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**estarzinger** · 15-07-2018, 17:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

1) You need a fair bit of forward speed to punch through even a small breaker. If you are a tiny bit off line, or too slow you get shoved backwards and reverse broached. . . . .

You do remember that forereaching was the most successful tactic tried (no-one tried a drogue) in the '98 StoH, in large breaking waves. Note: yes, Those boats have several good helmsmen each and (typically) high stability and excellent upwind performance - so a different case than cruising boats.

The steering approach used was to pinch up into the crests (about 20 apparent) and then fall off to build speed back (And not 'go down the mine') after past the crests.

4) a small sea anchor astern worked very well. Surf that was full on without the drogue became pretty easy with it out.

Yes, agreed, it's often a very good tactic; but only if it leads in a good direction.

...........

Saleen411 · 16-07-2018, 06:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neptune's Gear

This, IMO, is not hove to. It’s lying ahull with some sail. The sail is baggy, reef line to slack, flatten it like a board, then pull up the traveler until the right angle (circa 30 deg) to the wind is achieved. If there are large breakers around, I’d use my parachute. Being properly hove to is lying close to the wind, making no progress, either for or aft, but drifting slowly to leeward.

Yea....and also as has been mentioned...the boat is almost 90 deg to the wind!

Which obviously is no big deal in these rather benign conditions.

BTW, this has been a very educational thread and I have very much appreciated the input from all the very, if not the MOST experienced sailors on this board.

dominoMarie · 17-07-2018, 16:03

Such a heartbreaking account. We are so sorry to hear about the loss of your vessel, although we are glad you are safe. We got caught in the same storm on our route from Majuro to Sitka. On June 11, as we rounded Midway, it became clear that a monster storm was developing. We ended up abandoning our course and seemed refuge in Hawaii. You were already way too high to avoid it and had no room to run. We save pix of the storm GRIBS from Predict Wind and you can follow the developing storm on our blog
http://dominocatamaran.blogspot.com/DOMINO 20

**estarzinger** · 17-07-2018, 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by dominoMarie

We got caught in the same storm

Actually, that is a different system.

The one you show is the one that went up to the Aleutian Islands when KELAERIN was off the Oregon coast (shown in the 'zoomed-out' grib in a post somewhere above). That was an honest real blow when it was near Hawaii.

KELAERIN was in much much weaker pattern to the east of that one. In your June 14ths grib you can just see the edge of the northerly winds they got in (right at the eastern edge of your grib box).

Pelagic · 17-07-2018, 17:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by dominoMarie

Such a heartbreaking account. We are so sorry to hear about the loss of your vessel, although we are glad you are safe. We got caught in the same storm on our route from Majuro to Sitka. On June 11, as we rounded Midway, it became clear that a monster storm was developing. We ended up abandoning our course and seemed refuge in Hawaii. You were already way too high to avoid it and had no room to run. We save pix of the storm GRIBS from Predict Wind and you can follow the developing storm on our blog
http://dominocatamaran.blogspot.com/DOMINO 20

Thanks for sharing. I have been a big fan of Malcolm Tennant since doing some work with him around 1999-2000
I like the relaxed style of your blog

dominoMarie · 17-07-2018, 20:12

From all the above, it looks like it was a rogue wave that caused the ultimate demise. The storm that had been raging for days to the East must have generated hughe seas towards the coast... never too careful.

**estarzinger** · 18-07-2018, 04:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by dominoMarie

The storm that had been raging for days to the East must have generated hughe seas towards the coast.

sigh . . . except for no sign of such huge seas on the wave bouy's, no sign of a significantly sized different direction wave train in the helo video, and the swell pattern the Hawaii storm kicked up headed very northerly and did not make it east of the Alaskan/Canadian border.

Excellent job on your own management of that situation - very prudent - a great example of preventive action. The stories that rarely get written, because nothing bad happened.

barnakiel · 18-07-2018, 07:36

It only takes one odd wave. And one odd wave can happen in any given storm.

I find myself guilty of the same omission. The boat under-prepared for this one off event.

Very glad the crew is fine.

b.

dominoMarie · 18-07-2018, 10:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by estarzinger

sigh . . . except for no sign of such huge seas on the wave bouy's, no sign of a significantly sized different direction wave train in the helo video, and the swell pattern the Hawaii storm kicked up headed very northerly and did not make it east of the Alaskan/Canadian.

Thanx for this clarification...