Heavy Weather Sailing 7th edition

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Thanks to a well found boat, her well found skipper and a sound heavy-weather strategy that was executed well, Isbjorn made it through that North Atlantic storm drama free and not only unscathed, but with an exhilarated crew who learned a bit of good seamanship. Coping strategies Heaving-to In rough seas, the galley becomes a battlefield. The pitch and yaw of rough seas and gusty winds can turn a dutch oven into a scud missile. Things like glass jars and wine glasses soon become shrapnel as objects fling themself out of cupboards and smash on bulkheads and cabin floors. For over 50 years Heavy Weather Sailing has been regarded as the ultimate international authority on surviving storms at sea aboard sailing and motor vessels. As Roger Taylor, a highly regarded ocean sailor and author, points out, this is when preparing the boat properly and having a clear, well thought-out strategy allows you to see the storm not as an ordeal demanding superhuman strength, skill and endurance, but as just a different type of weather.

To effectively and safely forereach in storm conditions you need a boat prepared for offshore sailing. Your boat needs to be able to take waves on the bow and lots of loads. Sturdy boats with long keels will be better for taking big waves on the bow than modern lightweight performance yachts which are generally better off going with the wind and waves.A Sat Phone should be part of everyone’s heavy weather operational plan and if you have any questions about whether it’s right for sailing in heavy weather or not, I point your attention to SV Delos and their voyage to the Azores last year . Sailing on a Beam Reach will mean that you are sailing directly or near directly across the waves – not a good idea.

You won’t always progress through that entire sequence. In fact, in the nearly 100,000 miles I’ve sailed offshore, I’ve yet to do so myself. But I sleep easier knowing all the tactics I have available to me when the weather gets really bad. Taking that leap into new situations can be daunting. This is one of the reasons the weekend sailing skills courses are so useful. There’s a Spinnaker weekend, heavy weather training, boat handling, Solent sailing, celestial sailing, and night sailing that allow you to practice specific skills.

Tactical choices

Knowing the theory behind how to reduce sail in a storm is one thing, but does that theory work id…