Catamaran Sailing in Squalls

[Jeannius]

Originally Posted by crayiii

What's the best way to handle tropical squalls in a catamaran?

I'm looking for thoughts from others on what you do in these situations.

Very surprised no one else has suggested what became my preferred solution...

When living aboard a cat in the BVI squalls like this were a regular occurrence. I started off trying all the methods suggested earlier in this thread until I started watching what the Professional cat skippers (the ones running crewed charter boats) did. On the approach of a squall they'd start the motors, point dead to the wind, roll away the genoa completely, leave the main just as it was and sit there until the squall passed. Then simply resume course, unroll the genoa and continue on their way.

This way there is absolutely no drama and minimum effort expended (which of course is exactly what the professionals want).

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Jeannius

Very surprised no one else has suggested what became my preferred solution...

When living aboard a cat in the BVI squalls like this were a regular occurrence. I started off trying all the methods suggested earlier in this thread until I started watching what the Professional cat skippers (the ones running crewed charter boats) did. On the approach of a squall they'd start the motors, point dead to the wind, roll away the genoa completely, leave the main just as it was and sit there until the squall passed. Then simply resume course, unroll the genoa and continue on their way.

This way there is absolutely no drama and minimum effort expended (which of course is exactly what the professionals want).

I like that idea.

[theDangerz]

Originally Posted by Jeannius

Very surprised no one else has suggested what became my preferred solution...

When living aboard a cat in the BVI squalls like this were a regular occurrence. I started off trying all the methods suggested earlier in this thread until I started watching what the Professional cat skippers (the ones running crewed charter boats) did. On the approach of a squall they'd start the motors, point dead to the wind, roll away the genoa completely, leave the main just as it was and sit there until the squall passed. Then simply resume course, unroll the genoa and continue on their way.

This way there is absolutely no drama and minimum effort expended (which of course is exactly what the professionals want).

I like the idea in theory... but the number of squalls we've had the last few days (also in the windwards), we would have never gone anywhere. We'd just be sitting offshore between islands for a week pointing into the wind.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Jeannius

Very surprised no one else has suggested what became my preferred solution...



When living aboard a cat in the BVI squalls like this were a regular occurrence. I started off trying all the methods suggested earlier in this thread until I started watching what the Professional cat skippers (the ones running crewed charter boats) did. On the approach of a squall they'd start the motors, point dead to the wind, roll away the genoa completely, leave the main just as it was and sit there until the squall passed. Then simply resume course, unroll the genoa and continue on their way.



This way there is absolutely no drama and minimum effort expended (which of course is exactly what the professionals want).

For day sailing and clearly defined squalls, sure. But for passage sailing where squalls are anything from no wind at all to 2-3 times regular wind strength, and can be frequent, this is not a solution that works. That’s why it hasn’t been mentioned.

[Sparx]

In addition to other suggestions above...

We have had great results in severe gusts by simply heading deep down wind and sheeting in the main. With the boom pointing just a few degrees from the wind the boat calms down quickly. There is less crashing and thrashing running with the waves versus heading into tall seas. As soon as the squall passes its turn back on coarse and trim the sheets accordingly.

We have used this run deep maneuver to take pressure off the main for easier reefing. The strain on the gear is much less versus on a reach. The jib can be furled easily in the shadow of the main or left standing if the gust is brief.

[Snore]

Originally Posted by StuM

Do you have a roller furling headsail?


In squally weather, keep at least your main rigged for the squalls. If your headsail is a roller furler, you can ease it out during calmer periods. Just accept that you are carrying less than optimal sail area between squalls.

That is the prudent Plan A, I normally double reef the main.


Plan B both engines on, roll jib, fake out main halyard, turn up and blow the main. I would rather burn some diesel than risk damaging the boat.

[Jeannius]

I've done a circumnavigation experiencing up to 55 knot winds on more than one occasion so I think it is pretty well tried and tested. Not always the solution I agree but it works well and is very safe.

