Next message: Robert Gainer: "RE: [world-cruising] sea anchors"
There have been some energetic conversations about sea anchors and
seamanship in two of the groups I am a member of. In the course of
the discussion I have suggested things that are contradictory and if
you are a member of both groups it may get confusing. In one thread
I advocated not running before the wind, but heave to instead and in
the other thread I said running was an option, but if the weather
was bad enough getting under way and making the turn was very
dangerous and not recommended. This is the reason that whole book
have been written on the subject. Both of these threads were about
different types of boats and I don't think that was clear. One boat
had a large cockpit, moderate to heaver displacement and a long fin
keel with the opening to the cabin extending to the cockpit sole.
When that boat is hove to the trysail will keep her heeled over and
the cockpit is in the lee of the hull so to speak. You will not get
any great amount of water in the cockpit because of this. When you
try to start her sailing to turn downwind there is an awkward time
when you are presenting you quarter to the sea and not yet moving
very fast. If a wave overtakes you at that moment the cockpit will
flood and the freeboard will be reduced by a large amount. The next
wave will certainly fill it up again and the cabin will start to
flood. Even if you made the turn the boat will need to drag a warp
to slow down, her quarter wave at to great a speed may board her and
start this chain of events anyway. The funny thing about this boat
is you may need to have the trysail up so that you can steer when in
the trough of the wave. This is why I say to make a plan and stick
to it you cannot always change in midstream, she would have done
fine hove to. The other boat was a light displacement boat with a
deep narrow fin keel. This boat will get up to speed in these
conditions very rapidly and even before she gets up to speed she can
easily make the turn from a hove to position to a running position
between the waves. She will have a flat wake and will not tend to
broach as much as the other example. Add to this, the cockpit is
smaller and has a bridge deck is in front of the cabin. I would not
tow any thing behind her; just let her run under bare poles. Because
each boat is so different you need to have a plan that is specific
to you own boat. The other thing I wanted to point out is some of
the examples we are discussing are boats in the Southern Ocean where
the waves are larger and steeper then the North Atlantic. I have
never been in the conditions that would have pitch poled my boat in
the North Atlantic, even in the winter. I hope that in the morning
my writing will not confuse me, but will make my position on the
subject clear to others. I am going to post this in both the
Colombia group and the Ocean Sailing group, I hope that's OK.
All the best;
Robert Gainer
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