Sunday, bloody Sunday

Against my better, 58 year old judgment I went out Sunday with a small craft warning posted by the NWS. It was blowing 15 knots or better in the bay with 2-3 foot waves which didn't seem all that threatening. After a long exciting reach we were at the mouth of the bay in six foot rollers and the wind closer to 25 knots, gusting to 30. Several attempts to tack were knocked back by successive sets of enormous swells. We could never quite get through the wind and just ended up being pushed backwards. Even the old faithful backwind rudder push failed to turn us around and only facilitated a big gust of wind to flip the boat. We struggled to right it but it blew right back over in the opposite direction as we drifted sail first towards a pound net. We finally righted it a second time but too late from backing into, and becoming entangled in, the pound net. The jib had become wrapped around the forestay and was operating in an hourglass configuration, which is to say completely useless. After about 15 minutes of scraping barnacles off the net piers while frantically pushing off with our legs we finally got the bows turned away from the net and into the wind where we accelerated immediately away. Unfortunately, the tiller crossbar clip to the starboard rudder arm had snagged the net and pulled free so the crossbar and hiking stick were trailing behind the boat as we flew away with zero rudder control. When we finally got the crossbar hooked up again it had somehow rotated upside down with the hiking stick on the bottom giving us only six or eight inches of rudder travel. The reach to the beach was more of a limp home trying to keep enough speed as not to roll over sideways by a relentless assault of whitecaps. I now have an assortment of bumps, cuts, bruises, knots and tramp rash from head to toe (and a much greater appreciation for the crew of the Andrea Gale). The downhaul pulled completely through the mainsail, we lost several jib battens and have creosote/barnacle scars from one end of the starboard hull to the other. Note to anyone who will listen.....they call them "small craft" warnings for a reason....to keep old geezers on sixteen foot boats OUT OF THE WATER!

Hey, you wouldn't have known without giving it a shot. You would have been sitting on the beach questioning whether you should've gone out. It's the only way to find out the limit. Next time you'll know when it's too windy.

The boat definitely takes on a different personality when the wind goes from "windy" to "nukin'". Techniques that worked in wind up to 20 or 25kts stop being effective when the wind starts hitting 30 or more.

Glad you made it back safe.

sm

I was out Sunday as well in Myrtle. The wind was really tricky! It would come at you hard and then just kill off and come on again as a header, regardless of direction. On the beach it was swirling around so much I was constantly moving the boat to try and get it pointed into the wind on its wheels. After 4 sails I got tired of fighting it and took the rig down. Out in the ocean within 1 mile of shore it was fairly flat and fast. Took some exciting spin runs in the gusts.

Glad to here you survived your journey. Sounds like you should have back-winded the jib or just jibed the boat instead of trying to reverse steer the rudders. Also, always grab the dolphin striker when righting, that will stop the boat from rolling. At a minimum grab the tramp lacing. Not only will it keep the boat on its feet it will also keep you attached to the boat should it accelerate once up.

WOW Hairy. Glad you're OK.

I've been out in some strong winds and big surf, too, but the WAVE is pretty forgiving. However, I know how it stops being fun and turns into hard work in those conditions.

HEY... I got a question for y'all:

Do any of you have this weird, bulging muscle on the top inside of your forearm near the wrist? I just noticed mine on both arms about a week ago.

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"HOBIE....
Say it LOUD and there's music playing...
Say it SOFT and it's almost like praying.....
I just sailed my WAVE out the Marina !"
West Coast Story

Dead Men Tell No Tales. At least you could tell your story and hopefully some newb will read it and pay attention.
Corey, I know what your talking about, I get it too. Are you seriously leaving OC to move up to the bay?

Sounds like a lot of excitement. On days like that, if you have an older main it is ideal to reef the main and take down the jib. Then find some one who will go back out with you. You will be surprised how well the boat sails with a reefed main in big air!! Remember without the jib ,to tension the rig with the jib halyard. Also helps to spent some time on a 14 o17 to get use to tacking without a jib.

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Bodhisatfa

Xanderwess:

Not sure, yet. Checking it out. Big decision. Thanks for asking.

_________________

"HOBIE....
Say it LOUD and there's music playing...
Say it SOFT and it's almost like praying.....
I just sailed my WAVE out the Marina !"
West Coast Story

Yeah it was windy when we rigged and pushed off the beach. Within 45 minutes it went from mildly terrifying to ultimately violent. One thing for certain....you gotta know your limits! I'm not sure I really want to find the limit on a 26-year-old Hobie.

Wow...nothing better than an engaging tale of surviving impending peril at sea. As the bruises, scrapes and rashes heal and the story is told, retold and time passes I suspect the experience and hard lesson learned will seem somehow oddly worthwhile. Glad you're ok!

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1972 H16 Sail #10420