Small Craft Warnings

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Rob R.

That number goes up each year...

At first I wouldn't venture out in anything over 15 when I was learning on my catamaran. Then I found anything under 10 to be a little boring. When I got my C-27, it started all over again. Now, I feel quite confident in winds up to and just over 35 mph. Keep in mind that I am on an inland lake, so waves rarely get over 3 feet even in high winds. Last weekend, we went out for a sunset cruise in 25 to 30 kt winds. After the sun set, and we could no longer see the wind on the water, we furled the jib. The wind increased to about 35 knots, and we had a blast. When we got back to the dock, we could barely speak. It was such an incredible, beautiful, and exciting night. I can't wait to do it again. Rob
 
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Dick Horton

YEE HAW !!!!!!!!!!!!1

This is what it is all about with a small boat!
 
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nautical rich

Size matters, I mean your boat

Read numerous replies to this article but very few mentioned the size of their boats. I have a 25 ft Kelt, of which very few people have heard of, and had it in 30MPH gust. Rough ride in the heavy chop on Long Island Sound but it was a blast. The most trouble I had was trying not to broach when I had heavy winds and again trying to surf the heavy chop. Dink kept ramming into me. Oh what the hell, I learned a few things since then. One was, according to heavy weather video, you take following seas on quarter. Found sometimes it is better to take them square. If anyone knows better, let me have it.
 
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Faith

Depends on where I'm sailing

There's something a little creepy about capsizing in the Potomac River, so if it's windy enough to get some practice in extreme conditions, I'd much rather be in cleaner water. Otherwise, a really windy, whitecapping kind of day can mean a week of antibiotics!
 
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Peter Furness

NO GO IN A BLOW.

Having a small sail boat and sailing in an area that is shallow we experience close choppy wave paterns. This condition puts the boat and rigging under abnormal stress and stain. If I am in port or at anchor I stay there.If I am under sail I make a decision at that time as to reef, anchor up or run for home.In my sailing area the wind can get up for short periods of time and then return to normal.I use the weather forcast as guide to what action I will take.
 
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Jim

Out there Alone

We sail our Hunter 28 on Pickwick Lake where this time of year we occasionally get winds in the 20 -25 knot range. Over the years we have slowly become bolder. I've learned the boat can easily take 25 knots with a main and jib. We are often the only boat out, which is fine by me, and I no longer hesitate unless the water is so rough it becomes unpleasant.
 
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Doug T.

Hi Faith

Came within a gnat's-ass of capsizing out on the Potomac two Sundays ago in 25kt winds. Mast was horizontal but we put enough weight on the rail to sloooooly get the Lightning upright. Took awhile to get all the water out, though. I try to keep my mouth closed when the spray gets heavy. :) You should come out some time and volunteer for crew -- we're almost always short one or two people each weekend. PRSA's having a regatta this weekend -- Sat & Sun -- come early & stay for the BBQ! Should be a beautiful weekend for sailing.
 
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Fletchdoggie

small craft warning reply

Depends on boat size. i have been in 10 ft. seas and 30 k winds on a 36 footer. never on my 23.it was a lot of fun . i never felt in danger because sailboats can take that kind of pounding.
 
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EJ Tews

20mph Gusting to 30 MPH

I was out sailing in the low stress Wednesday night race this past wee. The wind was blowing 20 MPH and gusting to over 30. I was sailing with my 150% roller furling Genoa, which we were constantly rolling up to a final 40%. I have an O'Day 25 CB and will never go out in wind like that again. The toe rail was in the water more that out and we kept turning up into the wind and back down again, mind you with a 40% sail. The GPS said we had a steady speed of 7.2 MPH with sputrs of 7.6. It was fun up to a point, we called No Joy after about 40 minutes and we had travled about 3.5 miles. It was an experience that I will remember for a while and will not go out in weather like that is such a light boat. There were some 32 footers that were having issues. I should have known better, when the Melges 24 sailors did not go out. EJ Tews Jennifer Lea
 
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w b

go

always test yourself dont be scart and be prepared for the worst mentaly and phisicaly high winds blow on sunday afternoon
 
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Philipp

Capsizing in the Potomac

I capsized last year on a Saturday afternoon together with my wife on our Appolo 16. It was no fun, especially because there were a lot of powerboaters having a good time watching me trying to get the boat up again after it had turtled. In the meantime we have bought a Catalina 27 and had planned to sail today (05/26/02), but since NOAA has issued a severe weather outlook for the upper Cheseapeake bay with a high chance of severe thunderstorms we have decided not to go. We are not really familiar with the boat yet and I think it would be unwise to go out in such conditions.
 
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Jack

Depends on crew

I am gettting old and lazy, Up to 20 I will solo. 20-25 I want crew. 25-30 I want experienced crew. Last week gusts to 45 and wish I had two crew.
 
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SailboatOwners.com

Final results

Final results for the quick quiz ending 5/27/2002: I won't take my boat out if winds are forecast to be more than: 33% 25 knots  31% 20 knots  27% 30 knots 10% 15 knots  1,459 owners responding
 
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Charles Pregger

5ft swells - on lake Champlain?

My O'day 25 has reef points, and a storm jib, so I can go out in a fairly big blow, but my partner is NOT a hardy sea dog, so we anchor and ride it out. I'd prefer YA HEE.
 
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Faith Dillard-Azzolina

Hi Doug

I've been crewing with Nelson Pemberton and Jim Dillard, but I work so much lately there hasn't been time (I only got one Sunday off this month... Mother's Day!). Someday my life will allow such pleasures more often! I was crewing the day they stopped the races because the race committee boat was too busy rescuing people from the water... lots of turtled Albacores, Hamptons.. and one Lighting! See you out there! Faith
 
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Ed

Overnighter

I sailed overnight from Mobile Bay to Panama City, Florida with a front coming through with 25 knot winds and 10 foot seas. It was uncomfortable but never threatning and my Catalina 34 handled it very well. I was on vacation at the time and I didn't want to postpone my trip. However, I am now retired and would probably wait for the front to pass.
 
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Jon Arck

We're used to a LOT of wind in SF Bay!

We're used to sailing in 20+ knots of wind (we usually take a single reef around 23, and a second reef around 30). If it's blowing steadily in the mid-30s, we'll usually venture out to improve our skills, but stay out only for a couple of hours, since it does get pretty tiring. If we're really enjoying it, we'll slip into the lee of Angel Island or Alcatraz for a break, then venture forth for a while longer. Often, the wind is greater in the Bay than outside the Golden Gate Bridge, so we'll often venture outside to see what's what (at least the return trip usually is downwind). regards, Jon Arck Tweety Bird (1997 Catalina 34 MkII)
 
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