SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

"Storm Tactics" Question

7K views 31 replies 14 participants last post by  Valiente 
#1 ·
I just finished studying Pardey's book on Storm Tactics. It gives me great comfort knowing that I can sail offshore and have a reliable tactic that can "save" me during a blow.

My question is: How does one attach the pennant line to the anchor rode? Surely we don't entrust our life to a rolling hitch knot, do we??
 
#3 ·
I thought the swivel shackle was attaching the anchor rode to the para-anchor, not to the pennant line? I am planning to gain experinece by crewing with OPO and eventually buy a blue water boat for offshore sailing---likely in the 40-48' range. Why would you hesitate to heave-to with breaking waves?
 
#7 ·
Why would you hesitate to heave-to with breaking waves?
Heaving to as opposed to lying to a drogue of some sort will often place you beam on to the weather and consequently beam on to the sea. If a wave is big enough and breaks alongside you, the chances of being knocked down or even rolled are reasonably good.
 
#4 ·
Sorry.. didn't have to book but google books does! Looks like they are calling the pennant line the line used to set the boat at an angle to the direction of pull from the sea anchor. It isn't fixed to the anchor line. They use a snatch block with the sheave clipped to the anchor rode which allows adjustment of rode length.
It is setup just like a barber hauler on a jib sheet.

I'm not saying I have any particular problem with their arrangement, just noting there has been considerable discussion and criticism on the internet and on the docks regarding their method.
 
#5 ·
Perfecto Sailboy!! Now I understand. Thanks for your response.

One further clarification point, will the snatch block ride up to the bow under pressure?? Should it be attached at the bow after all the anchor rode is deployed, then when being winched in, the snatch block will travel down the pennant line until the proper angle is achieved? Is this correct?
 
#6 ·
One further clarification point, will the snatch block ride up to the bow under pressure?? Should it be attached at the bow after all the anchor rode is deployed, then when being winched in, the snatch block will travel down the pennant line until the proper angle is achieved? Is this correct?
Yes, I believe so.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Read all that you can, learn everything you can. But, when you get caught in a big storm, it doesn't matter what Lin and Larry did, it will be your storm in your boat and you trying to survive. So, in your own boat, learn how to reef down or drop sails quickly, how to run before a storm with or without sails, claw off a lee shore and practice laying ahull. Know your engine - how to change an impeller, how to change a clogged fuel filter , how to bleed the engine, etc.
And know that if you get caught in bad weather, you will run into situations that you haven't read about or seen. Here's some examples: In the last Regata de Amigos, the keel fell off of the s/v Cynthia Wood taking an experienced sailor to Davy Jones Locker. Aboard the s/v Satori, the boat was fine, but the crew was seasick and frightened and couldn't function, they abandoned the boat which was later found on a lee shore with little more than cosmetic damage. In the March '08 full gale that Paloma was caught in, after a knock down, the main hung up in the spreaders, ripped and couldn't be dropped and a line wound around the prop, so no engine. And the list goes on . . . . .
 
#15 ·
According to their book, the ideal position to be in is 45-50deg into weather making about 1knot headway. If she keeps forereaching too much, the boat will not lay inside the "slick" she creates, which disrupts breaking wave formation. If she does forereach, either adjust sails or set a sea-anchor, which prevents forereaching and she is supposed to lay inside her slick. Omatako, you are correct about the possibility of going backwards, yet the drogue prevents much of that and they recommend tying down the rudder to prevent it going over too far, if it does go backward. They "say" running before the wind causes you to stay inside the storm longer where fatigue or chance rogue wave can get you. so, I guess it's pick your poison. According to the Coast guard, they have never had to rescue a boat that was properly hove-to.
 
#17 ·
They "say" running before the wind causes you to stay inside the storm longer where fatigue or chance rogue wave can get you. so, I guess it's pick your poison. According to the Coast guard, they have never had to rescue a boat that was properly hove-to.
Tha's probably because those that have been properly hove to in deep ocean in a viscious storm have been too far away or have never survived long enough to call for help :)

I use the term "running before the wind" reservedly. The drogues I typically use streamed from the stern would not allow my boat to make more than about 2 knots through the water. That is slow enough to keep you safe from the odd surf whilst allowing the storm which typically travels at about 25 knots to pass quickly enough.

Also "running before" should mean "running diagnally across" and if you invoke the wonders of Buys Ballot's rule, deciding which way to run is not that hard. That said, being pooped at an angle is a character-building experience.:p
 
#16 ·
For those interested in the Pardey book/movie, I can also highly recommend the new Hal Roth book on the same topic, "Handling Storms at Sea". Hal gives a very thorough analysis, some additional options (like the series drogue), pros and cons of each technique for varying scenarios, and limits of the various approaches for different kinds of boats (i.e., fin keel vs. full keel) and different sea states (e.g., breaking vs. non-breaking).
 
#22 ·
When fully deployed, I reckon it will span at least two swells behind me and will work (I think) the same as a series drogue. When I made it, I deployed it in calm weather and with the donk at full throttle (normally about 8.5 knots) I couldn't get more than 3 kn. I have yet to use it in anger.

So you just tow it behind you on a bridle or do you tow it as a loop from the two aft cleats?

Actually my storm experiences have been relatively limited as will most cruisers'. It has been said that most ocean voyagers will only experience one serious storm in their lifetime. I've had mine and I'm holding onto that theory.

This is what most say, and with the new weather tracking technology, it's getting harder to be completely surprised by worsening conditions, and getting easier to avoid them or to stay put if that is the best plan.

As SD pointed out, the JSD is a free idea. If you are handy, you can cut and sew your own custom version. If you have more money than time, a sailmaker can whip one off for you if supplied with specs suitable to your boat. So actually, it is by design the cheapest of the newer drogues available, because you can conceivably make it out of old spinnakers or sails and a long length of heavy line. Or you can make it out of Spectra and Dyneema, I suppose. Up to the individual. A lot of cruisers seem to be making them, testing them in sub-gale conditions, and then refining them.
 
#23 ·
Val-

I think you just jinxed yourself...
Actually my storm experiences have been relatively limited as will most cruisers'. It has been said that most ocean voyagers will only experience one serious storm in their lifetime. I've had mine and I'm holding onto that theory.
 
#28 · (Edited)
The book came today and I'm alread on page 36. Great book so far. Looks like I'll be getting a sea anchor, one made specifically for that purpose. Either that or a series drogue. (Or both?)

Thanks MC and Smack.
 
#31 · (Edited)
Storm Tactic Crib Notes

It's not as complete as a book, but here is a brief and very succinct article about storm tactics. It makes a good primer for the topic and helps get a novice's head wrapped around the issues. It helps to visualize the techniques in preparation for actually practicing them.

Boats.com - Feature: Heaving-to

In my opinion it's well written. The article is by George Day as a resource on Boats.com.

He's got a lot of these kind of articles there. I hope I'm not saying things that everyone knew but me. Often I'm the last to Know;)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top