[mauiboy86]

We were bringing Fate back to Charleston March 3rd from Wrightsville Beach, and had to sail through the gale that produced the Tornado's and deaths on land... for about 5 hours during the middle of the night the winds were gusting up to 45 knots NW, heavy rains with temps in the 40s, we couldn't see the waves but the spray was blowing sideways and the noise was loud... in the morning the winds shifted SW starting out around 20kts and eventually steady 30 with higher gusts right on the nose. Half the crew had zero experience or was sick so I kept sails small and didnt try to push the boat hard but I still didn't get any sleep. The boat handled great with no problems, even after flooding the cockpit a few times during the night when we got overpowered by the strongest gusts. Just wish I had night vision cameras to catch the worst of it.

Video removed due to commercial content in violation of forum rules. Jeff_H SailNet Moderator

 

[smackdaddy]

Oh hell yeah!

Freakin' AWESOME maui!!! How did she sail?

Man are we getting some killer BFSes around here or what?

 

[mauiboy86]

They wont let me post a link to the video but you can watch it by googling " Sailing from Wrightsville Beach NC to Charleston SC Beneteau 49 Sailboat "

 

[PCP]

They wont let me post a link to the video but you can watch it by googling " Sailing from Wrightsville Beach NC to Charleston SC Beneteau 49 Sailboat "

And with 45K wind you kept that bimini up all the time?

Regards

Paulo

 

[smackdaddy]

And with 45K wind you kept that bimini up all the time?

Regards

Paulo

Did you notice that Michael on Sequitur had his dodger/bimini/enclosure up in that F10-11 off Cape Horn? Seems like they're sturdier than anyone thought!

 

[mauiboy86]

yes, it has never been an issue, it is pretty large and probably comes in to effect when the boat is healed hard but it was ok. The forecast was for NW 30kts, we were not expecting 45kts.. When the boat heals, you can tell that the bimini catches wind and could possibly help round the boat up, it is probably 100sqft. The boat would probably have better performance without it. As far as a fully enclosed cockpit, I have seen plenty but would never do that to a boat, that windage on that would be even worse, but would be damn comfortable sailing in in your underwear when its raining and cold out.

 

[PCP]

Did you notice that Michael on Sequitur had his dodger/bimini/enclosure up in that F10-11 off Cape Horn? Seems like they're sturdier than anyone thought!

I don't now if he had done that but it seemed a pretty crazy thing to do. Even if the structure is strong enough it will add a huge windage to the boat and if it can take all that wind (I would not count on that) certainly any wave that come through the cockpit will rip it apart.

Are you sure he kept the "Full house" up with a force 10/11?

I always roll the bimini when it blows over 30K wind.

Regards

Paulo

 

[mauiboy86]

The worst part of our trip was not the 45kt winds but the narrow Charleston Jetties. The wind was coming right down the channel gusting high 30s with and ebb tide of 3kts. We had no choice but to motor and we could at best make 3kts..

 

[smackdaddy]

I don't now if he had done that but it seemed a pretty crazy thing to do. Even if the structure is strong enough it will add a huge windage to the boat and if it can take all that wind (I would not count on that) certainly any wave that come through the cockpit will rip it apart.

Are you sure he kept the "Full house" up with a force 10/11?

I always roll the bimini when it blows over 30K wind.

Regards

Paulo

He left it up. Here's the pic he took in the cockpit as things were blowing up:

Even at 50+ knots sustained.

http://www.sailblogs.com/member/sequitur/?xjMsgID=210007

It surprised me too. But I'm definitely not going to question a guy who's rounded the Horn. He then talks about how everything (including the enclosure) held up in the next post:

http://www.sailblogs.com/member/sequitur/?xjMsgID=210679

Edi also repaired a loose corner grommet on the sun cover over the skylights in our cockpit canopy. It appears that the winds in the 50s and 60s were a tad much for it. The remainder of the canopy remained in fine condition after its stalwart job of keeping us warm, dry and protected during the storm.

 

[tdw]

We went up the coast of NSW end of last winter, deck awash, saw 35 - 40 knots on one occasion plenty of 30 - 35knots. We had the side curtains rolled up but left rest of the cockpit covers in situ. Didn't get my feet wet until I had to go on deck as we prepared to cross the bar into our destination.

Reduce performance ? Probably does. Do I care ? Not a jot.

 

[PCP]

We went up the coast of NSW end of last winter, deck awash, saw 35 - 40 knots on one occasion plenty of 30 - 35knots. We had the side curtains rolled up but left rest of the cockpit covers in situ. Didn't get my feet wet until I had to go on deck as we prepared to cross the bar into our destination.

Reduce performance ? Probably does. Do I care ? Not a jot.

Hey Andrews, I don't see it as a performance problem but as a question of seaworthiness.

OK you get away with 40K but imagine that it turned up 50 or 60K and you have waves going over the boat. it was not on those conditions that you would take away your bimini and covers and then they would be a liability ofering a grab for the waves.

As it was many times pointed out high freeboard is prejudicial in what concerns dynamic stability and by the same reason the covers, biminis and everything that can contribute to increase the lateral area, the area exposed to breacking waves are a bad idea in really bad weather.

Regards

Paulo

 

[jerryrlitton]

Very cool video. Not a thing like that here without sand. Thanks for posting.

Jerry

 

[agentjohnson]

This is sweet!

 

[Group9]

A couple of years ago, we had a freak thunderstorm put 75 mph winds onto our marina for a good fifteen or twenty minutes. My wife watched it from her office nearby. It broke several boats loose from their dock lines.

It was amazing how many biminis were still on boats, and relatively undamaged (although there were a few in tatters). Ours had the isinglass viewing port ripped loose on one side, but otherwise held up fine.