Gonzalo

[pete33458]

Originally Posted by John A

Please everyone, remove all sails and dodgers in preparation for a hurricane, even while in a marina.

No doubt. That was my first thought when I watched that video. Just get them off and toss them below if you don't have time. Glad they made it...

[MarkJ]

Get the sails off???

Do you think we are idiots?

By the time we knew it was going to be more than a Tropical Storm, or a Tropical Storm at the higher level of wind, it was blowing 50 knots.


How the hell do you get sails off in 50 knots in an anchorage?


.

[MarkJ]

Here is a list with photos of most, mabe 5 missing, of all boats lost or damaged in St Martin's Lagoon and Marigot Bay.


No authorities give a damn so theres no official list.

Hurricane Gonzalo St. Martin | Identifing and documenting boats damaged during Hurricane Gonzalo.



Mark

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Get the sails off???

Do you think we are idiots?

By the time we knew it was going to be more than a Tropical Storm, or a Tropical Storm at the higher level of wind, it was blowing 50 knots.


How the hell do you get sails off in 50 knots in an anchorage?


.

Well, clearly you don't. It was unsafe to even board at many points...taking sail off would risk becoming a backwards skydiver.

The villas at Jolly Harbour were and are quite sheltered, being directly behind rows of concrete townhouses some 40 feet high. In addition, the "canal" is short and there's trees surrounding, not to mention this wasn't supposed to be hurricane strength over Antigua. Seriously, it was a nasty surprised. Those docklines WERE doubled, with springs fore and aft, but when the dock itself comes apart, you're really at the mercy of wherever the boat lands.

I estimated wave heights of three feet in a stretch of water not quite the length of a football field. A bit problematic!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Here is a list with photos ...
http://hurricanegonzalostmartin.wordpress.com/
Mark

Thanks Mark (& Susan).

[accomplice]

Here in St George's, Bermuda, LA Davina, a Delphia 40, did not remove their genoa from their headsail and lost their rig in Gonzalo.

Sent from my XT1060 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

How the hell do you get sails off in 50 knots in an anchorage?


.

If I thought it absolutely crucial? Unhook the main halyard, topping lift, pull the pin out of the gooseneck. Toss the lot of it over the side to be retrieved later?

Still thinking about the furling headsail...:what:



Sent from my SCH-S738C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Fiveslide

If I thought it absolutely crucial? Unhook the main halyard, topping lift, pull the pin out of the gooseneck. Toss the lot of it over the side to be retrieved later?

Still thinking about the furling headsail...:what:



Sent from my SCH-S738C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

do it first then tell us about it please.
having merely the audacity to have lowered and furled a reefed mainsail in 30 kts, i can vouch for fact that aint gonna happen. sorry. wind power is strong. stronger than human. the work of removing a sail is not do able in gale force wind, as you WILL learn.
practice first.
pix or it didnt happen.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by accomplice

Here in St George's, Bermuda, LA Davina, a Delphia 40, did not remove their genoa from their headsail and lost their rig in Gonzalo.

A boat next to me did too. The lost their rig on a 44 footer. But he coulnt have taken it off after the wind had come up - he would have smashed the boats either side of him.

Being anywhere in the wrong season means bad weather and unexpeced bad weather... The people i the Hurricane Zoe took calculated risks... One of those risks was they would get adequite warnig of a hurricane. We got adequite waring of a Tropical Storm. Yes similar....

If you cant handle the risks, or the maths to get you there, get out of the hurricane zone, or get out of the bad weather in the wrong season zone.

But I dont think I saw ANYONE taking their sails down. We were all wrong/missinformed.

Go back and have a look at all the photos of all the 88 botas. I bet most had sails attached

Hurricane Gonzalo St. Martin | Identifing and documenting boats damaged during Hurricane Gonzalo.

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by zeehag

do it first then tell us about it please.
having merely the audacity to have lowered and furled a reefed mainsail in 30 kts, i can vouch for fact that aint gonna happen. sorry. wind power is strong. stronger than human. the work of removing a sail is not do able in gale force wind, as you WILL learn.
practice first.
pix or it didnt happen.

I meant without hoisting the main, just taking boom and all down. Then you just have to deal with the windage of a, hopefully, still tighly packed sail and its weight. It certainly would not be possible on all boats but it could be done on some.

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[accomplice]

We removed our genoa and stay sail from the furling units, but we had several days to prepare. It was non trivial for myself and two crew. If I were alone it would've been a real challenge. The owner of LA Davina (Walter) didn't ask for help, and he was about a mile or so from me and Nomad. I would've offered to help if I had known. Nomad (Paul) was also slone, but did ask for help with ground tackle, dinghy, etc. and as a result made it through OK.

We did have several days warning. Some boats talked about running from the storm, but that is a risky endeavor here as you may be able to reach waters unaffected by the storm but cannot reach a different safe harbor should the storm change paths. Even Rocas, an Oyster 655, decided they couldn't safely get far enough (although they thought about it). I'm not sure how they fared. If any one hears from them or sees them (Ian and his wife), I'd be relieved to hear they are OK.

Sent from my XT1060 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Hud3]

Has anyone heard from Blue Stocking?

Maurice, I hope all is well with you and your boat.

[neilpride]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Has anyone heard from Blue Stocking?

Maurice, I hope all is well with you and your boat.

What kind of boat, Brand,??

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Fiveslide

I meant without hoisting the main, just taking boom and all down. Then you just have to deal with the windage of a, hopefully, still tighly packed sail and its weight. It certainly would not be possible on all boats but it could be done on some.

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

have you tried this in a gale?? how did the boom act against the huge winds--i find i cannot manage a long tube/cylinder in gale force winds-- i had hella time manually furling an already collapsed sail in 30 kts, measured.......

as the storm was predicted and arrived to the island as a tropical storm, and as it rapidly intensified over the island, i think the folks did damgud. the loss would have been bad with or without the removal of sails.
the winds went from manageable to over 100 mph in a hurry.
was described by one lady as " hell " i would think that is a reasonable term for anything over 60 kts winds, with gusts of over 100 miles per hour, becoming sustained at over 100 mph with appropriately sized gusts.
there was no way to know this rapid intensification phenomenon woud occur when and where it did.

[John A]

I replaced both my mainsail and my jib in 50+ knot winds and 25 foot_ swells 200 miles NNE of Panama in December of 2001. Single handed.
I was there because I guessed wrong.

From the photo, the mainsail could have been secured by wrapping a line around the sail and the boom instead of letting it flap in the wind. If you don't have several turns on your furler to wrap the sheets around your jib a few times, at least secure the jib sheets as tight as possible.