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 Handling
High Winds and Heavy Water
by
Dusty Miller
Not too many boaters
choose to be out on the water when it is rough. Mind you, the definition
of rough does vary greatly from one captain to another. Some will
be cheerfully skipping over the waves while their counterparts are
back at the marina. They have zipped up the canvas, checked fenders
and made sure the lines are snugged up. So while the others are
wrestling with the wheel, they are sitting by the window safe and
sound.
However, there will come a time for almost all boaters
when they get caught in a sudden storm. Nothing grabs your attention
quite as quick as looming black clouds and rising winds.
I'm sure my father was one of those who would relish
the challenge of a storm. Occasionally, I was one of the weapons
he'd use to fight back. He'd keep the forward hatch open until the
rain started pelting down - probably so some of the oncoming cool
air would blow in below. Then, in the thick of things he'd send
me forward, scrambling over the wet and slippery deck to close the
hatch. I was never a "boy overboard" but I sure came close on more
than one occasion.
You don't have to take that risk. The morning weather
forecast you hear before you take off will include the day's odds
for storms. If you choose to go despite the possibility of a storm,
keep a weather eye upwind and the radio tuned for advisories. Leave
an AM radio on and jolts of static will tell you there's lightning
around. Keep watch and most of the time you'll be able to find safe
harbour before the storm hits. By the way, there is no rule that
states you have to go to your homeport to weather a storm. In fact,
the rule is exactly the opposite. You can go to any port in a storm
and that means the nearest port. Many times the Coast Guard and
Marine Units have gone out to rescue boaters who have tried to make
it home rather than ride out a storm in the nearest safe anchorage.
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When the inevitable does happen, there is a lot
you can do to keep yourself safe and comfortable. In fact, you can
begin to prepare on a day when there isn't a cloud in the sky.
Whenever you go over a big wake, notice how your
boat reacts. Take the waves straight on, at a 45-degree angle, on
your bow and astern. Observe your boat's movement. Does the bow
sink into the oncoming wave? Does the stern lift out of the water?
How quickly does it right itself? Does it pitch or roll heavily?
And perhaps most importantly, how do I steer to help her get back
on an even keel quickly? This practice will stand you in good stead.
Another early preparation is to make certain everything stowed in
the engine room is secure. The last thing you need is an oil can
in your fan belt or a screwdriver shorting out the terminals of
your battery.
As soon as you are pretty sure you will be caught
out in a storm start your final preparations. Deter-mine your position
and the bearing of your nearest safe haven. Write them down. While
you're at it, take a bearing on any hazards you want to avoid. In
heavy rain, you may not be able to see and have to steer by a compass.
This brings up another point. At a Great Lakes Cruising
Club rendezvous a member told a story of his large sailboat making
its way up Lake St Clair when a thunderstorm hit. The captain reefed
the sails in response but was more concerned about the waves. Lake
St. Clair is a shallow lake that picks up very quickly and when
his boat was deep in a trough, the keel was barely clearing the
bottom. Sail or power, make sure you have enough water below your
hull to keep you off the bottom. If not, head for deeper water.
...
(Read full article in the magazine.) (Top)
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