Be sure to watch to the end. the last guy to recount his feelings of the current voyage is sure to amuse, and remind you of "that one trip" we've all had at one time or another. 
Video for new sailors (or not ;) )
- Thread starter RussC
- Start date
You have to respect the sea!!! Lots of times fishing is was bad. I got a black eye hitting the bunk above me, had over 4 feet of blue water poor in over the stern while running in at night with a full hold of salmon. One Swiftshore race in the 70's you could see boats ahead of you - back of the keel to the rudder out of water as they crest a wave 30+ boats dismasted on that one.
Reminds me of bringing my boat home from Houston (375+ miles) .. first real sail on her for me.. I had three crew who are friends.. when we got to her new home, one of my buds got off and told me he was never going to sail gain.. and that If I ever did something like that again, I could give his share to someone else ! the other one who'd never sail before either, bought a boat a few weeks later!
You either love it or hate it, there is very little middle ground when it comes to heavy water boating. Seems like the gents in the video actually paid to go sailing and got more than they bargained for, the captain and first mate sound German or Norwegian and the (2) passengers appear to be American. I don't know that I would be out there with the cockpit enclosure completely erected, one good wave would tear it to pieces would it not?
I would be reluctant to step onboard any boat where the skipper goes by the name "Psycho Skipper."
If they were going from NY to FL and were 100 miles offshore, weren't they going the wrong way in the Gulf Stream? Or were they out side of the Stream?
If they were going from NY to FL and were 100 miles offshore, weren't they going the wrong way in the Gulf Stream? Or were they out side of the Stream?
It depends where on the coastline you are located, somewhere around northern SC or southern NC the gulf is around 100 miles off.
Yes, they were in the Stream, note the reference to Florida ports. Apparently they didn't have a weather service because it looks like they were still on the backside of a northerly front in the video. That would have sent them to port while it passed.
Gunni and UncleDom, thanks. Being a Great Lakes sailor wasn't sure how far out the stream was. They appeared to be running down wind and buttoned up, which suggested a northerly.
Hahaha, fantastic story!! I'm not sure how that enclosed cockpit would have withstood a direct hit from a wave!!
Big ocean sailing takes some getting used to!
Big ocean sailing takes some getting used to!
NotCook
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- Dec 29, 2008
- 805
One day you can have gentle wind and seas, and the next day on the same route can be a living nightmare. We were nervous about waves crashing full force into the windows of our pilothouse, and hoping that "armored glass" was up to withstanding the pounding it was taking. From another passage, we learned just how seamanship can make the difference of your vessel standing up to the weather, or having failures. In the wrong hands, things break that shouldn't break, and wouldn't break under more skilled hands. Ever wonder why "experience" is so valued?
Not sure I have the full picture here, being from the Left Coast. North running Gulf Stream with a north wind should give you square waves, right? Thunder storms, a couple of late(?) reefs, at night, a covered cockpit (third sail?), and still not tethered or wearing a life jacket. It seems there were several things that were not done. Was the knockdown before or after the reefs?
I know a couple who retired after 35 years of charter sailing from Bermuda to Antilles. I asked how many storms the had to "ride out" in there life adventure on the seas.
Answer: Just one! Unexpected storm came up on their stern and on their course. They spent 3 days in that storm. All they had was granola bars to eat, when the first mate ventured below. Very little sleep when off watch. Cockpit sleep only. They did have foul weather gear to keep them warm. They spent a few days ashore and was back at sailing again. They never feared for their lives.
As I have heard from @capta which charters also, Safety is not from devices, but from seamanship. It looks like the video Captain "blew off" the big blow with a grin.
So far my storm adventures were wild but short lived, and I am ready for more high seas adventures.
Jim...
Answer: Just one! Unexpected storm came up on their stern and on their course. They spent 3 days in that storm. All they had was granola bars to eat, when the first mate ventured below. Very little sleep when off watch. Cockpit sleep only. They did have foul weather gear to keep them warm. They spent a few days ashore and was back at sailing again. They never feared for their lives.
As I have heard from @capta which charters also, Safety is not from devices, but from seamanship. It looks like the video Captain "blew off" the big blow with a grin.
So far my storm adventures were wild but short lived, and I am ready for more high seas adventures.
Jim...
Eddie; You are one savvy sailor from the left coast! Almost certainly they were hunkered down in their cute little cockpit sun room, all dressed for their St. Augustine debut, debating whether now was a good time to reef when the first broach occurred. They drew straws and "I will never sail again" was tethered up and sent forward to reef the main. You, know the expendable! Apparently they sent him forward for a second reef! His deck boss was "Lake Ontario Never Looks Like That". So I imagine some soiled underwear was flung about. None of them were dressed for the high probability of losing their plastic coccoon and finding themselves both soaked, hypothermic and panicked.
Love the "plastic cocoon". Really...
We just came back from doing the St. Pete to Cuba race. The return trip was equally rough...thankfully we did it in the daytime. Sailing is all about planning so be prepared!
We just came back from doing the St. Pete to Cuba race. The return trip was equally rough...thankfully we did it in the daytime. Sailing is all about planning so be prepared!
Gunni, given all these observations I would bet the companionway was left open as well, just waiting for that rouge wave to flood the whole ship.
http://oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/atlantic/spaghetti-speed/gulf-stream.jpg
http://oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/atlantic/spaghetti-speed/gulf-stream.jpg
http://oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/atlantic/img_mgsva/gulf-stream-YYY.gif
I though they said they were off JAX? its more than 100 miles to the stream there. I think they were inside the strongest current.
http://oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/atlantic/spaghetti-speed/gulf-stream.jpg
http://oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/atlantic/img_mgsva/gulf-stream-YYY.gif
I though they said they were off JAX? its more than 100 miles to the stream there. I think they were inside the strongest current.