[atlroofman]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

There are a multitude of pictures of upside down cruising cats to dispute this. Just saying...

Most likely capsized by wave action rather than wind on sail. I agree that the rigging would go before a condocat would flip.

[conchaway]

If you are on a catamaran, this is what I suggest: Go to the bow, and yell (with apologies to Shakespeare), "Defiance, death, hurl we in your teeth!"

[Maybers]

Greetings and thanks for posting this important question.
There are many on this sight with a great deal more sailing experience than myself, but I have crossed a few oceans on my own 43 foot Farrier performance cat as well as sailed a fancy 50 foot Xquisite from South Africa to Brazil so I have some thoughts along with being keenly interested in this topic.

Here are some thoughts:

On our Farrier 43 that weighed 14,000 lbs fully loaded, capsize was a real possibility. I think for most of the big name production cats you would have to work pretty hard to capsize. I agree with other authors that have pointed out it is most often wave action that capsize a yacht rather than wind with the possible exception of lightweight cats in very high wind events. (The Chris White 57 comes to mind as I think more than one has flipped in sudden wind events). Because our boat was in that category we were very concerned to learn what the right reefing schedule was.

Just our observation, but we found that in areas of trade wind sailing the squalls would typically multiply the ambient wind speed by about 50%. So if it was blowing 15 knots a squall would push that into the low 20s. However in Micronesia, Malaysia, and some other equatorial areas we got our asses handed to us enough to have a healthy respect for squalls and how violent they can be. As a result we became pretty conservative when they were around, or at night when they might be. Plus in our case it was usually just my wife and I so only one of us was awake at a time during night watches.

After many miles spent in and around the equator in the far western Pacific where there is a lot of convection action with violent squalls we came to the following routine.

1. We removed the 1st reef on our main leaving only the second and 3rd reefing lines in place. We found that if it was time to reef that we lost almost no speed dropping past the 1st reef and going straight to the 2nd, plus the rig and boat were so much happier. I was happier too knowing that with the 2nd reef in we could handle just about anything.
2. We dropped down to the 2nd reef when the apparent wind went to 20 knots, and running deeply down wind would go to the 2nd reef when the true wind hit 20 knots, knowing that if we needed to head up we would have to turn through the "zone of death" with wind on the beam before being able to point into the wind. Eventually, we figured out that it was a lot easier and pretty much just as fast to sail with no main sail at all when running down wind. Instead we would use our spinnaker in a sock, screecher on continuous line furling, or drop down to our working jib if it was much more than about 22 knots of true wind.
3. We rarely sailed with a Spinnaker at night, and typically dropped to double reefed main and screecher. The screecher gave us the drive and could go deeply down wind, but we could still role it up if we saw a squall coming on radar without anyone having to go on deck.
4.Sometimes we were over reefed. We would see a squally coming and roll our screecher up or take down our spinnaker only to have the squall miss us, or contain only slightly stronger wind. For us that was the right decision. Why? We were two people operating a cruising boat 100s of miles from any help. Our goal was to enjoy exploring the world and arrive at our destination safely. Once in a while we would decide to leave our big sails up as a squall came over, or sail all night with our spinnaker and most of the time that worked out fine, but the few times the wind came up much more than expected cured me of doing much of that. For me it is pretty scary trying to wrestle a big sail down to the foredeck in driving rain with 35 knots of wind blowing while the boat is screaming along at 17 knots.
5. Bottom line IMHO is to learn through experience what feels right on your particular boat in a wide variety of conditions so that you can sail with confidence and arrive safely at your destination.
I hope some of that is helpful.

[Sos]

Thanks for that info Maybers, very helpful!

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by conchaway

If you are on a catamaran, this is what I suggest: Go to the bow, and yell (with apologies to Shakespeare), "Defiance, death, hurl we in your teeth!"

I suggest you go elsewhere to try to find anyone interested in the drivel you spout.

