MULTIHULL: Storm Tactics

[onefastdaddy]

"Storm sails
On our 32-foot cat we had three deep reefs in the main and nothing but a roller-furling jib. We found that running off we would gradually reduce the main until nothing remained, then gradually reduce the jib until nothing remained. Going to windward in much over 30 knots just wasn't in the cards. We first deployed a parachute sea anchor because we were running off too fast with no sail up and were starting to punch our bows into the seas we were overtaking. I think the problem on a cat is slowing up enough when the wind starts to scream. Ideally, I would have liked to have had a hanked on storm jib in the inner forestay for use when running off in bad conditions or when trying to make progress to windward. Forget the trisail--too diificult to set when it gets time to use it. I have only ever used a trisail (on a monohull) when I split the main and I wanted something up to steady the boat."

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post38384

[onefastdaddy]

"Kai
On my Searunner I have a storm staysail instead of a trisail. This is probably due to the Searunner being a true cutter with the mast stepped further aft than a sloop or a sloop rigged with an inner forestay. Along with a main with three reefs like Kettlewell. That is the recommended combo for the Searunner with the staysail being the last one standing. A drag device would normally be used in combo with the storm sail to control speed.

Here is a quote from one of Jim Brown's books:" Experience has shown that drogues are effective when used in combination with a small storm jib. Conversely, they have proven ineffective without the storm jib. It is necessary to carry enough sail to keep the vessel moving at four or five knots even in the troughs. It is the resistance of the drogue being dragged through the water that generates the desired steering control. Besides steering control, the drogue also controls speed. Running off in severe storms without a drogue, even under bare poles, the multihull tries to overtake the wave ahead. This is to be avoided because, instead of the bows climbing up the back of the wave ahead, they may dive in."

I have not come across any info on sizing and how they would compare to a similar sized monohull. My guess would be that they would be similar in size or a little smaller. The multihull is more easily driven but you have to factor in the drag device also."

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post40465

[onefastdaddy]

"I can highly recomend using parachute anchor of the bow as we did sailing from Brisbane to New Caledonia on my last cat, a 10m simpson ground effect. After putting this out it was like being tied to a marina berth for the night. These are available from Para Anchors Australia. Also check out a book called "multihull seamanship illustrated" by Gavin Lesuer , he's done plenty of miles and knows what he's taking about

Dave"

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post42384

[onefastdaddy]

"Gavin Lesueur's web site:

Multihull Sailing Books - Gavin LeSueur's online bookstore.

Gavin and Catherine are based in Cairns and sail the catamaran 'Chaotic Harmony.' "

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post42684

[onefastdaddy]

"I came across a very informative article on parachute anchors used on trimarans. Sea Anchors in Heavy Weather
Clearly the author has more foul weather experience on trimarans than most of us. He makes some very good points, and provides a very detailed descroption on how to rig and deploy them. I have to say, after reading this article, I am rethinking the idea of a parachute on my tri."

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post51853

[onefastdaddy]

"Heres a link to the parachute anchor I used. Heaps of info.
http:www.paraanchors.com.au/"

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post51867

[onefastdaddy]

"1994 Queens Birthday Storm -Pacific
I found this by taking Cat Man Do's advice and googled Ramtha Catamaran. It was in a mailing list at:

http://lists.samurai.com/pipermail/p...il/001034.html"

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post52390

[onefastdaddy]

"no right way
Seems like this is a bit of a dead horse thread but has anyone read "Fastnet Force-Ten" by John Rousmaniere or the story of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race, "Fatal Storm" by Rob Mundle? "

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post56934

[onefastdaddy]

"But of coarse if using a drogue is going to put you towards a lee shore the parachute is the go.

From anything I have read by the time people get around to deciding that they need to do something fatigue has started to set in. For my money i'll be using a parachute and ensuring i'll be rested for if the $hit really hit's.

When we used the parachute, and fair enough it was only blowing at around 50 for a few hours, but we did have 35 to 40 for about 5 hours, the waves were around 4 to 5 metres and we never had one break over the bow's.

Not saying that it doesnt happen though.

After beating into 20 to 25 for about 20 hours we were getting a bit stressed, and the boat wasn't her usual happy self so we put it out early and were amazed that it was like being on anchor in a rough anchorage.

We had hot meals, did some maintenance had a few rumbo's and watched the waves roll by And then continued on fully rested .


Did I mention that I like Parachute anchor's ?"

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post59990

[onefastdaddy]

"It is going to depend on the cat. The modern large-main small-jib rigs usually won't heave to all that well with full main (but then, why would you?) because the main just overpowers the jib. With one or two reefs, Endless Summer will heave to just fine. Spent a pleasant few hours off Lord Howe that way, waiting for dawn in a freshening NW'ly.

As for lying ahull, I agree that, like monohulls, it works better than anyone would expect.

Lastly, wrt. to series drogues and getting pooped, I think that you need to look closely at weight and windage. These are very different for a light, 6-ton cat and the 20-ton mono of similar length, and key to the whole series drogue parachute debate.

-Scott"

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post60034

[onefastdaddy]

In reply to a request about more details to heave to a catamaran:
"It is mostly a matter of balance between the jib and main. The basic recipe is to tack without loosening the jib sheet. Now, the main wants to round the boat up, the jib wants to round the boat down. Balance. If you're tending to round up, the main is winning so ease the sheet a bit, if you're rounding down, the jib is winning so pull in the main sheet and maybe move the traveller up. If you can't balance the boat by adjusting sails, then you've got to reef the "winner" a bit to even things up.

Sounds like you might need to try reefing something. Another trick is to pinch for a bit (fore-reach) before tacking so as to scrub off speed. Makes the influence of the rudders more predictable.

-Scott"

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post60098

[onefastdaddy]

"Scott, My understanding is one key purpose of the para-anchor is to stop waves from breaking over the boat. In Pardey's book he observed that as long as he stayed in the shadow (slick) of the para-anchor in a hove-to state that waves didn't break into his boat. So the glass should be safe from the waves when properly hunkered down. I think the group has concluded that it is possible to keep a cat hove-to (albeit something that requires practice) and it is possible to get a properly sized para-anchor. I agree if you were dumb enough to try and sail through very high seas and winds with all that glass you would be asking for trouble. However, you would be asking for trouble in any type of boat in those conditions.

Phil"

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post60670

[onefastdaddy]

Post with images of new parachute sea anchors chain plates:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post64167

[onefastdaddy]

"I used to race cats and sail with one pontoon completely out of the water and bury the lee pontoon up to the shroud. We still didn't flip. Pitch pole...now that is a different story, we were close to doing that. However, this type of cat was a day light day sailer and nothing like an heavy Lagoon. I will be headed to Florida for the Miami Boat Show and will ask if anyone has experienced a tip caused by wind alone on a cat of this weight and beam. My guess is that you almost would have to intentionally do something stupid to get a cat designed like the Lagoon to flip. I'm all ears to other reports."

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post64469

[onefastdaddy]

"Lying ahull in such weather is asking for a disaster. When the wave hit it hit us on the topsides (38ft mono) and washed over us as we went over, took dinghy, liferaft ant pulpit for the ride.
My preference now would be to run with a drogue."

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...html#post66052