea anchors, warps of line or pour oil upon the waters. ....

I have to follow on this. Apart from maintenance, like all the standing rigging, sails in good enough condition not to rip at the fist sign of wind, etc.., IMHO, good foul weather gear is the most important thing for foul weather conditions.
Most boats will handle good in tough conditions and the biggest danger is human error. If you are cold and wet, you are more likely to make a mistake that will end miserably. If you are warm and dry, the waves look a bit smaller and the wind feels a bit softer.

[kb79]

Originally Posted by markpierce

True, but a water current would also influence a boat's drift.

that'd be the case for any boat though, right?

i'm assuming that proper use of the sea anchor and bridal basically guarantees that i'll be properly hove to, and will have my slick in the right spot. if people think that's an oversimplification, i'd like to know.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by kb79

that'd be the case for any boat though, right?

i'm assuming that proper use of the sea anchor and bridal basically guarantees that i'll be properly hove to, and will have my slick in the right spot. if people think that's an oversimplification, i'd like to know.

I believe strongly that it depends on the boat design. e.g. you are not going to get the same results on a racer/cruiser or performance/cruiser as you would in a Pardey traditional full keel design boat. Who knows about a CS 36? How well does she heave to on her own?

But, I'd have a drogue solution as a backup and experiment.

But, I doubt you will get anything you cannot manage, although the NZ area gives me a few worries.

Waves built on this principle also gives me a few sleepless nights

Schröder's equation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Bash]

the one piece of emergency gear that we carry that hasn't been mentioned in this thread is a spare rudder. We carry a Scanmar SOS rudder, stored right next to our drogue. Those are the two pieces of gear I hope never to use.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by markpierce

True, but a water current would also influence a boat's drift.

Current would affect drift over ground, but not drift thru the water.

The two issues that come up for any given boat is:
A) Hanging from a sea-anchor, from bow or bridle, does the boat surge backwards enough when hit by a wave to damage the rudder?
B) Hanging from the sea-anchor does the boat stay dead down wave from the wake?

There are no garuntees for either one of these things, though I am inclined to believe that most boats can be made to work for most moderate to conservative boats with a bit of experimentation.

[High Heels]

Spot Light with adapter that permits hookup in the cockpit...might help you spot man overboard...as well, if weather permits you to make it into protected area and there are channel markers if it is night can help you spot unlit markers...

[rgscpat]

Somewhere someone has mentioned the idea of having two or more first aid kits... commonly used stuff easily accessible to the crew, a heavier duty kit for more serious repairs, and maybe even another for the ditch bag or raft.

[roger.waite]

By night we add strobes to what we wear by day. Strobes are visible at long range, and leave the searchers' night vision intact.

[SaltyMonkey]

Extra rudder is a requirement for Transpac. Especially important to consider if you have a spade, semi-skeg or skeg. Monitor windvane - you can purchase a special designed paddle that can be used to steer the boat. I'm assuming the scanmar SOS is such a device. For less money, a hydrovane or any other stand alone rudder (not trim tab nor servo/tiller) will allow you to use it as an additional emergency rudder.

[goboatingnow]

I remain to be convinced that a sea anchor, is of any use with a modern boat. Firstly their are no realgood attachment points and secondly I dont think these boats are built to withstand breaking waves over the cabin top. In my experience, I either Jog ahead or run off, but never stationary.

dave

[maxingout]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I remain to be convinced that a sea anchor, is of any use with a modern boat. Firstly their are no realgood attachment points and secondly I dont think these boats are built to withstand breaking waves over the cabin top. In my experience, I either Jog ahead or run off, but never stationary.

dave

These attachment points will not fail in a storm. They are on the bows of my catamaran Exit Only.









If my parachute sea anchor chainplates ever pull out, there will be no bows left on my boat.

[rebel heart]

Taking big waves on the stern is (in my experience) unmanageable. Unless you're a racing crew with a dozen qualified helmsmen that can take 30 minute shifts, it's just not practical. Maybe in a squall a small crew can pull it off, but in any storm lasting more than half a day you're going to have bleary eyed zombies who will eventually make mistakes.

We bought a boat with a (modified) full keel in part because of its ability to track and heave to. Buying a lighter displacement fin keel boat and then being boxed into limited storm management options was your (or whoever's) decision in the first place.

Read up in Heavy Weather Sailing. Hull designs (and certainly storms) haven't changed much since Coles did his rather bullet proof research. He talks about running off and reaches the same conclusion that anyone has who's tried it on a short handed boat in a long storm: you will tire, you will make mistakes, and you will eventually broach.

[SaltyMonkey]

concur with rebel heart fully. Dodging the breakers will also wear you out.