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Heavy weather cruising


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Thank you for that BP. As you know I have  a cav 32 too so invaluable info!!!!

 

I will try this as soon as I get a chance. So far I heaved to with the jib on....obviously not in heavy conditions, just too take a break and have some food... or fishing...hahha

 

cheers!

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Hi team, I have a Whiting 29 - any recommendations for a drogue for this size/type of yacht?

 

One of those things I'II probably never use - but will need if I don't have one  :wtf:

 

I'm not going off shore, just tootling around the gulf, up to BOI maybe and hopefully the mercs.

But it can get nasty in the gulf - it's those short steep seas you get that throw mine sideways or down the hole...........

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Control Device KM.

To set the scene, last year came back from Gt Barrier with a steep sea and 25 knots - both up the stern, crewing on my mates Beneteau 35 footer.

 The seas picked her up and tried to either throw her sideways or run her down the front of the bigger waves into the trough nose first.

Never felt in control, felt to me that we were going to fast..........but I could be wrong.........I've not a lot of experience in the bigger seas.I tend to cruise innner gulf and only venture further in good conditions. Which can turn to custard as we all know.

 

I know it's completely different hull shape to mine.

 

I'm planning on trying a few things next time I get into some similar conditions in order to see what works.

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100 m or so of line towed in a bight off each quarter would slow things down considerably and easy to retrieve later. I have a Jordan series drogue to try but I wouldn’t use it in the gulf as they can be hard to pull back in , not something you would put out for an hour or 3.

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Thanks TL. I'll try that. Might even just play with that in lighter conditions to see what the effects are.

 

So you agree that slowing down is the correct way to go?

 

I'd try to go faster than the seas but I've yet to add the foils  ;-)

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Slight thread drift but I finished my Jordan Series Drogue today.  Final stage was packing it into the launching bag, which clips on at the back of the boat.  I'm happy with how it came out.

 

20190708_123025.jpg

 

20190708_132748.jpg

 

20190708_133134.jpg

 

20190708_134417.jpg

 

 

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Great post BP, but not applicable to my current cruising even though we are sailing from one country to another...

 

But dare one mention the use of oil bags in this day of environmental concerns? I had a small collapsible plastic Jerry can with a tap at the bottom to which was attached a meter or so of plastic tubing. The Jerry can was stood lashed down in the galley sink with the tube down the plug hole and the oil flow adjusted by the tap.

From experience a very small amount of oil has a marked effect in taking the sting out of the seas. But the trick when heaving to is in keeping your boat in the slick.

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Rather than directly down wind try and do a training reach(wind just on the aft quater)travel further but more comfortable and control.End up jybing downwind  but maybe better than trailing a drogue.

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I think you need to have a range of tactics to adapt to the conditions ,crew and sea room. And be able to change tactics as things change. Sailing solo you need to be able to go below and let the boat look after itself. I like the parachute sea anchor after using one overnight in 50 knots but can see the advantage of the drogue when moving forward is easier on the rudders Steering around waves is okay if you are not too tired but once it gets dark it gets hard to see what is coming. For cruising I like to keep it easy on the boat slow down and not break stuff

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I was asked for this in another thread. Flame away.

 

 

 

First this is about cruising, racing is a whole nuther story. And since the majority of long distance cruisers are either couples or short handed that’s what I’ll focus on.

I didnt find anything trollers should use to flame you. Well written. A flexible calender saves lives. I see this in simple passages even in power boats at Xmas from Te Kouma Harbour to Gulf Harbour. Ive known plenty of idiots who have risked their families lives in 50+ and gusting in boats way to small for this kind of work, when the Coast Guards Naiad is struggling, you know GRP power boats should be thinking about cancelling other plans. Rent a car and drive back and come back for the boat another day. Its only a small passage but that area between Colville and Waiheke can really rip up snot. The same with GBI. If going to GBI imo always have a flexible calender. Its that simple.

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Slight thread drift but I finished my Jordan Series Drogue today.  Final stage was packing it into the launching bag, which clips on at the back of the boat.  I'm happy with how it came out.

 

attachicon.gif 20190708_123025.jpg

 

attachicon.gif 20190708_132748.jpg

 

attachicon.gif 20190708_133134.jpg

 

attachicon.gif 20190708_134417.jpg

Great job, I wish mine (made many years ago ) packed down that small, using 3 strand 16mm it overflows a 25L bucket and needs to be set up early. Very difficult to do once things start to turn pear shaped.

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Northerly! But that does not happen often. You want to approach NZ on the back side of a high, and use the NE  to come in. Otherwise, you normally leave in a SE (Trade) and drop to the W a bit, hoping to pick up a NW on the approach of a low for the last couple of hundred miles. Lows are risky though, at this time of year they can be significantly stronger than predicted. 

 

If you end up with the wind abeam, you have done well.

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