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Rallies Gone Wrong

128K views 960 replies 76 participants last post by  xort 
#1 ·
#924 ·
Hi guys
Just hit hampton this evening from Barrington R.i. Broke a spin pole, wife ripped a set of clutches off the deck with a powered winch confusing lines at night. Got some down flooding forward of water tight bulkhead which set off bow thruster ( through windlass hole), had minor leak (fresh) in aft electric toilet.
The whole damn trip was a beat. Both noaa and passage weather under estimated winds but not seas. 35 sustained was common and saw 45 multiple times. Up down up down smash.
Scuttlebutt is Monday is the likely day but will see what Chris has to say at 5p tomorrow.
Smack at some time you need to step back. Your whole argument is specious. No one forces you to do the sdr.they do offer services and discounts that are helpful. They don't mandate your take off time,who you take as crew or in what boat.
So far everyone I spoke to would do this trip at this time even if there was no 1500 or SDR.
Bogus thinking guy.
Looking forward to cruising with th 6 boats in the Outbound regatta.
O my, 6 boats sailing to the Caribbean together in the fall. They need rules,inspections,courses, fees, and permission to use their left hand instead of their right when they go potty,
Sorry smack,pissy after a couple of days with no sleep.
 
#929 ·
Yup carbon but fortunately didn't lose it. Mangle the end that stay attached to the track but fixable now we're in a slip. Looking at weather with current system and 30% chance of hurricane developing in area at end of passage may leave Monday or Tuesday. Looking at passage weather and weather tracks girb sites. Make up my mind as it gets closer.
 
#930 ·
Yup carbon but fortunately didn't lose it. Mangle the end that stay attached to the track but fixable now we're in a slip. Looking at weather with current system and 30% chance of hurricane developing in area at end of passage may leave Monday or Tuesday. Looking at passage weather and weather tracks girb sites. Make up my mind as it gets closer.
Hmmmm... Where is that coming from, is that the system currently down off Honduras? If so, I see a decent chance of a Dark 'n Stormy or two at the White Horse Tavern in your future... :)

Again, I'd be VERY wary of that system... Eerily reminiscent of the worst pasting the Caribbean 1500 fleet ever took, 2 boats abandoned after Hurricane Mitch re-formed over Yucatan and started tracking NE. Late season systems that develop in the NW Caribbean make me very nervous, they seem very unpredictable, and often offer a major 'surprise'...

HEAVY-WEATHER SAILING: Remembering Hurricane Mitch

 
#932 ·
I agree, synoptic charts are way more useful than GRIBs. Need a bit of knowledge about what is being shown but it is not hard to pick up and a lot more useful than knowing how to do celestial (said by someone who knows both).
 
#933 ·
Been getting those as well from opc. And getting Chris Parker update and interpretation daily. Thanks gentlemen. A your site is very well done. Going to bed. Get up early drop the bride at the airport then struggle with the linear drive on the ap. Brushes wearing fast. Wasn't that difficult a trip so want to fully check it out.
 
#937 ·
We are thinking leave midday Monday. Head nearly due east. Stay above 35. Head nearly due south around long of Porto Rico or V.I. depending. Longer but safer than rhumb line with current info. Be really nasty Saturday and Sunday off mid coast u.s.
 
#941 ·
I think that podcast should be mandatory listening for anyone heading offshore for the first time. Some people seem so wedded to the idea that if you have 'good' weather forecasts you will never get yourself into trouble. More than once people on SN have made comments about wanting to cross the Atlantic or go to Hawaii saying that they will wait until they have 'a good weather window' before leaving, as if that will provide anything useful beyond 72 hours (if you are lucky).

The podcast has it exactly right. Pick the right season, be prepared for 35 knots with confidence, and only worry about larger storms. Note also, for those doing major trade wind passages, there are very few if any such larger storms if you are out of the local tropical cyclone season.

The creator of the podcast did not mention the usefulness of a barometer. That is about the only addition I would make.
 
#944 · (Edited)
Sorry to be so tardy on getting back on sailnet. Got in to Bitter end a few days ago. Stayed on a mooring one night. Then made use of our free night on slip use to run the AC and water the boat. Now back on a mooring and done with drinking and listening to stories at the bar for awhile.
Regardless of what Smackie says:
For $250 the SDR is a great deal. We didn't do any much socializing but the $250 got us
Chris- Just to directly chat with him every day on the ssb made it worth while. We left Monday. It was a slow trip which took us just under 12d. The wind was commonly light and or on the nose making for much power sailing. Surprisingly the SOG v. speed thru water often suggested current against us even when long past the stream. We saw squalls but nothing bad just to the 40s and brief. Boats ahead of us saw multiple days of squalls in the 50s.
Chris would give us pointers such as when it was wise to end easting or need to get to a certain point by such and such a time to either get useable wind or avoid nasty weather.
The SDR also allowed a good deal at the Bitter End. The place is pretty but very expensive. No useful services such as real provisioning beyond baked goods or launder mat.
Interestingly boats left over a just about 3d period suggesting Smacks concern about a herd mentality may not be such a strong influence. Also boats scattered from even Chris' suggested course.
We generally ran slightly east of the rhumb line and added east when we could. As stated we just about did the I65 for the last few days.
Would suggest Smack come with me on the next SDR. Might change his view of things.
 
#945 ·
Congrats Out - Nice trip. Didn't know the SDR had a $250 fee. Was watching your boat on the tracker and wanted to tell you that on day 3 maybe (???) you dropped off for a few hours. Were you using a SPOT based device? Enjoy the BVI's!
 
