Who Ordered the Frikkin Cyclone?!

[chala]

Hi Mark
previous cyclone tracks are available on that site Tropical Cyclone Information for the Australian Region.
From this data, you will be able to establish probability.
Chala

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by chala

Hello Mark, Chala here.
Cyclones are a nerve wrecking experience. Hope that this one goes inland before it reaches you. What are your plans? Do you intend to go to Nara or to Macona inlets?
As necessary I will pass to you my experience in fighting cyclones. My wife and I will keep track of the cyclone and advise as necessary. So lets hope the cyclone goes inland.

Nara and Macona aren't really ideal cyclone holes. They are both pretty open to the south/southwest.

Mark is in one of the more recognised hideouts.

Mark are you right up among the mangroves? The present calm would be the time to get the sails off the spars/furlers, and stowed away, and get the boat tied on to some mangroves.

[skipmac]

Hamish looks like it's really blowing up. Good luck guys. Wish we could help.

Skip

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Mark is in one of the more recognised hideouts.

Mark are you right up among the mangroves?

Nah its too shallow. There is a guy here with a 4ft 5 draft has dinked up there and is going again on low tide.
We are in the deep bit

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

The present calm would be the time to get the sails off the spars/furlers, and stowed away,

Yes all the kit is off. We have left the boom on at this stage.

I made a bucket of concrete when I was in Bundaberg so thats ready to shackle to the anchor. The books say that works do we believe books!?

The cabin is ready for sea and we have converted the saloon table into our at-sea day-bed.

We will eat, sleep and figure out contingencies.

One contingency is which shore to run the boat aground on one has rocks but the other has a nice soft landing of mangroves. Not the sort of stuff I want to think about but if it hooks in straight over us its 100 knots!

Nicolle is a trooper! Very cool and calm and getting about the boat doing the jobs

Mark

[MarkJ]

ONe thing I am thinking about and would like a bit of advice is with the second anchor: use it or not?

Current, 8am, tracking shows we would touch the side of the destructive winds so are looking at 48 kts with the cyclone 45 nms to sea. So the wind should clock around (clockwise for the Northern Hemisphere people).

We should get E then SE, then S then SW, W etc.

I am not sure if I should put out the second anchor because of the chance of tangling it.

or

To keep the second anchor in reserve if someone else drags down on us and fouls our anchor. Then I could drop our second anchor over the top of the fouled ones and *hopefully* fix a situation.

Any thoughts?

PS I don't like the second anchor much.

Mark

[jkd]

Mark,

Keep safe, try to stock up on sleep as much as you can before the winds get up.

Tough choice on the anchors. I think I might try putting them both out 180 deg to allow for the wind clocking unless you see a good chance of boats dragging down on you..

Been thru a lot of hurricanes here in S. Florida but not on a boat.

John

[maxingout]

In the Caribbean I always set 2 anchors out 45 degrees apart in the direction of the opening of the bay where the big swells would be rolling in and in the direction of greatest fetch. It's usually the waves that create the greatest problems when there is exposure in one quadrant. Usually good ground tackle can stand up to the wind if there is a decent holding bottom.

I would set my anchors, get off the boat, and make sure my insurance premium was paid up. Don't risk your life for a yacht.

Good luck mates. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

[skipmac]

I would probably put out a second at 180 degrees if it looked like I would be close to the eye and would see winds from the opposite direction. All depends on how much swinging room and how many other boats nearby?

If I were certain that the winds would stay from one quarter and it was going to blow like hell I would put out two anchors at 30-40 degree angle and play with the rodes to split the strain. If both are all chain rode that does make it trickier if the rodes foul so would make sure I could free the chain if necessary.

Good Luck Mark and Nicolle. You have a lot of cruisers pulling for you.

[chala]

Mark
Are there big boats near you who could drag their anchor and come over you? If this is the case then you may have to let your anchor go and you will need another one. On going aground: of course choose the softest one, but it is often not your choice.

[Tempest245]

Mark and Nicolle....Hang Tough....

[Meridian]

Mark...do you have a big (and I mean BIG) swivel, like off a parachute anchor? If so, you can run the rodes from your 2 anchors to the swivel, then a big hawser from the swivel to your boat (perhaps through the chocks, and then around the mast. Use plenty of chafe protection, please). This set-up should help prevent the rodes from tangling. If no swivel, research the "tandom anchor" technique, if you think there's time still to rig it.
Got any goggles? You'll want them. Eat and sleep now. Drink plenty, and don't let yourselves get chilled in the wind/ rain. Make sure fuel-filters (Racor's) are clean, and have a few out and ready as replacements.
If you hang your bucket-o-cement, don't let it get too close to the anchor, as it could affect its ability to re-set.

We're pullin' for you...
the crew of Meridian

[cat man do]

Good luck with it Mark
Stay safe

30 knots from the e/se at the moment

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ60...01.94368.shtml

A shame its to late to run to here now
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en...66261&t=h&z=14

Dave

[delmarrey]

You guys down there under the line call your sea storms cyclones unlike the typhoons just North of you or even monsoons in the S. China sea. But what do you call the ones over land like our tonado's? (BIG dust devils)

[Wotname]

IMO, deploy all anchors. You can't predict who or what will drag into you but you can be sure that it be almost impossible to EFFECTIVLY deploy a second anchor in the heat of the battle. So having it already deployed gives you a better chance than keeping it in standby.

The engine does provide a useful force to counter winds / waves and sometimes will move you far enough away from a nearby dragging vessel even while you are anchored.

Sounds like you have everything else covered: clear decks, below all stowed for heavy weather, food prepared, rest (as if you can), a plan for watches, a couple of fall back plans and be prepared to cut away other craft that drag into you. If you can, talk to the other boats to understand who is likely to be helpfull and who might be a problem.

After that, it is a case of managing fear of the unknown and unexpected.

Good luck and FWIW, I have always noticed that good luck seems to favour the prepared.

In the meantime, post more photo's of Nicolle .

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

You guys down there under the line call your sea storms cyclones unlike the typhoons just North of you or even monsoons in the S. China sea. But what do you call the ones over land like our tonado's? (BIG dust devils)

Bit of wind

When they do actually get destructive they sometimes call them tornadoes, very rare though

This was the last good one we had, with pics

Emergency Services feel strain after savage Brisbane storm | The Courier-Mail

Dave