Sailing in Severe Weather...

L&VW

Well-Known Member
Thursday's tragic news regarding a "Duck Boat Tour" got me thinking of my own experience with what weathermen term, a "Cell". "Microburst" is another term for the same thing.

This Duck Boat skipper clearly hadn't had the same experience I'd had with this kind of storm.

I saw the cell coming across the lake—perhaps five miles distant. 'Almost outran it, except for 20 seconds, I could have been behind a large dock. :( As it was, I ran up between two docks, holding onto my Sunfish in three feet of water—and about-ready to release my grip. The racing sail shredded, then the mast folded. The entire bent-up rig offered a buffer against the upwind side of a dock—so I let it go; afterwards, no damage to the hull or aluminum trim was found.

In other extreme wind conditions, I was able to lower the sail, and steer home successfully, using "bare pole(s)".

Next time, I'll get to the protection of a windward shoreline, and hopefully, shallow water—then lower the sail. (And hang on). :eek:

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I've seen similar on Kentucky Lake. Down bursts and tightly confined 75+ mph winds. Easily knocking 35 ft sailboats over so their spreaders might hit the water. The marina I used to work at has had boats blown of SOLID cradles (20,000 lb sailboats), with deck chairs at a camper, 100 ft away untouched. Today we had upwards of solid 20mph winds and 2-3 ft rollers and a boat was dismasted about 5 miles down the lake. Don't know the details.... I was watching my Sunfish spars bending, but figured... if they break...ya get new ones. That's what they're for... good fun.
I've always been able to outrun these situations on the water, but have been on the docks where it was difficult to not get blown off. These things can pop up quick and be gone, just as quick too. I can totally understand what happened in Missouri. Having a Sunfish hull to hang onto, gives me some comfort, should I be caught in a situation like at Table Rock Lake. Such a tragedy, but still not understanding the non use of life jackets.... There had to have been time to realize they needed to be put on.... I don't know... really sad though.
 
Hear's the think that everyone misses and really pisses me off. First the Duck Boat is not a boat but a
'Duce And A Half' frame and motor made into a landing craft. It was not made as a tourist boat! The
tour operators added a enclosed structure to extend operating hours in cold and rainy conditions. This
is dangerous bordering on criminal. As on numerous events when the boat starts to swamp the
enclosed structure traps people inside. Wearing a life jacket MAKES IT WORSE by not allowing you
to dive and pinning you against the top of the structure inside. This is why inflating a life jacket inside
a plane that has just ditched may be what kills you. So you grab a life jacket and jump overboard
they try to put the jacket on. Good luck Chuck, it's almost impossible to put on a life jacket when
your in the water. Add to this small children and panicked adults. You got a A-1 death machine.
If you look at videos of the beach landing the Duck Boats are plowing through 6 foot waves but
guess what, they had a splash plate/armor plate on the bow that extended up from the bow about
3 feet. In addition you don't need bad weather sink one, just a bad seal on a axle or prop shaft.
Could they remove the closed structure and require life jackets to be worn? Yes. but it ain't going
to happen simply for the reasons of reduced profit. It's a fact of life that you and me have a monetary
value placed on our lives dictated by the cost of lawsuits. Not saying it's good or bad, just the
way it is.
 
Tragic, for sure
Total disregard by the operators of the 'boat' for the weather forecasted at the time.
 

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