Chesapeake Bay-Strong Wind, Steep Waves

[Cheechako]

I came out of St Michaels one morning and it was like that. Fortunately I was headed South. But coming out, we didn't realize it was as bad as it was. We were awash immediately trying to get out. On the South side of the entrance is a big reef. We were headed for it wallowing making no head way. I went up on the foredeck standing in knee deep water and set the staysail. The furling headsail was nothing but trouble and was doused. The staysail took hold with the reefed main and were were trucking along at 8 knots with the boat flat. Lesson learned. Man that boat with a main and staysail only was a joy to sail that way in 30 knots of wind. We took a left and were headed down wind eventually headed for Florida in October.
2 nights later I spent the worse night at sea I ever experienced south of Hatteras.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I came out of St Michaels one morning and it was like that. Fortunately I was headed South. But coming out, we didn't realize it was as bad as it was. We were awash immediately trying to get out. On the South side of the entrance is a big reef. We were headed for it wallowing making no head way. I went up on the foredeck standing in knee deep water and set the staysail. The furling headsail was nothing but trouble and was doused. The staysail took hold with the reefed main and were were trucking along at 8 knots with the boat flat. Lesson learned. Man that boat with a main and staysail only was a joy to sail that way in 30 knots of wind. We took a left and were headed down wind eventually headed for Florida in October.
2 nights later I spent the worse night at sea I ever experienced south of Hatteras.

Sounds like you solved your problems all at once.

I want to get my boat so it will sail with the autopilot in the conditions like I had on Saturday which will free me up to make adjustments and take care of problems while the boat sails itself.

No way would I have wanted to steer for hours on end especially fighting the tiller like that.

As it was,I had no more water, no food etc but I was only sailing maybe 20 miles all together so it didn't matter this time.

Only problems afterward were a broken end eye on the dodger and bow light out probably from multiple plunges underwater

Plus crap all over down below. I'm going to try again today to get the old end eye off. Dodger and frame are off the boat as of yesterday

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

A bit of an angle can make things more comfortable, yes. If nothing else, it slightly increases the time between wave encounters.

When I was at an angle to the waves as I was at the start of my crossing to get out into the Bay sailing SW from Kiptopeke, I was at an angle to the Northerly waves.

After I got out there far enough and had cleared the protection the land the Eastern Shore was providing, they started breaking over the boat from the windward side. One soaked my back as I turned for protection and one I thought was going to take the dodger off.

Again these waves are not shown in the video I posted.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ki...!4d-75.9809899

[Captain Anthony]

following

[grandmaR]

I know that we might be over cautious, but we always put on our PFDs before we start out regardless of the weather forecast. Our boat is bigger than yours (our LWL is 36.33") and there are two of us, but we have been there in those conditions and it was miserable. We were starting out from Salt Ponds heading north - two days from home. Winds were forecast to be 15-20 knots decreasing to 10 with 2 foot waves. I had a feeling that this wouldn't turn out well, but Bob assured me that it would be fine and since I hadn't done my usual assessment of the weather I let him convince me. But, when we got out into the bay, it was indeed 20 knot winds, but instead of decreasing the winds got stronger. Later, I saw one gust up to 31 knots.

We had the dinghy on the davits with the motor still on it (unusual), and the solar panel mounted on the brace between the davits. The extra weight of the dinghy motor made the brace work loose. The solar panel was torn off with the brace and disappeared which made the dinghy bang around because the brace was gone. Bob kept having to go back (clipped to jacklines) to re-secure the dinghy. He eventually lashed it to the radar arch in a vertical configuration.



When I would turn downwind so he could do that, we'd be going 9 knots in the wrong direction.

Anyway, we had been going to go to the Windmill Resort, but I lobbied for going in the York River instead. We were right at the entrance anyway. So we did. But it took us 4 hours to get into the York River enough for the waves to decrease.



This was after a long trip - we had gotten careless because we were so close to home. It wouldn't have been so bad if we hadn't left the motor on the dinghy and had secured everything properly.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by grandmaR

I know that we might be over cautious, but we always put on our PFDs before we start out regardless of the weather forecast. Our boat is bigger than yours (our LWL is 36.33") and there are two of us, but we have been there in those conditions and it was miserable. We were starting out from Salt Ponds heading north - two days from home. Winds were forecast to be 15-20 knots decreasing to 10 with 2 foot waves. I had a feeling that this wouldn't turn out well, but Bob assured me that it would be fine and since I hadn't done my usual assessment of the weather I let him convince me. But, when we got out into the bay, it was indeed 20 knot winds, but instead of decreasing the winds got stronger. Later, I saw one gust up to 31 knots.

We had the dinghy on the davits with the motor still on it (unusual), and the solar panel mounted on the brace between the davits. The extra weight of the dinghy motor made the brace work loose. The solar panel was torn off with the brace and disappeared which made the dinghy bang around because the brace was gone. Bob kept having to go back (clipped to jacklines) to re-secure the dinghy. He eventually lashed it to the radar arch in a vertical configuration.



