Sailing in heavy weather

Sailing in heavy weather

Heavy weather is a major subject that would deserve hundreds of pages (which others have already written) ... but above all real-life experience that cannot be learned from books. We will therefore limit ourselves here to reminding aspiring sailors wishing to improve their nautical skills of a few fundamentals intended to shed some light on their path toward autonomy.

Seven, eight, nine, ten Beauforts... it must be said that heavy weather does not forgive small mistakes that often go unnoticed in moderate winds. Hence the obligation to “sail cleanly” and to closely supervise beginner crew members when maneuvers become potentially dangerous: a poorly coiled line, a sheet eased too early, or an unsteady movement could quickly, by very little, “cost you an arm” (even if it is not yours) when your responsibility as skipper is engaged!

Fortunately, recreational sailors are not kamikazes and this bleak picture can largely be avoided thanks to proper training and preparation. Anticipation, when you hold us... Let us also add that when the boat and crew are safe, it is also possible to enjoy sailing in heavy weather. This is why we strongly encourage beginners to make the effort to face heavy weather in a training situation, so as not to find themselves helpless when the cold wind comes...

If you are more of a grasshopper, you will have to turn into an ant. To go far at sea, it is better to keep your feet on the ground!

Some advice to prepare for the arrival of heavy weather

1-Prepare the route

-cross-check weather data and choose the boat’s route. In coastal cruising it can sometimes be preferable to stay at sea rather than attempt a harbor entry in delicate conditions;

-plan fallback solutions or identify potential shelters if you are close to the coast.

-possibly inform relatives or the nearest semaphore of your situation with a view to preventive radio monitoring

2-Prepare the boat

-stow and secure everything on board to prevent the sudden flight of objects not remotely controlled

-check the condition of the sails, standing rigging (shrouds, turnbuckles, chainplates), running rigging (wear of lines, blocks and clutches), as well as the steering system (steering cables, rudder, etc.), without forgetting a quick inspection of the engine.

-review safety equipment: jacklines, lifejackets and tethers, medical kit, handheld flares, parachute rockets and smoke flares if any, anchoring gear condition, towing line, liferaft securing and launching procedure, communication equipment, electric AND manual bilge pumps, fire extinguishers, set of wooden plugs, etc...

3-Prepare the crew

-make sure everyone is in the best possible physical condition to face heavy weather. Everyone should therefore get as much rest as possible beforehand.

-eating well is also very important to keep fit and maintain morale. Do not hesitate to prepare in quantity a hearty dish, if possible pleasant and easy to reheat. The ideal solution is a pressure cooker with a locked lid that will not tip over during a sudden lurch.

-brief everyone on what they have to do on watch, off watch, and in emergency procedures

A bit of reading

Heavy Weather Sailing, Adlard Coles, Peter Bruce (Ed. Gallimard, 2010). The great classic of the genre. Better than a thriller but more expensive than a movie ticket, it is bought for the author’s real-life experience of “battling it out”.

The Glénans Sailing Course (Ed. Seuil, 2017). The “bible” of sailing.

Heavy Weather, tactics, maneuvers, Alain Grée (Ed. Gallimard, 1984). A classic!

At Ease in Heavy Weather (Voiles et Voiliers special issue No. 49). Practical advice adapted to beginner sailors.