Handling rough seas

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Tuesday, September 21. 2021

Unless you are a Captain-level seaman, I advise avoiding rough waters. Lobstermen and fishermen know how to do it safely, but most recreational boaters do not. It is a skill, or an art. It takes years to get the feel. Besides that, I read that fishermen have the highest fatality rates.

The sea wants to kill you. I believe I have better feel in sail than in power.

Rough water

Posted by Bird Dog in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 15:51 | Comments (14) | Trackbacks (0)

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I rode out a typhoon west of Midway ins a small, 170ft long, Destroyer Escort, the John R Perry. It was both exhilarating and terrifying, at point the ship was taking 30°+ rolls.

Because I wasn't prone to getting sea sick I stood a long watch, wedged into a chair trying to to get tossed about too much. A bit of luck for me, because, to make up for that, the sailors who were sick stood extra watches for me in nice weather, so I got to lounge around and sun myself.

#1 ambisinistral (Link) on 2021-09-21 17:28 (Reply)

The sea has no mercy. I have seen 60' waves and 100 kt winds. Awesome. But deadly, if things went wrong. I have also gone out to rescue vessels in distress. Some unsuccessfully. Sadly.

#2 Stargazer on 2021-09-21 18:33 (Reply)

Truck drivers have a higher fatality, but the causes aren't always on the road.

#3 wickedpinto on 2021-09-21 21:18 (Reply)

there's a lot of hang wringing bs out there about boating. Many boats survive when the occupants do not, or when they abandon ship. Common sense helps - don't show off. Don't try to do things you saw in a movie. Slow down and take your time. Don't panic. Stay at sea if you are caught in rough weather - a landfall, esp a foreign one, is much harder in rough weather. Make hot food if you can, and stay hydrated. Don't try to remember all the "safety tips" you read in an article. You'll develop your own quickly enough. Trust me on this.

#4 tim fedrrell on 2021-09-22 05:42 (Reply)

I agree. Don't panic! I've been through some scary events on big rivers. You have to keep your head.

#4.1 Gary Foster on 2021-09-22 10:46 (Reply)

Keep your head and head into the sea as slow as possible while maintaining steerage. I've been in many Typhoons and had one form above me west of Guam. Took over a week to get out of that one. Check your weather reports several times a day. Go out on deck and use your senses. Yes you can smell the weather. 45 years at sea you learn a few things.

#5 Capt. John A SNYDER (Link) on 2021-09-22 09:25 (Reply)

I fell in love with sailing around 30 years old as a student at school on city island. they had some certificate you got so you could rent at other places after course completion. so I sailed on sound with 25' merits to learn.
for recreational sailing and learn to love the forces at work to move without an engine is really beautiful through a school.
by the time you are done with school you already know you have to be a day sailor basically... stay close to home marina, etc. in case of storms and stuff.

teaching people to love sail is not about scary stories ... it's about the beauty of it.

#6 Rodney F Bauer on 2021-09-22 12:26 (Reply)

"I believe I have better feel in sail than in power. "

Me too, often 'small craft warnings meant great sailing.

#7 James ONeil (Link) on 2021-09-22 13:08 (Reply)

You are correct, sir. At my club, when the wind gets to 15 kt or so, and there is 18” of chop on the bay, the powerboaters are heading up the gangway and into the taproom. The sailors are going down the gangway and jostling for space on the launch.

Summer in New England is chiefly light air, barely enough to get to hull speed on a beam reach with a big Genoa. May and September, though, with a reef in and just a working jib, working through the waves, with all the power you can handle, is the exhilarating time of year.

Sadly, in two weeks, I have to make my annual delivery to the winter yard—but it’s 109 nmi, so I get a last cruise in. It often happens that we get Small Craft or Gale conditions on the trip. Taking on the elements is part of sailing, unless you never go offshore or even out of sight of your mooring.

#7.1 Bruce Anderson on 2021-09-23 07:54 (Reply)

Roughest time I had was trying to beat my way across the River from Texas to Mississippi while Son of Ivan was reforming in the Gulf. The Gulf is a big bathtub that just gets sloppy. You can't set a good course for the weather since you'll end up at a dead end of oil rigs.

I'd rode a lot of bad storms on sub-200' research boats in the Pacific; the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea, even at 60 south on a 300' boat, but the Gulf had no pattern, like a like on 4th of July with all the boat wakes combining to make peaks and holes.

For small boats, I'd taken a cat outside the reef of Kaneohe Bay several times, but once, I misjudged and the swell wasn't really higher, but it was steeper. Coming around in a narrow trough occupies your mind. But the alternative was to sail over to the lee of Molokai to turn around.

#8 JK Brown on 2021-09-22 13:11 (Reply)

I avoid deep water, as I am a poor swimmer, but I can't avoid the universe. The universe doesn't WANT to kill you. It doesn't care a rat's patootie. It doesn't care. When I hear my children pals say, "I am one with the Universe. It will take care of me!", I think, yeah, it will take care of you, then recycle the remains.

#9 Ted on 2021-09-22 13:23 (Reply)

When I was young and stupid, I decided to sail my 11' Snapir sailboat out beyond the breakwater at Morro Bay. When my friend and I cleared the breakwater, we encountered these huge (to us) swells and I about soiled myself making a U-turn. I was lucky I didn't dump us.

#10 snopercod on 2021-09-22 13:37 (Reply)

Always good to be lucky. Never good to rely on being lucky.

#10.1 John Hyland on 2021-09-22 14:00 (Reply)

Rough weather would seem a relative term. Any combination of wind and wave that scares you half to death , challenges your skills and makes for a great memory and story is what many sailors fear and live for.

#11 Roy on 2021-09-22 18:53 (Reply)

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Tuesday, September 21. 2021

Handling rough seas