When I would turn downwind so he could do that, we'd be going 9 knots in the wrong direction.

Anyway, we had been going to go to the Windmill Resort, but I lobbied for going in the York River instead. We were right at the entrance anyway. So we did. But it took us 4 hours to get into the York River enough for the waves to decrease.



This was after a long trip - we had gotten careless because we were so close to home. It wouldn't have been so bad if we hadn't left the motor on the dinghy and had secured everything properly.

You are totally right.

I should at least have already had my harness and PFD on and maybe two boards in. (the hatch)

I have no doubt my boat would be fine taking waves over the stern if it's totally prepared. All boards in and me tethered etc.

I did have a hard time unhooking my tether though at one point so I may use it more just to get the hang of it.

Wind forecast for this Saturday is ENE at 17 knots. I have my dodger frame off and parts on order, but I might try and cross heading North to see how my boat does going into the big waves.

I say big because usually NE brings big waves in from the ocean so depending on the forecast reliability (17 knots or 27; ENE or NNE?) I'll see how it looks at the mouth of Little Creek and if I can get out okay.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by grandmaR

I know that we might be over cautious, but we always put on our PFDs before we start out regardless of the weather forecast. Our boat is bigger than yours (our LWL is 36.33") and there are two of us, but we have been there in those conditions and it was miserable. We were starting out from Salt Ponds heading north - two days from home. Winds were forecast to be 15-20 knots decreasing to 10 with 2 foot waves. I had a feeling that this wouldn't turn out well, but Bob assured me that it would be fine and since I hadn't done my usual assessment of the weather I let him convince me. But, when we got out into the bay, it was indeed 20 knot winds, but instead of decreasing the winds got stronger. Later, I saw one gust up to 31 knots.

We had the dinghy on the davits with the motor still on it (unusual), and the solar panel mounted on the brace between the davits. The extra weight of the dinghy motor made the brace work loose. The solar panel was torn off with the brace and disappeared which made the dinghy bang around because the brace was gone. Bob kept having to go back (clipped to jacklines) to re-secure the dinghy. He eventually lashed it to the radar arch in a vertical configuration.



When I would turn downwind so he could do that, we'd be going 9 knots in the wrong direction.

Anyway, we had been going to go to the Windmill Resort, but I lobbied for going in the York River instead. We were right at the entrance anyway. So we did. But it took us 4 hours to get into the York River enough for the waves to decrease.



This was after a long trip - we had gotten careless because we were so close to home. It wouldn't have been so bad if we hadn't left the motor on the dinghy and had secured everything properly.

Leaving the motor on the dinghy is a great point. I also made that mistake on the Wachapreague adventure I alluded to and lost my outboard cover as a result. It's pretty much impossible to remove the motor once you're in seas big enough to warrant removing the motor, so definitely something I now take off any time I think it will be anything other than a calm day.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

Leaving the motor on the dinghy is a great point. I also made that mistake on the Wachapreague adventure I alluded to and lost my outboard cover as a result. It's pretty much impossible to remove the motor once you're in seas big enough to warrant removing the motor, so definitely something I now take off any time I think it will be anything other than a calm day.

What Wachapreague adventure? Did you go into there? On a sailboat?

My brother in law used to take his 1970's Boston Whaler 16' 3" Montauk I think it was out from there to Norfolk Canyon to fish for Marlin. It had the wooden center console. He had an 80 hp Mercury on it. Actually several because he didn't want it to be older than 2 years

I used to fish for trout at the Wachapregue inlet in the Fall and load up. For flounder in Metompkin inlet.

Sometimes we'd go outside thru the Metompkin Inlet then ride a wave back in and pray our POS outboards didn't quit half way thru

I also fished out near Tangier on my 14' V bottom aluminum boat and near Watts Island. (Bay side)

[thomm225]

These Bristol 27's seem to be built with more boat below the waterline than above.

Also the freeboard is so low that I can rinse dishes over the side at anchor.

So I guess in the future I need to have everything closed or close to closed with any winds higher than say 23 knots or so in open water and a better selection of sails.

I have a storm jib (90%) and plan to add more sets of reef points to the mainsail.

I want the autopilot to be able to sail the boat in the conditions like I had last week, but I'm not sure how long an autopilot dunked in salt water repeatedly would last.

I have a second autopilot, but it would need to be wired in. The plugs are different. I know I should go ahead and correct that situation. I was waiting until I planned to be offshore more for these type things.

Then maybe new rigging and rudder bearing inspection.

Plus if conditions were close to what I had especially if offshore maybe go ahead and put the outboard on the rail mount and secure it.

[kmacdonald]

It was nice sailing on the Choptank and Little Choptank Saturday. 15kts gusting to 20. light wind Sunday thru Tuesday. The Bay and Rivers off the Bay can be like the gulf stream with wind against current. Maybe not quite as bad but 2 or 3 sec wave period.

