50 MPH winds, slip or on the hard?

[teshannon]

I'm just curious. It's blowing like stink on the upper bay with gust to 50 mph. I'm still in the water, safely in my slip with double dock lines. Not worried. Coming out tomorrow. Most boats in my marina are up on jack stands. Genearlly speaking, where is it safer, blown around in the slip or maybe blow off the jack stands. Is that even credible with these conditions, assuming your cover isn't tied to the stands.

[TrueBlue]

No matter how well you secure your on-the-hard boat, the greatest risk during high winds, is getting broadsided by your neighbor's wind-toppled boat. Personally, under those conditions I'm always more confident in the water.

[xort]

The vast majority of Great Lakes boats get pulled. I just drove thru a big marina yesterday. The sailboats were lined up along the shoreline exposed to the open water & thus the wind. Masts up. They've been doing this for years and I do not recall hearing of a domino farm. Done properly, jackstands work pretty well.
Poorly done is a different matter but then poorly tied to the dock ain't any better.

[Cruisingdad]

My "guess" is in the water, since there will be less surface area exposed. It also seems to me that the higher you are from the ground, the stronger the winds. Of course, if the marina you are at does not have strong pilings/docks, then you are screwed.

However, falling off the stands can be very serious. It puts serious stress on a hull which might not be immediately apparent.

- CD

[deniseO30]

I dunno.. but at my YC there are three C30s on the exposed bank of the river on 6t wide cradles. The owners all told me I worry too much about boats that aren't mine. But you should see them babies shuddering in the wind today! It's blowing up the river like a freight train! Mine is back near a retaining wall and under some tall trees that are in the upper yard of the YC and seems ok. Shannon I think your safer in da water!

[JohnRPollard]

It must be windier up at the north end of the Bay. Thomas Point Light ( http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=tplm2 ) hasn't broken 40 knots yet. Looks like pressure is on the rise after bottoming out this morning at 29.61 in.

We're still hanging on our mooring, which is my preference for high winds. That is, as long as the seiche doesn't leave us in the mud, with shallower draft boats still swinging into us!

[AjariBonten]

Hove to, with a lot of sea room ................

Or on the hard, inside ..............

Or in a slip, with Gibraltar Solid pilings .......

Or on the hard, 100 ft from the next boat .............

Either way, you pays your dime and you takes your chances. Best we can do is the best we can do.......

[Valiente]

I am hauled at my club on a cradle with the mast down. I am at the east end of a row with the only sailboat heavier than me (a Tayana 45) immediately to the west. It screens the wind from the prevailing direction somewhat.

I hauled elsewhere last year with the mast up and also at the east end of a row of mostly smaller boats and a couple of large stinkpotters. When aboard, I could feel the stronger winds vibrating the whole structure. I think failing to dismast in blizzard areas is a false economy now, even though I personally incurred no damage.

Others did: This was during an 80 knot gust:




Due to both insurance regulations and (primarily) the potential for ice damage, we can't stay in the water here in many spots. Some places have ice barriers and bubblers, but we are exposed to westerly gales and waves. We actually dissemble part of the dock system to protect it, and to avoid what happened at another club:

[k1vsk]

looks like the only boats that fell had the masts removed - for whatever that proves...

[CharlieCobra]

Mine's in the water and has seen sustained to 60 and gusts of 80 without damage. The system moving in today has prompted hurricane wind warnings on the coast. This in the PNW.