"Average" winds at sea?
- Thread starter PotomacDaysailer
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You may try reading the Surviving the Storm by Steve and Linda Dashew (it is available as a PDF e.g. from here: The Boat Galley).
One interesting thing they (and many others) mention is that the wind speed is usually secondary (people and boats survived 80-90 kt. winds); the primary issue is the waves, and in particular, breaking waves.
And, you will read about it over and over again - a lot of boats have been abandoned by people only to be found later in a reasonably good shape. Usually, the weakest link is the people on board.
Good reading
One interesting thing they (and many others) mention is that the wind speed is usually secondary (people and boats survived 80-90 kt. winds); the primary issue is the waves, and in particular, breaking waves.
And, you will read about it over and over again - a lot of boats have been abandoned by people only to be found later in a reasonably good shape. Usually, the weakest link is the people on board.
Good reading
I agree with all that has been said but would add its also a matter of where you are. Close to shore is very different than way off shore in open water. Things that may be more dangerous close in are managable in true deep water but the opposite is true as well. Bear in mind many places the coastal shelves extend a long way off. We were off the middle Atlantic on a coastal run to NYC from Cape May about 25 miles out had been checking weather and it all looked good then the sky to the west got dark despite the forecast. We reefed and had a scrap of jib and brought the power up. We got hit hard for about 10 minutes with 55 knot winds, we hadn't expected it but we'd seen it coming at night and in shallower water it could have been ugly. Our old 30 is strong but she and her crew are both old. Coming back closer to shore if the same thing had happened we would have been in trouble about 2 miles out there was a sand bar with only about five feet of water over it and another even shallower about 5 miles out.Luckily the radio on we had been warned by others. Both a legacy of Hurricane Sandy more than likely now gone but not on the charts then. Luckily great weather but in the kinds of wind we experienced going up you go where the wind will let you and obstacles not on charts can be a threat.
As for waves. Fairly calm sailing is 4-6' waves. Normal good is 6'-8'. A little windy is 10' waves. Getting rough, 12' +
So if you don't like 6-8, then stay out of the ocean
I have a friend who went cruising and complained about 6-8'. I wanted to tell her to fly back home and give up sailing but I held my tongue. I think she is getting more used to it now though. Not as much complaining and I think that is how it is in general. You start out thinking this is not fun, but then as you get more used to it, it isn't that bad after all. I would say it takes a few trips to start to get used to it.
So if you don't like 6-8, then stay out of the ocean
I have a friend who went cruising and complained about 6-8'. I wanted to tell her to fly back home and give up sailing but I held my tongue. I think she is getting more used to it now though. Not as much complaining and I think that is how it is in general. You start out thinking this is not fun, but then as you get more used to it, it isn't that bad after all. I would say it takes a few trips to start to get used to it.Just returned from a round trip to Hawaii, this past summer, in an old Cascade 36.
Typically, winds were in the 15 knot range. Lowest was almost flat calm and we did have one gale, ie: over 35 knots, on the way back. Mostly the swells were around 10 to 15 feet. Larger in the Trades as the winds are more consistent.
In those stronger winds, we just ran with it under staysail, keeping the boat under control. Bear in mind that broken gear will nullify any gains made otherwise.
The trip outbound was mostly down wind, or on the quarter. The return requires about two weeks of starboard tack, with the decks wet, heading for the west end of the Aleutian Islands, before turning east and the downwind run home.
I've heard it said that 90% of ocean sailing is done in less than 15 knots and my experience has been similar.
Remember: "A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drownded, for he will go out on days when he shouldn't. But we do be afraid of the sea and are only drownded now and again" ......J.M. Synge
Typically, winds were in the 15 knot range. Lowest was almost flat calm and we did have one gale, ie: over 35 knots, on the way back. Mostly the swells were around 10 to 15 feet. Larger in the Trades as the winds are more consistent.
In those stronger winds, we just ran with it under staysail, keeping the boat under control. Bear in mind that broken gear will nullify any gains made otherwise.
The trip outbound was mostly down wind, or on the quarter. The return requires about two weeks of starboard tack, with the decks wet, heading for the west end of the Aleutian Islands, before turning east and the downwind run home.
I've heard it said that 90% of ocean sailing is done in less than 15 knots and my experience has been similar.
Remember: "A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drownded, for he will go out on days when he shouldn't. But we do be afraid of the sea and are only drownded now and again" ......J.M. Synge
In Antigua which is an Island in the Caribbean Sea, we had winds above 20 knots in the winter most days, in the summer we had dead calms some days, many days with 5-10 knots. When I sailed from there to Florida, we had up to thirty knots for many parts of the trip but we crossed the Bahamian bank in a dead calm, the next day we were sailing into a norther with winds above 30 knots. This was a nice trip
Try looking at
http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic
for a really fascinating view of the current wind patterns. Note you can select units and data displays by clicking on the word "earth" in the bottom left. You can also click on any point on the map to get conditions in that location, plus if you click on individual parameters you can select the units, e.g. degrees F or degrees C.
There is a sister map for currents
http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/ocean/surface/currents/orthographic
http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic
for a really fascinating view of the current wind patterns. Note you can select units and data displays by clicking on the word "earth" in the bottom left. You can also click on any point on the map to get conditions in that location, plus if you click on individual parameters you can select the units, e.g. degrees F or degrees C.