[MicHughV]

ah, the Chesapeake.....I had the blissful experience of being isolated in a cove with no way to get out...
unbeknownst to me (at the time), a south wind tends to pile up the water in all the various coves...
likewise, a north wind tends to blow all the water out..
me: Monday, make my way into a lovely cove to anchor for the night....lovely south breeze.....
me:Tuesday, get underway to leave and run hard aground at cove entrance....where did all the water go??...wind changed to north during the night...
me: Wed, Thu, Fri.....same as above....situation getting dire, beer supply low...
me: Sat 2 am, wake up, go outside, and notice water has miraculously returned to cover...notice wind is now south....
me: 2:15 am....make my escape...
Me: find beer store and live to tell anudder tale....

[bensolomon]

Thomm25,

With your waterline, and the weather described, you did a great job. In the Chesapeake, the weather comes on fast, and because it is relatively shallow, with the geography the way it is, the sea state can change rapidly. My only recommendation is reef when you even think about it, or shorten sail, approximately for your boat long before the weather arrives. I've been caught a few times, badly. Last summer, in 60 knot straight line winds. It was bad!

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by thomm225

What Wachapreague adventure? Did you go into there? On a sailboat?

My brother in law used to take his 1970's Boston Whaler 16' 3" Montauk I think it was out from there to Norfolk Canyon to fish for Marlin. It had the wooden center console. He had an 80 hp Mercury on it. Actually several because he didn't want it to be older than 2 years

I used to fish for trout at the Wachapregue inlet in the Fall and load up. For flounder in Metompkin inlet.

Sometimes we'd go outside thru the Metompkin Inlet then ride a wave back in and pray our POS outboards didn't quit half way thru

I also fished out near Tangier on my 14' V bottom aluminum boat and near Watts Island. (Bay side)

Yes, stopped there in our Mage 36 cat a few weeks ago, just anchored right inside the inlet. The ride in was completely uneventful, buoys do a good job of marking the channel even though the chart shows you going over dry land. The way out was a little sporty. Nice big rolling seas in the Atlantic that were easy to handle, but they steepened right up in the inlet and while not really dangerous, especially since I knew the depths following my track from the trip in, it was some big crashes into every wave for an hour or so that wasn't terribly comfortable. And the catamaran concentrates waves that hit our dinghy motor if I leave it on, so the dinghy was swinging pretty wildly and knocked the outboard cover off at some point. Dumb move on my part, I knew there were going to be steep waves and knew they hit the outboard, so definitely should have taken it off before weighing anchor. A couple hundred dollar lesson learned, I got off easy!

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

Thomm25,

With your waterline, and the weather described, you did a great job. In the Chesapeake, the weather comes on fast, and because it is relatively shallow, with the geography the way it is, the sea state can change rapidly. My only recommendation is reef when you even think about it, or shorten sail, approximately for your boat long before the weather arrives. I've been caught a few times, badly. Last summer, in 60 knot straight line winds. It was bad!

Thanks!

Even with all my experience on the bay, I got fooled this time.

I awoke at 5 am after spending a couple days at Kiptopeke.

I had tried to sail away on Friday, but the wind died completely as I was headed west across to the other side of the bay to Mobjack Bay.

The plan was to ride the NW wind after the front passed all the way home early before it rotated. I would have had good cover from the land and good wind. (and pretty smooth sailing)

So I anchored close to shore when I got back to Kiptopeke anticipating the North wind but South and SE winds made me move up to the cement ships for protection just before dark.

At 5 am Saturday, I was in good shape being at the southern or SE end of the ships and I was watching two boats near the NW end rolling quite a bit. Their lights were.

I had 11.7 volts so I wanted to wait until I had above 12 volts after the sun rose. So I didn't leave anchorage until around 0715 to get the boat ready. I had decent wind where I was. Pulling anchor and securing it on the foredeck, washing off marsh mud, raising and reefing the main at it's single reef point and sailed out thinking it would be 22 knots or so.

I raised and reefed the main in total calm water inside the pier at Kiptopeke.

Everything was a okay until I good clear of the Eastern Shore which was protecting me from the winds which were strong than expected. I had the radio off to save power.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

It was nice sailing on the Choptank and Little Choptank Saturday. 15kts gusting to 20. light wind Sunday thru Tuesday. The Bay and Rivers off the Bay can be like the gulf stream with wind against current. Maybe not quite as bad but 2 or 3 sec wave period.

Saturday was a beautiful day, and I believe it was starting to lay down a bit as I was getting close to Little Creek but you can still hear the rig whistling in the video which was taken near the end of the crossing.

I don't know the bay up your way besides from crossing the old bridges back in the 70's ( and James Michener's book "Chesapeake") on US 50, but the current can get rippin down this way near the CBBT.