Poll: How rough is too rough for you?

[redhead78]

After many years of sailing/boating, sometimes biting off a little too much, I think for me the best way to say it, is I just know.......maybe a feeling...looking back at all the sails, I would like to call it experience. I don't think I ever had a bad sail, If I had the chance I would do it all over again, only sooner and twice as much....Red

 

[shemandr]

The premise of this thread - that you can come in - takes a lot of fear out of bad conditions. I would enjoy a few minutes off Cape Horn as long as I could say "When."
But yes is my answer. I have been scared and have wanted to get off the boat ASAP. What makes a situation too scary is if I think I have run down my options to the point that I have little or no choices. Simply being rough doesn't really bother me. Its uncomfortable but not necessarily scary. Scary is not being able to control my boat or a situation such as heavy fog.

 

[zeehag]

shoot-i dont go home== i keep going--i am already out there--and as i said before , the only thing to turn us back was our nav lights went missing from the bow as well as a length of furling line from the jib!! when we were sailing the gulf, out in deep water was ok until the seas grew to over 8-9 or 10ft-- always confused--is a mixmaster-- but was gooood sailing in those storms!!!
every time you are caught in a storm, your personal experience level rises--and each one is different, even tho same. there is a point at which i might return to a port---used to be earlier than it is now-- predict 80- 100 mph winds--i would probably return, if close enough to shore.... suicide runs dont do me or the boat any good...too scary for kat
any sailor or sailoorette who has sailed in storms has experienced fear at some point in htat sail. is normal. if one says they were not scared isnt speaking straight to ye.(ye can tell by how far the eyes pop out when telling the story...LOL...)
\
dont forget there is scary good and scary bad-- bad is out of control--good is the fast on the edge sailing!!!

 

[shemandr]

Agreed! I'm OK with scary good. Scary bad is OK in small doses. I can't always tell the difference.

 

[Capt. Kermie]

When conditions take the pleasure out of pleasure boating it is time to be back in my slip. I have been caught in a few situations that tested my mettle and even though I made it through I did not enjoy it. If it becomes an endurance and skill test then I am not having fun, but rather, being challenged and I don't particularly enjoy being challenged. I am out there to enjoy myself and that is what I do. Those who boast of being in big seas and hurricane force winds and claiming fun are merely fluffing their feathers and puffing their chests. I see them for what they are, braggarts who wish to be looked up to as some sort of hero because they were out in big weather. Big hairy deal, one day they won't be back to brag about it, mother nature will slap them down and put an end to them.
So, whose feathers did I just ruffle?

 

[John Howitt]

I dug these pictures out and scanned them.
I remember like it was yesterday. This was in the Atlantic, crossing from Canaries to Barbadoes. They lose a lot in translation. This is under one headsail only.
You really can't tell the size of the waves or the swells, but they were big.
Surfing at 13 kt's in a 5 kt boat

 

[John Howitt]

sorry pics won't upload

 

[John Howitt]

trying again