We just made it through Odile and the aftermath is fellow sailors opinion of what you did right or wrong.
The winds were recorded at about 125 mph in the La Paz area, when we were expecting 60-70 mph.
I had stripped my boat to reduce wind-age and ran extra lines to the pilings. The biggest problem was that the marina staff allowed three 50-55 ft dive boats to tie up at the last moment, and on to 30ft finger slips. At 1 or 2am the dive boat tied up next to me was lift the dock above my toe rails and all the sailboats were heeling 45 degrees because the wind was now full abeam. This was driving the sailboats under the docks, bending and hanging stanchions and tearing up the sides, bumpers etc. The only solution I could think of was to run the spinnaker halyard across several small boats to starboard and tie my mast off from the wind. I also ran some extra lines and cut my boat from the finger dock as I the dive boat was ripping it apart. I then needed to seek shelter on a large cruise boat as it got very dangerous.
By next morning I was able to inspect my boat and the only damage was the Nexus anemometer lost its propeller and tail-fins. My boat had no other damage while most other sailboat has some kind of damage, mostly dock damage.
When recounting days later I have been barraged by experienced sailors stating what I did was wrong and to never tie off a mast. The wind was pushing my boat over acting mostly on the mast, I tied off the mast, holding the wind forces back; How could this damage my boat?
Is this an old sailors wives tale or is there some engineering to support never tying off the mast? Did I just get lucky?
The winds were recorded at about 125 mph in the La Paz area, when we were expecting 60-70 mph.
I had stripped my boat to reduce wind-age and ran extra lines to the pilings. The biggest problem was that the marina staff allowed three 50-55 ft dive boats to tie up at the last moment, and on to 30ft finger slips. At 1 or 2am the dive boat tied up next to me was lift the dock above my toe rails and all the sailboats were heeling 45 degrees because the wind was now full abeam. This was driving the sailboats under the docks, bending and hanging stanchions and tearing up the sides, bumpers etc. The only solution I could think of was to run the spinnaker halyard across several small boats to starboard and tie my mast off from the wind. I also ran some extra lines and cut my boat from the finger dock as I the dive boat was ripping it apart. I then needed to seek shelter on a large cruise boat as it got very dangerous.
By next morning I was able to inspect my boat and the only damage was the Nexus anemometer lost its propeller and tail-fins. My boat had no other damage while most other sailboat has some kind of damage, mostly dock damage.
When recounting days later I have been barraged by experienced sailors stating what I did was wrong and to never tie off a mast. The wind was pushing my boat over acting mostly on the mast, I tied off the mast, holding the wind forces back; How could this damage my boat?
Is this an old sailors wives tale or is there some engineering to support never tying off the mast? Did I just get lucky?
