Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced?

[yellowwducky]

Just curious what you all think of this in terms of technique and skill level - or was this guy out of his mind?

Naturalsurfing online - Susto en Zumaia

It almost looks like a broach to starboard in 12 and 13

[Sailormon6]

I sailed a Catalina 22 through breakers like that about 30 years ago. It's undoubtedly hard to understand if you've never been through it, but if you're relatively inexperienced, and don't know what to look for, you can sail into a breaker like that without seeing it. Once you get into something like that, I don't think skill has much to do with it. The force of the wave is so great that you no longer have much control over the boat. You hang on and try to keep her stern square to the wave, but mostly, you're just along for the ride. If the boat turns sideways to the wave, the wave will roll the boat over, through 360 degrees, dismasting it and possibly sinking it. I'll say one thing. If you get through it without a disaster, it's a thrill you'll never forget!

[Bene505]

Looks like he turned to starboard and took it dead astern, just as the wave was hitting him. This probably helped save him. Surely if he kept his heading and took the wave on the port side, he'd be done for.

[nolatom]

Well, this is the "learning to sail" column, so I guess I'd say to learners,

DON'T go out in these conditions, ask the locals about what the harbor entrance looks like before you leave the dock. You might be able to crash through the heaping seas on the bar going out, but coming in as a whole other matter.

In the conditions photo'd, experience isn't really as important as luck. You really can't tell if you're going to broach or not until you're in the wave trough, and then you can't fix it, all you can do is pray.

Personally, I would have considered keeping a small jib up to keep the bow headed downwind, but I wouldn't substitute my judgement for those who were out there. But I would have considered staying way the heck outside until the conditions moderated. Trouble is, you might run out of food and water before then...

[yellowwducky]

Drag a drogue to slow you down?

[bubb2]

I think that to be sailing a boat like that they were Advanced sailors.

It is easy to misjudge how big a breaking wave can be when you the back side of the crest, Intermediate mistake!

I bet by the time they made it back to the dock that day they felt like beginners.

[capttb]

The wave is definitely a "left" and looks like they made a "bottom turn" to go left. But after getting "covered up" the boat is somehow turned 180 and heading towards the breakwall, how'd that happen?

[Boasun]

Sailing is a sport where you are continously correcting minute mistakes and errors in judgement. So you might as well enjoy the day as you sail. It doesn't matter of what level of skills you have. But those who have lesser skills tend to worry more about then those with greater skills. The sea is still going to put one by you at least once a minute and you need to correct for them as you go along.
So find a laid-back skipper and have a fun day. Or Go with a worry-wart and have a grumpy day... your choice.

[Keldee]

A laid back skipper is fine but not a captain courageous! Sometimes life sends you a difficult decision.The pics remind me of entering NJ coast inlets sometimes!

[paulk]

The caption talks about the waves being OK out in the ocean, but building at the harbor entrance (probably due to the shallower water and possibly refractions off of the breakwater(s)?). Harbors get closed for this reason. The boat pictured was lucky. We had friends in a 50' schooner who had to wait three days for a harbor in South Africa to open. Waves were breaking across the breakwaters on both sides of the channel so as to lift 1000' tankers up and deposit them on the rocks to leeward in two swipes. In such a situation it might be better to go on short rations for a few days than to be feeding the fishes.