Worst Weather Experienced While at Sea?

[Eclipsed]

Shipping green water on the 02 deck of an LSD. Dented the hell out of the plating on the forward bulkhead, which was 6" from my head as I tried to sleep. Had the mid-watch but too rough to go on the main-deck so I stood it on the bridge. We were delivering 2 wooden hull mine sweepers to the Japanese Navy via the northern great circle route from Astoria, OR to Yokosuka. Long periods of boredom, short periods of terror. 60 kt. winds, 40 ft. seas.

[eddhewett]

Cant resist this topic !

Well my first ever sail on a boat was in 45knots at night in January 2009 in the English channel but my strongest ever wind was in Antarctica. We werent actually at sea, we were moored at Port Lockroy with an anchor and 8 lines ashore, 7 to windward. For about two days the wind blew and one night it blew so strong that it was either pulling off or cracking the boulders which our lines were attached to on shore. Multiple times through the night I had to take the Zodiac ashore in the pitch black and re-set the lines. This included wading through the icy Antarctic waters past my waist which I had previously regularly seen leopard seals in. Several times I couldn't make it to shore as I simply couldn't make the zodiac move into the wind and I had to haul myself back to the boat using a line. To get ashore I had to drive to a cliff and climb/wade to the beach asthere was too many submersed rocks towards the beach which I couldn't see. It was so dark that without a torch I couldn't see the sea and I accidentally kicked a penguin on the beach. Anyway that night I didn't sleep and I was sure I was going to be physically sick except I couldnt seem to sum up the strength to do it. Our windyometer stops working at 50knots so we just watched a blank wind speed all night. In the morning we heard from a cruise ship which had rode out the storm just 0.25nm away and they recorded 110knots!

[jeremiason]

We had cruised from San Francisco to Florida over 33 months. For the first time in 31 months we were returning to the USA to purchase a home.

We were sailing from Isla Mujeres, Mexico to Charlotte Harbor, Florida and had been out three days.

As we approached the Charlotte Harbor Approach Channel, we saw a wall of black clouds come off shore heading directly at us. We had already dropped the sails, since we were entering the channel and decided to run for open water.

We were run over like road kill with 62 Knot winds and heavy rain. The rain was so heavy I could not see beyond the bow rail and the radar was useless.

Normally, I motor at about 2500 rpms and make 7.5 knots. In this wind I was turning 1200 rpms and making 8.5 knots.

Also we have a walk through transom and a sugar scoop, so the cockpit is suppose to be self-bailing. In this rain the cockpit had 3 inches of standing water in it.

I ran down wind for about 50 minutes before the wind dropped to 25 knots and I could turn around and head back to the Harbor.

In our 9500 NM voyage that was the worst Squall we had while under way.

Fortunately nothing was damaged, except the American Flag, which looked like it had been at the Battle of Gettysburg, it was shredded.

Welcome back to the USA!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

No diesel or no hurry?

b.

No engine... crap fuel bought in Beaufort NC had eaten all my filters... no elec either... sailed in Horta to anchor..

[Bluewaters2812]

Originally Posted by floridajoe

Just found this video

gave me an idea for a thread.

What is worst weather you've experienced while at sea?

Haven't read the thread through (internet iffy). Certainly gives new meaning to the term "storm chasers" haha.

My worst ... 1982 ... Cape of Storms (3 storms 50-80knots against the Agulhas 5knot current at night). Latest only 2 storms at 30-35knots, what a breeze lol.