[JamesPNW]

Originally Posted by Maybers

Greetings and thanks for posting this important question.

There are many on this sight with a great deal more sailing experience than myself, but I have crossed a few oceans on my own 43 foot Farrier performance cat as well as sailed a fancy 50 foot Xquisite from South Africa to Brazil so I have some thoughts along with being keenly interested in this topic.



Here are some thoughts:



On our Farrier 43 that weighed 14,000 lbs fully loaded, capsize was a real possibility. I think for most of the big name production cats you would have to work pretty hard to capsize. I agree with other authors that have pointed out it is most often wave action that capsize a yacht rather than wind with the possible exception of lightweight cats in very high wind events. (The Chris White 57 comes to mind as I think more than one has flipped in sudden wind events). Because our boat was in that category we were very concerned to learn what the right reefing schedule was.



Just our observation, but we found that in areas of trade wind sailing the squalls would typically multiply the ambient wind speed by about 50%. So if it was blowing 15 knots a squall would push that into the low 20s. However in Micronesia, Malaysia, and some other equatorial areas we got our asses handed to us enough to have a healthy respect for squalls and how violent they can be. As a result we became pretty conservative when they were around, or at night when they might be. Plus in our case it was usually just my wife and I so only one of us was awake at a time during night watches.



After many miles spent in and around the equator in the far western Pacific where there is a lot of convection action with violent squalls we came to the following routine.



1. We removed the 1st reef on our main leaving only the second and 3rd reefing lines in place. We found that if it was time to reef that we lost almost no speed dropping past the 1st reef and going straight to the 2nd, plus the rig and boat were so much happier. I was happier too knowing that with the 2nd reef in we could handle just about anything.

2. We dropped down to the 2nd reef when the apparent wind went to 20 knots, and running deeply down wind would go to the 2nd reef when the true wind hit 20 knots, knowing that if we needed to head up we would have to turn through the "zone of death" with wind on the beam before being able to point into the wind. Eventually, we figured out that it was a lot easier and pretty much just as fast to sail with no main sail at all when running down wind. Instead we would use our spinnaker in a sock, screecher on continuous line furling, or drop down to our working jib if it was much more than about 22 knots of true wind.

3. We rarely sailed with a Spinnaker at night, and typically dropped to double reefed main and screecher. The screecher gave us the drive and could go deeply down wind, but we could still role it up if we saw a squall coming on radar without anyone having to go on deck.

4.Sometimes we were over reefed. We would see a squally coming and roll our screecher up or take down our spinnaker only to have the squall miss us, or contain only slightly stronger wind. For us that was the right decision. Why? We were two people operating a cruising boat 100s of miles from any help. Our goal was to enjoy exploring the world and arrive at our destination safely. Once in a while we would decide to leave our big sails up as a squall came over, or sail all night with our spinnaker and most of the time that worked out fine, but the few times the wind came up much more than expected cured me of doing much of that. For me it is pretty scary trying to wrestle a big sail down to the foredeck in driving rain with 35 knots of wind blowing while the boat is screaming along at 17 knots.

5. Bottom line IMHO is to learn through experience what feels right on your particular boat in a wide variety of conditions so that you can sail with confidence and arrive safely at your destination.

I hope some of that is helpful.

It is the most logical and thoughtful answer. I liked the idea of removing the 1st reef and use only with 2nd and 3rd. Thanks Maybers

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by JamesPNW

It is the most logical and thoughtful answer. I liked the idea of removing the 1st reef and use only with 2nd and 3rd. Thanks Maybers

Agree great post. But I’m not sure why you need to remove the lines for the first reef - just ignore it and keep the lines in place. Or is it because only two reefs have single line reeding to cockpit or something like that?

Our solution is to make each of our three reefs deeper (when we replace the main, two or three years from now) so that compared to the existing reefing chart we will have reefs 1.5, 2.7 and 3.9, effectively increasing wind speed resistance of each reef by 8-10 knots.