Outrunning Storms

[SaltyMonkey]

estarzinger - Beth had a very informative article about your venture down south and usage of GRIBs - published in CW which is worth sharing. The latter part of that voyage to south america was pretty advanced in GRIB analysis. Wish we had more of those examples in an instruction book somewhere

NOTE: CW reference graphics - you needed to magnify glass to read unfortunately...but they were useful.

[sneuman]

Btw, this has been discussed a few times before and the conclusion, i believe, has always been inconclusive. At best:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...torm-5804.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ion-22604.html

[denverd0n]

Whether or not you can "out run" a storm is nothing more than a matter of semantics. That is, an argument over what we mean by "out run". Many storms move faster than any sailboat can every hope to go, and even faster than most powerboats. Hence, in terms of running faster than the storm, and "out running" it in that sense, no, you probably can't. At least, not unless it is a VERY slow moving storm.

But that's not what most people mean when they talk about "out running" a storm. What they actually mean is turning away from the direction the storm is moving and getting clear of its path. Letting it go past them, while they avoid the worst of it. They're not trying to go faster than the storm. They are just trying to get out of its way.

Whether or not you can do that depends entirely on how fast your boat is, how early you identify the threat, where the storm is, and where it is moving at the time that you decide to try to avoid it. Given the right circumstances, most boats can "out run" a storm in this way.

[zeehag]

having sailed thru them, i found no possibility of out running something that travels faster than 7 kts in something that is spozed to max out at 7 kts. especially if that something going faster than 7 kts is throwing lightning bolts at ye....is a scary thing, storms--but we found the inside winds of a t storm were about 70 kts--we sailed in them at 10 kts occasionally--cant outrun them--storms travel faster than sailboats are able to travel. you dont outrun them--they over run you. just make sure you are reefed as far as possible and endure---make fun out of a potential problem--place a preventer on boom to keep it from breaking the traveller---and just hunker down at the helm and go for it---wont outrun it--if it scares the hail out of you-- heave to and rest a while--the storm will be gone in less than an hour. that is in the gulf of mexico--on west coast--storms last a few days--you do NOT want to be there--seas grow to 50 ft--lol---wont go there....the west coast storms are predictable for days--the ones in gulf appear on ye--kind of a difference. unless you are seeking heavy weather experience for a reason, storms should be avoided if predictable in advance.

[GordMay]

Determining the Navigable and Dangerous quadrants of Tropical Revolving Storms (hurricane & typhoon).

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ant-24036.html

➥ http://setsail.com/wp-content/upload...l_cyclones.pdf

And from our own estarzinger:
➥ http://www.bethandevans.com/pdf/HeavyWeather.pdf

[zeehag]

gord's words also work in the t-storms of the day in the gulf, btw--not just for the big ones with names and numbers.......is a good thing to remember always. as the rotational aspects of weather are important in handling of the boat