Jeff,

Thanks for the advise. I did feel afterward that I could have handled the
weather but after 1 hour of nothing going as I planned I figured that I
would ask for help. Now I feel like I have the knowledge to handle it next
time.

The CD Typhoon was kept at Hancock Point, ME for the last 8 years. My
father and step-grandfather bought her as a means to get to know one
another. My step-grandfather was an accomplished sailor and taught both
myself and my father the fundamentals but we never had any experience in
foul weather. She hadn't been in the water for the last 3 years. This
winter my father and I brought her down to NJ to recondition her. Now she
resides at Hances Point in Northeast, Chesapeake.


"Jeff Morris" jeffmo@NoSpam-sv-lokiDOTcom wrote in message
news
You've already received some good advice, especially from Katy. There's a
few points I'd
emphasize: the Typhoon is one tough boat - it should be capable of
handling 40+ knots,
even more if its properly set up. However, it is a tender boat and being
rail down is not
uncommon. A more important sign is that the helm is overpowered. The
boat will stay
better balanced under a double reef than jib alone.

Also, the Typhoon will not do well clawing off a lee shore in nasty
conditions - stay far
enough off so that you don't feel you're dodging the rocks.

BTW, did you mean "Northeast in Mt Desert," or do you haul the boat from
MD to ME?

-jeff www.sv-loki.com
"The sea was angry that day, my friend. Like an old man trying to send
back soup at the
deli."



"Greg Bossert" wrote in message
om...
I have been sailing for the last 5 summers but just had my first foul
weather experience. I sail in a Cape Dory Typhoon out of NorthEast in
the Chesapeake and sometimes Frenchman's Bay in ME. The boat has no
outboard and I had a one member crew with very little sailing
experience. I was about 2 hours upwind when an unexpected (and
unforcasted) storm moved through. My question is, what steps should I
have taken when I knew that it was inevitable that I would be caught
in foul weather? There were very high/gusty winds (probably
30-35mph+), heavy rain and ligntning all around. I made my way as
close to shore as I thought possible without grounding but still felt
very uncomfortable about the lightning. 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. I considered dropping anchor but had trouble with
the rhode. 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. Does anyone have advise on handling very
high/gusty winds (strong enough to knock her down) and lightning?
Would I have been better off pulling down the sails and anchoring
until the weather moved through? Would reefing the main and dropping
the jib be a better choice than flying the jib alone? Your experience
is appreciated by a now slightly weathered guy!