15 years ago I had a knock down in the North Sea. We were under way
from Cuxhaven bound for Den Helder. Weather forecast said 6 up to 7
(Beaufort). First night out the wind picked up from 12m/s to 20-25m/s
from SW as a low intensified and we tore the main. The storm
intensified to 30m/s (sustained) and after a day the wind shifted to
NW as the low moved towards ENE.
After a while the waves grew to rather scary sizes. Scattered around
were these massive walls of water, I assume they were cross seas from
the two wave systems. Tidal current could also play a role. I wonder
what would have happened if we had been hit by one of these breaking
monsters. Luckily we weren't.

We were under bare poles maintaining a course with the weather on the
port aft quarter. I was alone in the cockpit with the harness attached
to the traveller, when we were hit by a breaker (smaller that the
really big ones I think). The boat were rolled probably between 90 and
180 degrees while I was under massive green water for what I felt as a
very long time clinging to the harness painter, praying it would not
break of(not a rational thing, but it was all I could get hold on at
the time).

Afterward I remember I was surprised how long time it took for the
water level in the cockpit to sink. The canvas sprayhood were torn of
but were still attached so it could be taken below and repaired later,
the stove had come of and were lying on the floor and a bottle that
were sitting in a bottle holder at the port side in a high of the
water level were smashed on the starboard roof. Some water had come in
to the boat though not a lot (all hatches were off course closed).
Earlier in the storm the salon table were broken and the torn main
were lying on the sole, so it was rather messy below at the time.

After that I kept the stern to weather, and the next day the waves
were not as threatening, the wind had eased a bit and we rigged the
storm jib as a trysail and headed for Helgoland.

The weather forecast had not warned against Storm. When they did issue
storm warnings we had storm already. During the storm we already had
the winds that the weather forecasts warned against.

Peter S/Y Anicula

"Jonathan Ganz" skrev i en meddelelse
...
Just wondering... the worst I've been in was having the main touch
the
water when we got hit with small whirlywind coming from a marsh.
Popped right back up, and it didn't even disturb the beer in my
hand.




--
Jonathan Ganz (j gan z @ $ail no w.c=o=m)
http://www.sailnow.com
"If there's no wind, row."