Thunderstorm Coming

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by darylat8750

Interesting that the gust front is very noticeable coming out the front but almost none out the sides. Perhaps because of the camera lens used.
I would take in all sail and if in the northern hemisphere, do my best to avoid the area trailing off SW quadrant of the storm where tornados are the most likely to form. I would rather have it pass directly over me than have it just miss me to the north.

I tried that once solo on a Bene 321 mid Atlantic when an isolated storm developed ahead of me..
I ran N to avoid it but it caught me and sucked me in with 45kt winds and sheets of rain.. the sail had me heeled right over with gunnels in the water.. 1hr with the wind changing direction 3 times before it eased and things settled.
Rain was so heavy it flattened the seas thank goodness..

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by chrisr

as an aside, while loitering in northern nsw this covid season, we say numerous thunderstorms like this...massive lightning display (truly frightening) and often heavy rain, but only very rarely was there any serious wind...weird.

cheers,

interesting that we saw last storm in Yamba back in may. Since then absolutely nothing - we crossed border north in july. Sailing North QLD and are at Keppels right now, drifting reluctantly down towards dreadful storm lands. Hope feb will get better.

I met such clouds and took all sails down and motor. After 1/2 hour of 60 kn and freeze we raised 2 reef and speedied for me back then unbelievable at 10 kn.

[Paul L]

We saw this one coming at us in Bundeburg, Aus. while we were in a berth. It did a fair amount of damage, including sinking a Lagoon 400. Peak winds were 67kts.

[JPA Cate]

Thank you guys, good responses, and some great pics. We've always been too scared to get good pix.

Ann

[darylat8750]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I tried that once solo on a Bene 321 mid Atlantic when an isolated storm developed ahead of me..
I ran N to avoid it but it caught me and sucked me in with 45kt winds and sheets of rain.. the sail had me heeled right over with gunnels in the water.. 1hr with the wind changing direction 3 times before it eased and things settled.
Rain was so heavy it flattened the seas thank goodness..

I should have said douse all sail. Gusts may have rails in the water with bare poles. And direction of the wind will change Probably more than 70 degrees. Scary but at least it will be of a reasonably short duration.

I grew up in the tornado belt I’ve seen more than a dozen and one blew up our corn crib minutes after I got my baby brother to the basement.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

We saw this photo yesterday, and I thought some of you might be interested.

How would you like to see this coming towards you? Assume you have reasonable sea room, and are not on land like the foreground of the picture.

Here is a link to the article illustrated by the photo, with attribution for the photographer: https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/20...lists/13017820

Ann

We saw exactly that while transiting the Windward Passage from Jamaica to the Bahamas. It stretched from Cuba to Haiti so no way around it. We dropped the sails, looked for a spot with less lightning strikes, disconnected all antennas and most electronics and motored through it. After we were through, it became much worse behind us and we realized this is a daily event and we had experienced the previous one the night before when going through all the thunderstorms...

We were happy to arrive at Great Inagua after another night at sea with busy shipping and lousy weather

[Rucksta]

Originally Posted by chris mac

Drop all sail, acknowledge that I'm the give way vessel and do everything possible to pass behind it[emoji854]

Another school of thought is to steer away from the storms projected track at 90 - 125 degrees so that the storm passes behind.

Which way to turn is the direction that favours the navigable semi circle.

[Andreas W]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Sails down engine on and run to its South.. battening and lashing everything down while the AP steered.. when it hits, nose to wind.

Exactly THAT +1

[dfelsent]

20 miles East of Boston.
Furled and secured the jib. Dropped and put tied on the main.
By myself on a 38 foot sloop.
Engine on. Kept watch on the radar for the rain squalls. Changed from a collision course with the squalls more than once.
Never saw more than 20 knots from that one.
I’ve had an inflatable streaming straight out from the stern doing barrel rolls in a white out from a similar system. 15 minutes of fun.