Late Season Sailing in Northern Europe

[rockDAWG]

Just an update: The boat will leave Greenland on route directly to Bristol, UK. They will be accompanied by Northabout, a Irish Yacht. I hope they can sail further south before making a left turn.

[DeepFrz]

Any further news on this voyage?

I copied this from Northabout's log.

Everyone is tired, ready for a break, and maintaining a genuine smile when they can, its only the captain that is smiling like a terrified chimpanzee as I’m the one who see the weather forecasts!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Any further news on this voyage?

I copied this from Northabout's log.

Northabout faced some pretty horrendous conditions, even worse than what we were warning the OP about. On top of strong weather, the poor sods have had to face perverse EAST winds.

We have handled this at 50 KT with around 7m seas, (occasionally 8-9m) so our confidence levels are good. I heaved the boat to for a few minutes to test how she behaved, and she was ‘OK’ sitting duck like as the rollers powered through beneath us

http://polarocean.co.uk/8118-2/

And this is a tough metal expedition boat, not a plastic production boat like the OP's.

I hope that the other boat, the one the OP is supposed to be crewing on, has gotten through ok.

Northabout's log makes interesting reading. I loved the part about being three days away, five days ago Don't I know what that's like!

[DeepFrz]

I have read some of the logs. One log mentioned the "Eagles Quest II" but no further mention that I could see. It looks like "Northabout" should make port today or tonight.

Dockhead, regarding your mention of

I loved the part about being three days away, five days ago Don't I know what that's like!

there was also a mention of a "200 mile forcefield" off the west coast of Ireland.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I have read some of the logs. One log mentioned the "Eagles Quest II" but no further mention that I could see. It looks like "Northabout" should make port today or tonight.

Dockhead, regarding your mention of
there was also a mention of a "200 mile forcefield" off the west coast of Ireland.

Yes, I read that, and laughed.

I've been stuck in the middle of the North Sea with a "forcefield" around every place I might want to get to. Tacking in heavy weather struggling to get upwind, like Sysiphus rolling the rock up the hill over and over again . . . . , with sun coming up and going down and coming up again, with no apparent progress.

And they say we do this for fun!

Here's wishing Northabout and that other boat a safe landfall! :beer:

[rockDAWG]

I received SATphone text this morning that EQII was safe and sound. The crews have arrived Westport walking on solid ground now.

Was told that they went thru 4 storms on the way to Ireland from Greenland. The worst one was 47 knot with 5 m wave. The boat suffered lot of damage, but they survived.

The staysail broke, the bimini was blown away, autopilot failed, genset is gone, water intrusion everywhere, and that the bulge pump couldn't keep up. Fortunately just before leaving Hong Kong, they bought a high power sump pump that saved their asses. With over 40+ knot wind from SE, it blew them 100 nm off course. It ended up that they sought refuse in Westport.

Now they just licking their wounds and get some immediately repair and see if they can make it to Cork for major haul out and repair. This leg turned out to be the most gruesome trip. Crossing the NW passage and crossing Baffin Bay were a piece of cake. Crossing Northern Atlantic in the late season is a total different animal all together. I am glad they are safe and the boat is OK. Somehow I just don't understand why they had their bimini up during the storm.....LOL.

Despite all these, they held up well together as a team. I am sure they would not want to do it again any time soon. But it will make a great story to tell.

We are sailors!!! We choose to sail is not because it is easy.

[boatman61]

Glad they made it across okay.. don't envy them the trip..

[Numawan]

Originally Posted by rockDAWG

I received SATphone text this morning that EQII was safe and sound. The crews have arrived Westport walking on solid ground now.

Was told that they went thru 4 storms on the way to Ireland from Greenland. The worst one was 47 knot with 5 m wave. The boat suffered lot of damage, but they survived.

The staysail broke, the bimini was blown away, autopilot failed, genset is gone, water intrusion everywhere, and that the bulge pump couldn't keep up. Fortunately just before leaving Hong Kong, they bought a high power sump pump that saved their asses. With over 40+ knot wind from SE, it blew them 100 nm off course. It ended up that they sought refuse in Westport.

Now they just licking their wounds and get some immediately repair and see if they can make it to Cork for major haul out and repair. This leg turned out to be the most gruesome trip. Crossing the NW passage and crossing Baffin Bay were a piece of cake. Crossing Northern Atlantic in the late season is a total different animal all together. I am glad they are safe and the boat is OK. Somehow I just don't understand why they had their bimini up during the storm.....LOL.

Despite all these, they held up well together as a team. I am sure they would not want to do it again any time soon. But it will make a great story to tell.

We are sailors!!! We choose to sail is not because it is easy.

47 kts max? Sounds quite reasonable. I would have expected more.

[barnakiel]

If I read it correct, 5m waves and 45 knots of wind. That's not quite hell of a weather. Plenty of damage though.

I bet your friends are very modest in their estimates. Or else the boat is delicate.

Very glad to hear they made it all-right! Thanks for the update!

Cheers,
b.

[rockDAWG]

A lot of damage of the boat was coming from my mouth not his. I may use the wrong words. Don't over reacting, please.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

If I read it correct, 5m waves and 45 knots of wind. That's not quite hell of a weather. Plenty of damage though.

I bet your friends are very modest in their estimates. Or else the boat is delicate.

Very glad to hear they made it all-right! Thanks for the update!

Cheers,
b.

I disagree, Barney. It's certainly not nearly as bad as it COULD have been, but mid-40's mean wind speed is Force 9. At those latitudes, with that fetch, blowing for long periods in the middle of the ocean, that is really bad weather. That can produce seas of up to 10 meters. That is especially really bad weather if you're trying to make way other than straight downwind.

I was knocked down (in a tough 54', 25 ton boat!) in the North Sea in weather like that -- going dead downwind.

Remember also that cold air is denser and has more power in it.


RockDawg -- aren't you glad you didn't end up on that boat, starting from 5 degrees (!!) higher than where they ended up starting from? You would have had better than 50/50 chance of being in a Force 10 or even 11 up there, in that season. Now you see why we were giving you, the advice we did! The boat, as I understand (?) was a Dehler or some other boat like that -- not made for that kind of duty! A Force 10 could have been a survival situation up there.


Anyway, all's well that ends well. Making port after something like that is like an airplane landing -- every one of them you can walk away from is a good one

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Numawan

47 kts max? Sounds quite reasonable. I would have expected more.

They were lucky!

[DeepFrz]

Thanks for the update rockDAWG. I'm glad the crew is safe.

[rockDAWG]

It is apparent that they only stopped in Westport for some quick fix and left for Dingle Bay yesterday. Will stop there a day and head out to Cork.

They will haul out the boat plus some repair in Cork. KD the owner will end the expedition early and fly home. I will fly to Cork to organize the repair and hail out. He will resume the sailing activity next year to take the boat back up Hong Kong.

I am not sure what is his next thing on his bucket list since he has done all of them, I think. May be flying to Mars. LOL.

[barnakiel]

Yes. Indeed.

Just the fact that sea and wind are so cold there will make huge impact on how things develop. And then the countless other factors like wind shifts on passing systems that generate confused seas which is probably worst for any small and mid size pleasure craft.

My comment on conditions being moderate was not meant to take anything from the skills and events. And it was, in retrospective, jumped. We have been living between the tropics for 15 years now and I admit I am beginning to forget what it is like out there in the deep North. But I know it is a different game.

Very glad everyone made it thru. A boat is a boat and can be fixed in the first harbour.

Cheers,
b.