There is a sister map for currents
http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/ocean/surface/currents/orthographic
I have done 90+ mph winds and 50+ swells on a US Navy destroyer.........4 Times! (USS Kidd, 1958) Scary as can be. Sailing: 40+ mph winds and almost full plane sailing a 26' Clipper Marine. It actually was great fun with main only but all boats went in quickly except us! It did blow us downwind twice. 16' swells on same boat at Tomales Bay, Point Reyes mouth but didn't stay out. Did 12' swells regularly in same area. This region is famous for big swells and high wind. Chief
Always a fun place! We tried to get up there last year, but didn't make it, but did get to the Farallones. Looking to get up there this year. Chief, where are you these days?
We sail in the Sth Pacific mainly between 40S and 15S.
Colder sthn air is definitely denser than the warm air as you go towards the equator. So 25k in the 40s is tougher than in the 15 areas.
I have sailed over 30,000 off share mikes. Maybe 500 in storms (60 plus) conditions for a few days. Maybe 1,000 in gale (39 to 47k)
Most of my offshore would by 10 - 20k.
Did Panama to Marquesas and top wind maybe 25. Mainly 15k.
Storm conditions, whilst rare, are taxing. We blew out a reefed mainsail when an exhausted crew fell asleep and did a Chinese gybe. (Cavalier 45) Quite a bit of damage so jury rigged through to Fiji. Tri sail but still making 7 to 9 knots.
Brought a boat (Chico 355, 36foot)) back from New Caledonia recently. Took 8 days. 5 days almost constant 35 to 45 knots. 1 day topping out at 65 knots. Spent pretty much the whole trip in our bunks. Too uncomfortable to move around.
But 95% of the time offshore it is beautiful. Reading books. Playing music. Catching fish. But that's another story!!!
Colder sthn air is definitely denser than the warm air as you go towards the equator. So 25k in the 40s is tougher than in the 15 areas.
I have sailed over 30,000 off share mikes. Maybe 500 in storms (60 plus) conditions for a few days. Maybe 1,000 in gale (39 to 47k)
Most of my offshore would by 10 - 20k.
Did Panama to Marquesas and top wind maybe 25. Mainly 15k.
Storm conditions, whilst rare, are taxing. We blew out a reefed mainsail when an exhausted crew fell asleep and did a Chinese gybe. (Cavalier 45) Quite a bit of damage so jury rigged through to Fiji. Tri sail but still making 7 to 9 knots.
Brought a boat (Chico 355, 36foot)) back from New Caledonia recently. Took 8 days. 5 days almost constant 35 to 45 knots. 1 day topping out at 65 knots. Spent pretty much the whole trip in our bunks. Too uncomfortable to move around.
But 95% of the time offshore it is beautiful. Reading books. Playing music. Catching fish. But that's another story!!!
Stu: Plan to launch at Bodega Bay by mid June. Hope to get a few Dunginess before season closes. I expect to berth in Spud Point Marina. Got a 6 lb Largemouth while down in Arizona near Imperial dam above Yuma.
For general info regarding winds and seas: June is usually the nastiest time in Pacific Northwest. Chief
For general info regarding winds and seas: June is usually the nastiest time in Pacific Northwest. Chief
What Skipper said with a dash of cjdailey.
At first I would think about reefing at 15 kts. Now I have all sails out and trimmed for speed. You need to build up your experience with wind and waves ( wind is nothing- it's the waves that may ruin your day) and realize that your boat will protect you during a blow. Once you have gone through 25kts a few times with your boat you will understand how she reacts and what you need to do to keep things fun but safe.
At first I would think about reefing at 15 kts. Now I have all sails out and trimmed for speed. You need to build up your experience with wind and waves ( wind is nothing- it's the waves that may ruin your day) and realize that your boat will protect you during a blow. Once you have gone through 25kts a few times with your boat you will understand how she reacts and what you need to do to keep things fun but safe.
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/climate/windrose.html
what you want is a wind rose plot for each 2 x 2 degree plot of ocean. The link above explains how to read one. Gives the average and max wind for all the cardinal and sub cardinal (more nautical terms to know) point of the compass. I'd google it and see what comes up
what you want is a wind rose plot for each 2 x 2 degree plot of ocean. The link above explains how to read one. Gives the average and max wind for all the cardinal and sub cardinal (more nautical terms to know) point of the compass. I'd google it and see what comes up
http://msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/StaticFiles/NAV_PUBS/APC/Pub106/106oct.pdf
here you go. zoom in to read
here you go. zoom in to read
I sail a 91 Mac swing keel in the North Atlantic, 4 foot is a normal Sunday sail. Once we got caught when a sudden storm came up, motoring to go about 5 km heading into the wind took about 6 hours. Every seventh wave approximately would totally wash over the boat. We had to stand up on the cockpit seats and the water would come up to our waists. I also have a Merc Mariner Bigfoot - just as the Mac is totally reliable so too is the Merc.
Almost put out a storm sail to run with it, we were exhausted, but when you are that close and knowing it would take you a day to get back you push it. Next time I would run with it. When we got in I discovered the rudder cracked.
Almost put out a storm sail to run with it, we were exhausted, but when you are that close and knowing it would take you a day to get back you push it. Next time I would run with it. When we got in I discovered the rudder cracked.
watch your back all day they could get it wrong in the timing...watch the clouds in the sky and look for dark sky off in the distance if they are coming closer to you reef sooner than later