Quote:
Originally Posted by SHays
How do you Blue Water sailors react to a real live hurricane? I'm sure everyone is trying to get out of its path, but what is standard procedure for avoiding it? Not everyone has online resources on their vessels - what is the standard procedure for blue water sailors who find themselves days from any port with knowledge of a hurricane coming fast?
Steven
|
If you are asking about yachts caught at sea I think it boils down to where you are compared to the storms path. There is the navigable semicircle and a dangers semicircle of a hurricane and if you are to the left of the direction of rotation you are in the navigable semicircle where the wind is less because the storms speed of advance and rotation speeds subtract. You are also not likely to be forced into the path of the storm from the navigable semicircle unlike the other side where you will be sucked into the path and run over by the storm. That’s not any fun and I have been there and done that. I do not recommend it.
The tactic is to maneuver the boat to get to the correct side of the storms path early in the game so that you will be in the most flexible position in reference to both sea room and maximum wind speed. Then handle the boat as appropriate to her type. Some boats will be most comfortable running and other will lie a hull without any problem. It all depends on the
rig and hull form.
Good luck and all the best,
Robert Gainer