Considering the source this has got to be the funniest post
of the year.


"katysails" wrote in message ...

My question is, what steps should I
have taken when I knew that it was inevitable that I would be caught
in foul weather?

I feel very qualified to answer this question, since every time we take a vacation it seems the heavy weather raises its'
head,
as can be attested to bypast posts.

There were very high/gusty winds (probably
30-35mph+), heavy rain and ligntning all around.

These are not insurmountable conditions. Rough, tough and can be scary, but not anything you can't learn to live with.

I made my way as
close to shore as I thought possible without grounding

First mistake....especially without an auxilliary...the wind could have forced you ashore and to grounding with a shift and
most
times the wave and surge action of the surf is more confused in the near coastal water...stay off the land

but still felt
very uncomfortable about the lightning.

That's reasonable...not much you can do about it, though...pray?

I droped the sails when the
high winds hit and then tried to sail under the jib alone but was
still healed over with the rail burried and the gusts would just push
the bow downwind.

2nd big mistake...you shifted the balance of power on your boat. Our formula: Shorten jib, then reef, then drop jib. Bare
poles just makes you a bobber in a frisky sea.

I considered dropping anchor but had trouble with
the rhode.

So you can become a tied down bobber thrashing against the anchor? Very unpleasant.

When I got to the point when I felt that we were in danger
of taking on heavy water I flagged down a passing pontoon boat and got
a tow back to the harbor.

For shame. If a pontoon boat was able to manuever, the conditions were not bad enough that you shouldn't have been able to
figure out how to sail out of it.

Does anyone have advise on handling very
high/gusty winds (strong enough to knock her down) and lightning?

Shorten, reef, throw out a drogue (a bucket on a line will even work) Lightning? It's its' own entity. Nothing you can do
about it.

Would I have been better off pulling down the sails and anchoring
until the weather moved through?

NO

Would reefing the main and dropping
the jib be a better choice than flying the jib alone?

ALWAYS

Your experience
is appreciated by a now slightly weathered guy!

You have gone out and bought a good set of foulies since, I hope.
--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
Ad eundum quo nemo ante iit.
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein