Don't You Wish That on Me! If one more person wishes me ‘Following Seas’ I may have to get completely exacerbated and tell them, “Don’t you wish that on me!! Don’t you do it!” Following seas are, here on Steadfast, our least favorite point of sail, or in land dweller’s terms, our least favorite set of circumstances with which to travel on our yacht.
Excellent points. I believe that when making ocean passages in small sailing vessels first began seriously to grow as a "sport", the concept of running before the wind and seas in a storm included deploying a drogue or even a bight of heavy line to slow the forward movement of the vessel to less than that of the seas that were over taking it. This would enable the vessel to rise and allow the sea to overtake and pass and avoid the danger of surfing down the face of a big wave (with the danger of broaching or, worse, burying the bow in the trough and maybe even pitch-poling). See some of Eric Hiscock's books and others from the 1950s. The only counter-opinion I know of was, as I remember, from Eric Tabarly who recommended running at speed -- which he had done in a couple a bad storms in Pen Duick. Somewhere along the way, this critical proviso for running before the storm was lost from common consciousness. I personally would choose to heave-to before the storm and let the seas pass as quickly as possible, but I have never been in conditions which forced me to run before it.
Right?? FOLLOWING SEAS is just not something that one might wish on a friend; now, an enemy, perhaps....or someone who simply thinks they know too much..... !! Thanks for following along!
Excellent points. I believe that when making ocean passages in small sailing vessels first began seriously to grow as a "sport", the concept of running before the wind and seas in a storm included deploying a drogue or even a bight of heavy line to slow the forward movement of the vessel to less than that of the seas that were over taking it. This would enable the vessel to rise and allow the sea to overtake and pass and avoid the danger of surfing down the face of a big wave (with the danger of broaching or, worse, burying the bow in the trough and maybe even pitch-poling). See some of Eric Hiscock's books and others from the 1950s. The only counter-opinion I know of was, as I remember, from Eric Tabarly who recommended running at speed -- which he had done in a couple a bad storms in Pen Duick. Somewhere along the way, this critical proviso for running before the storm was lost from common consciousness. I personally would choose to heave-to before the storm and let the seas pass as quickly as possible, but I have never been in conditions which forced me to run before it.
After passages like that, I usually feel the effects of the sail most when trying to stand up to take my first shower on land.
Right?? FOLLOWING SEAS is just not something that one might wish on a friend; now, an enemy, perhaps....or someone who simply thinks they know too much..... !! Thanks for following along!
SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE continues....
I thought I was alone and just unappreciative ;)