Cone of uncertainty approaching

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Jun 12, 2010
936
Oday 22 Orleans Marina, NOLA
Isaac has the gulf coast in the crosshairs so I have to decide - pull the boat or not. A cat 1 hitting Mobile bay would mean I just need some extra lines and enough slack to handle a very high tide, Cat 2 over Biloxi and winds here of 35 would be rough but I think it would ride it out. Anything stronger or closer she probably needs to come out. Better safe than sorry, I suppose. I can trailer it out but I'll need to borrow my friends 4WD F250 because the trailer needs to go waaaay down the ramp - it's a two car 2 person job since the marina and ramp are 7 miles apart. Just enough hassle to make me not want to do it.

So what are your plan for Isaac?
 
May 11, 2005
3,431
Seidelman S37 Slidell, La.
Watching and waiting

Mostly still watching and waiting. But my situation is a lot easier than yours. I anchor out in the canal, and cross my fingers. Has worked for everything so far, including Katrina. Here's hoping it goes somewhere else.
 
Nov 6, 2006
10,219
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Going over Sunday morning .. Will pull sails and bimini .. Going to tape the companionway slider slots since the pocket got filled with leaf bits during that "other" storm a few years ago.. Then secure the boat with lots of extra lines so she can ride up 6 feet or so in the slip.. .. Disconnect shore power .. close seacocks.. take everything off that might get looted..
 

TFrere

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Oct 1, 2008
144
Morgan 382 Mandeville, LA
I'm stripping off all my sails and canvas tomorrow and putting on some extra dock lines.
I'll bet things can get rough at SSH. I was there a couple of months ago for the cancelled Blue Angels show. A northern came through and it blew like stink the entire time I was there.
 
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Oct 18, 2011
95
Watkins 27 Port Charlotte, FL
I'm going to take one last sail in the morning and then strip off sails and bimini, add more dock lines and fenders and hope for the best.
 

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
hang on tight and keep watching and be safe----hope isnt a biggie.
 
Aug 3, 2010
150
Hunter 326 Charleston SC
Hope Issac just stays a tropical storm for everyones sake. Do those with furling mains remove the main sail as well or just lash the end to the mast.
 
Jun 12, 2010
936
Oday 22 Orleans Marina, NOLA
I'll bet things can get rough at SSH. I was there a couple of months ago for the cancelled Blue Angels show. A northern came through and it blew like stink the entire time I was there.
Yeah, I cancelled that day also, no way I was going out in that.

I don't know if it was that blow or another, but the marina emailed everyone and said to double up on the dock lines - I did not. When I went out to check on it, water was 1 foot over the finger pier and my dock lines were taking a beating, I was actually surprised they held. I will absolutely double up next time.
 

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
i wrap mine(furling jib) with 4 wraps of the sheets and make sure no loose cloth--my main i have tied to the boom with line over the top of and around the main sail cover.... mizzen has another tied line---and over that i keep tarps to keep out rain-- tied to boat with heavy line over top of tarp, which lies flat on my house top.....works so far.
i always have surge and swell here, so i am tied with heavy and redundant lines--our hurrycames so far have been elsewhere--we got bud, but wasnt for us.....now is when we get excited--pacific is 90 degrees and storms form fast here....most go to sea but the ones that do hit land are weird and not nice.
good fortune to you guys in isaac's path---hope it doesnt blow anyone away.
 

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
I rode out H. Irene last year, watching 4 nearby jibs self-destruct themselves. Once it starts, you can't stop the destruction. The sail blows out above the wrapped sheets, the whole mess tangles and there is no way to remove. The sail comes apart, and if you are particularly unlucky you will do damage to your dockmates with flogging sheets and tattered sail. Take off your furling headsail.
 

gpdno

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May 16, 2011
144
Watkins 27 Venice
So far it doesn't look like it will be much worse then Debbie was. We road that out well enough just some wind, rain and high tides. Hoping Isaac brings about the same.
 
May 27, 2012
1,152
Oday 222 Beaver Lake, Arkansas
Anyone ever set sail and try to weather it offshore, like in this case, sail south southwest a few hundred until it blows through?
 
May 27, 2012
1,152
Oday 222 Beaver Lake, Arkansas
That would be a very, very, very foolish decision. Chuck
Having been landlocked all my life and still somewhat new to sailing, can you explain why?

The reason I ask is that unlike just 10 or 15 years ago, NOAA have become quite accurate in predicting these storm tracks. Looking at the predicted path shows that the south side of the storm will clear Cubas southern shore as it curves toward Pensacola, and looks like if someone could get a hundred miles south of Jamaica you could completely avoid Isaac altogether.

But then, Joyce is only 70 hours behind Isaac, and an unnamed TD is 70 hours behind Joyce. It should prove an interesting week.
 
Aug 11, 2012
6
Catalina CAT27&OD25 Fort Walton Beach
Im in the fort walton beach/ destin area. Im looking for a place to anchor in choctachcee bay area.
 
Feb 20, 2011
8,062
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Anyone ever set sail and try to weather it offshore, like in this case, sail south southwest a few hundred until it blows through?
Could be along the lines of this recent thread.

Your question got me to researching the subject, and while no one should recommend it, it's been done.
Maybe put up a deposit with the CG? :D
 
Jul 28, 2012
10
MacGregor MacGregor 21 Dunedin
I'm here in Tampa waiting to see whats in store for us. Either way I am prepared. THe boat is in my backyard and I have two anchors out. If the surge gets to my house, we are reefing the sails and making the best of it...

Best of luck to everyone.
 
Jul 28, 2012
10
MacGregor MacGregor 21 Dunedin
No, No, No. That is just a bad idea. You get out to sea and that thing turns on you, You have hundreds of miles of bad news. I know back in Puerto Rico we used to take the boats and anchor them out at sea with a lot of chain and then get back and prepared for the bad weather. But being on land during a hurricane is bad enough, why would you want to do it at sea in a sailboat....
 
Feb 20, 2011
8,062
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
No, No, No. That is just a bad idea. You get out to sea and that thing turns on you, You have hundreds of miles of bad news. I know back in Puerto Rico we used to take the boats and anchor them out at sea with a lot of chain and then get back and prepared for the bad weather. But being on land during a hurricane is bad enough, why would you want to do it at sea in a sailboat....
To avoid property taxes, of course.
Still might want the deposit. ;)
 
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