New Zealand (where I live) is in the roaring forties but the wind is
often less than 30 knots and some days there is no wind at all (even in
wellington near the cook strait).

I certainly wouldn't disagree with your statement. However, the likelihood
of increased velocity seems more consistent at your latitude than those
areas farther north to the equator. Excluding occasional occurrences.

Here's an interesting tidbit. Yachts have gone down into the roaring
forties where clipper ships made incredible passages. They expected to make
good time and many have nearly run out of food and water. It turns out that
there are lows that sweep through at many times of the year with calms in
between. The clipper ships would hitch onto a low and, with their great
speed, ride it for long distances. The small yacht, unable to press on in
heavy conditions and limited by its waterline, just gets beat up, then
bounces around in the left over sea not making much progress, gets beat up
again, becalmed again, etc.

--

Roger Long



"akcarlos" wrote in message
oups.com...
New Zealand (where I live) is in the roaring forties but the wind is
often less than 30 knots and some days there is no wind at all (even in
wellington near the cook strait).

On Thursday 30 December 2004 1:26 am in rec.boats.cruising Roger Long wrote:

Here's an interesting tidbit. Yachts have gone down into the roaring
forties where clipper ships made incredible passages. They expected to
make good time and many have nearly run out of food and water. It turns
out that there are lows that sweep through at many times of the year with
calms in between. The clipper ships would hitch onto a low and, with
their great speed, ride it for long distances. The small yacht, unable to
press on in heavy conditions and limited by its waterline, just gets beat
up, then bounces around in the left over sea not making much progress,
gets beat up again, becalmed again, etc.

Not if the yacht crew knows what they are doing.
http://www.teamellen.com/

--
My real address is crn (at) netunix (dot) com
WARNING all messages containing attachments or html will be silently
deleted. Send only plain text.

Those are fast boats, capable of maintaining speeds closer to the clippers
than the typical heavy ocean cruiser of 20 years ago. They can ride with
the lows in much the same way and maintain control in conditions that would
have a traditional boat towing drogues or under bare poles.

--

Roger Long



"Chris Newport" wrote in message
news:3357597.inLcVP7bAA@callisto...
On Thursday 30 December 2004 1:26 am in rec.boats.cruising Roger Long
wrote:

http://www.teamellen.com/