#946 ·
thanks all for your kind wishes. Was using a spot but sometimes forgot to trigger it. Also had a morning check in via ssb so then sometimes wouldn't trigger the sport. Also had a daily chat with the other 5 Outbounds. Finally when we chatted with Chris we would give position and Dick listened in on all those chats.
That's one of the nice incidental things about the SDR. Although the horizon is nearly always empty you don't feel alone.
Unusual trip. Never had a full day/night of clear skies. Stars where not as good as past offshore transits between having the moon and constant 70-80% overcast. Saw a fair amount of lightening nearly every night. Trades never really filled in like you would want.
Went with three total and used 2h watches 24/7. So between the muggy conditions, occasional fresh water rinses and overcast catching good sleep in your 4h off was hard. Had enough water for a couple of showers which was nice.
With only three on the boat every one had their own bunk and space. No tripping over each other. But when I do this again might think of doing it with 4 just for the extra sleep.
 
#948 ·
Welcome back, thanks for the report...

it certainly seemed like an unusual year, not the best conditions for that trip, but sounds like you guys did fine, congrats...

I'll bet a lot of folks were happy when this year's passage was over... Following the 1500 fleet, one thing that struck me was the number who arrived at Nanny Cay in the dead of night, at a time like 0300... They must have REALLY wanted that trip to be finished... :)) I know the approach to Nanny Cay is not particularly daunting, but still...

An abiding faith in the chartplotter lives, no question about it... That whole 'waiting for daylight' to enter what might be a strange or unknown harbor approach at the end of a long, tiring passage is SO Old School, after all...

:))

So, where to from here? Are you planning to come back north next spring, or are you staying in the islands, or heading off elsewhere?
 
#952 ·
When I read the winds were not cooperating, I worried for RUFFIAN. Iain and Fiona sail their passages, they have to. Even with their jerry jugs on deck, their range is limited compared to bigger boats. There's not a spare cubic inch left for extra tankage.

I marveled at how 2 people have been living aboard and moving that Sadler 34, always, for 3-4 years now. To get a sense of how packed the boat is, when they lift the sole, every cubic inch is full of canned foods and bottles(their bilge is insulated and dry-they have no bilge).

They revel in sailing off shore. Racers to the core, they're good at it(and enjoy it immensely)!

But if winds are light, RUFFIAN is challenged with her load(we sailed a week with them).

When they had wind on this passage, it was strong and on the nose. They can(and have), do that too.

But I could just see their sea-savvy thinking in falling off for Bermuda. They have time. Plenty of time.
 
#953 ·
Good on ruffian.
Several boats traded fuel. We carry 200g and went through half of it. Even had to power sail with both jib and main up at times.
Thinking of just messy around in Eastern caribe for awhile. Wife will,call the shot on where next.
Internet via wifi is slow even with th booster so been bad about being on SN. Had a great sail at hull speed from bitter end to fat hogs bay today. Made the 12 to2 watches in a fresh water rinse worthwhile. Friend said one day they reefed/unreefed over 12x in a single 3h watch. Makes me think Jon is more man than me going forward each time to do this.
Picking out a marina. Any thoughts on good ones in BVI would be appreciated.
 
#954 ·
Friend said one day they reefed/unreefed over 12x in a single 3h watch. Makes me think Jon is more man than me going forward each time to do this.
LOL! Yeah, but I probably have less distance to cover going from my cockpit to my mast, than you might have between your helm and the lines led aft to your cockpit... :)

Trust me, if I had a boat the size of yours, I'd be going the Leisure-Furl route, as well...
 
#955 ·
Have single line jiffy for the first two and double for the third with Dutchman to hold things in place.
Leisure furl just makes me nervous. What if with the stresses and strains the boom angle changes or the halyard breaks and dumps your whole main on deck just attached at foot and clew. Also particularly with the third like to be able to shape it. Even with single line reefing between halyard tension traveler and vang can shape the other two.
Frien got a rip in his main on this trip. Given tear was below 2nd reef and just went to that reef. Then no stress on the torn section. Would think even if on a mandrel tear would continue.
Yes Jon I'm old school. Just not as old school as you.
 
#956 · (Edited)
Have single line jiffy for the first two and double for the third with Dutchman to hold things in place.
Leisure furl just makes me nervous. What if with the stresses and strains the boom angle changes or the halyard breaks and dumps your whole main on deck just attached at foot and clew.
I don't know, seems to me the same thing can occur with a conventional mainsail, no?

Frien got a rip in his main on this trip. Given tear was below 2nd reef and just went to that reef. Then no stress on the torn section. Would think even if on a mandrel tear would continue.
Yes Jon I'm old school. Just not as old school as you.
That's a good point... ideally, I think any sail on a Leisure furl should still have cringles installed along the leech at various reef points, so that a strop could be led through and secured beneath the boom if deemed necessary... although, I've yet to see one like that...

Might be a good idea for Stanley Paris to add a strop to the clew of his main, as well... I'm pretty sure he has by now, however...

:))

 
#957 ·
Yes agree you have a good idea for Stanley.
With conventional main if halyard parts you do not have the whole thing lying on your deck or in the sea. Even with no boom you can take a line from clew to snatch block to winch and keep sailing.
 
#958 ·
You're welcome Salty Dog and its ralliers:

Cruising Compass ? Outfitting Your Sailboat for Safety at Sea | Salty Dawg Rally

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and U.S. Sailing have been leaders in the safety at sea movement for many years, and as such, have developed a set of safety recommendations for what offshore quality yachts and their crews should have aboard when heading out over the horizon. Many of their recommendations are required for entry in offshore racing events, but cruising sailors can easily look at them as a helpful set of parameters to follow when outfitting for their own coastal or offshore passages.
Just shy of 1K posts - and I was right again from the very beginning.
 
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