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

Greg... I commend your practice of no auxiliary... congratulations. The
standard practice for a full keeler is always 1]- Reef the Main ; 2] Reef
the Main ; 3] Reef the Main..... after that reef your drive sail... the jib.
A main alone on a full keeler is not recommended in high winds. A jib alone
on a full keeler in gusty winds is a No No! The sails work better in unison.
In gusty winds I find that you need to acquire a mindset that you are in
this for the long run and the prime consideration is keeping a proactive
attitude and an eye open for the approaching gusts. I would have put one
crew on the jib sheet and myself on the main sheet to ease the sheets and
maintain direction as the gusts hit. Only experience will teach you...

Questions... you claimed to have sailed "upwind" so I assumed your home
destination was downwind? .... you didn't give us the jib size.... roller
furling? How many reefs do you have in the main?

Your vessel should be able to easily undertake sailing in 35 knots with
sails reefed and a 110 jib. There is nothing you can do about lightening
strikes. I would strongly suggest a third reef in the main. Use it and you
will be surprised as to how effective it actually is.

I doubt you need a tow.... it seems the weather overwhelmed you. Use the
wind don't fear it.

CM




"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!