Knockdown!

[JJ]

Went sailing on the Chesapeake bay with the Admiral for our anniversary. My intent was to show her how enjoyable sailing really is. We left the dock, and I raised the main. All looked good for anout 2 minutes. We had noticed a black thuder cloud in the distance. I was moving at a right angle to its path and thought we had no problem...wrong!!!!

It started to rain so hard that mist from the water cut visibilty to about 3 feet. Then a gale wind hit us..not sure what speed. the boat started heeling. I let out the main sheet to bleed air as mush as possible. I also let out the jib lines completely...no help. The boat went over with the admiral holding on to the steering wheel and water pouring over the port side of the coskpit. The admiral was in this water. I had no idea what to do but hang on to her and hang on to the boat! I thought, "Is the balalst full?" Yes, it was full!

The mast and both sails hit the water. Lines were flapping around in the strong wind. Then to my relief the Macgegor began righting herself. The mast came bak up fully. We experienced another few minutes of rain and then it was over. The whole thing couldn't have lasted more than 5 minutes!

Well, needless to say, the admiral was through. We ended up motoring to the nearest shore and inpspecting the damage. The jib was in tatters..the main was OK..just sail slugs broken....no damage to the boat or mast.

This incident taught me a few things:

1. The weather can change in a hertbeat! If there is any type of story weahter in your area beware..it could hit you hard!

2. The Mac performed well. It righted itself and kept us both alive.

We herd coast guard calls for help with boats that had capsized. Wow, we could have been one of them except for the righting capability of the Mac. this incident actually strengthed my confidence in the safety of the Mac.

Hope I can get the admiral to come back out sailing with me sometime!!!!

[tangentair]

Just don't lie to her and say it will never happen again - I did the same thing Sunday - sort of on purpose, was chasing the rain (no thunder/lighting) as the cells were the only wind available. Fortunately my wife was in cockpit and not below. And as I explained after untangling myself from the dock lines and cushions etc (she managed to just brace herself) that this is normal and fun, of course the only one who believed that was my 14 year old sunfish sailer, he was just happy he didn't get wet and have to stand on the daggerboard.

[waternwaves]

I dont feel so alone......glad to hear that all stayed onboard..... just be careful of filling that sail with water.... the reefed sail is much harder to fill.

anyway.....

you can use subtle hints for warning your crew that unsettling conditions are coming.....

the admiral has found that when I take the cushions out of the cockpit or roll back the bimini.......or reef, ...

Its time to put the harness on, stow all loose items.....use the head..... and foulies or drysuit or wetsuit are generally needed (cold water sailors.)

It was just such an incident that caused me to reinforce the pedestal mounts....

It did not feel to secure hanging my weight sideways off of the wheelll.

that is what the corner rails are for.....

[ronacarme]

Thoughts for the Admiral....
1. Knockdowns can happen but are rare . Since 1970, I have had none on anything bigger than a Sunfish or Hobie 14 (actually a pitchpole ....the lee bow dived), those knockdowns because I was intentionally driving the boat too hard.
2. You did the right thing at the time .....released the sheets....and now know more about watching out for black clouds and so are now an even safer skipper to sail with.
3. The boat kept you both safe, despite something as rare and wild as a knockdown.
Ron

[Russ]

Scary.

What you have learned. R E S P E C T thunderstorms.

This situation is rare. Had you been with bare poles it would have been totally different.
You have learned to spot T-Storms and the oncoming winds. I doubt it would ever catch you off guard again.

Nobody got hurt and as you mentioned, the radiowaves were full of less fortunate.

[tangentair]

One little point not to overlook, knock downs or dramatically inclined sailing conditions do not need a thunderstorm - Sunday was the first time it happened to me in the rain but no way was it the first, (or second or I am not sure how many) time. Any gust over 20 - 25 knots can put you on you side real fast and the MAC likes to sail in good wind. I imagine Frank or Delevi or any of the SF sailors sail like West Virginians walk - with one leg longer than the other.

[DaveB]

Knock downs will occur in a thunderstorm and had many even under bare poles. Winds over 40 knots is not unusual .
For me I have min. rigging lines aloft and with the 110 jib furling in tight. Bimini taken down and any other Items on deck stowed.
If you are in waters safe to ancorage, do so and batten down the hatches.
Safty harness is a good way to prevent persons going overboard and if the tough gets going...put them on and strap to good support.
Dave

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

JJ - sounds like a freightening experience. You've described something I never, ever, ever, ever, want to experience. Ive been in 20 mph winds, half jib, with main rolled up. It seemed that the Mac handled the wind well, and "plowed" through the big waves like a loaded oil tanker.

When I see the horizon darkening with clouds, signs of lightening, signs of "gusts" -- I roll up all canvas, crank up all 50 horses, and boogie toward the Marina. Ive heard too many "horror" stories just like yours.
Glad you guys didnt get hurt, and hope your Admiral gets her courage up for future sailing !

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

Ive often wondered about handling such an emergency, if/or when CAUGHT out in the open Bay.
Is it a good "emergency" idea to throw the bow anchor so the boat can face sudden gale winds, bare poled, and everyone hunkered down in the cabin ? (and of course, a full ballast) It always seems these sudden storms are short lived, and any attempt to motor or reef the sails endangers everything, including a "knockdown"

[bastonjock]

waternwaves,if the mainsaill fills with water,does this stop the boat self righting?

and JJ well done,to have handled the situation

[NiceAft]

JJ,

I'm not trying to sound hard and uncaring, but consider yourself lucky. You survived a line squall. If you were not wearing a PFD, I'm sure you will now.

1st. If you have not taken the Coast Guard Auxiliary course on Sailing and Seamanship, you should. You would have learned about cold fronts, and the sudden and possibly severe weather that comes with it. The admiral may be more confident in you if you take the course.

2nd. If you see one heading for you again, reef the main or head for shelter.

Thanks for the info on what your Mac survived.

Ray

[Rob S]

As a single thunderstorm moving at ninety degrees to his position it may not have been a squall line. A squall line moves ahead of a line of storms and in the same direction as the thunderstorms' movement. This might lead sailors to believe that a single thundestorm not moving towards them can't hurt them..... not so!

Outflow winds from a single storm can be quite violent, or in the case of a downburst or microburst, extremely violent. Evaporation within the storm creates dry dense air that plunges vertically down at high speed, until it hits the ground and spreads out. Try this demonstration..... stand on some step-ladders with a bucket of water. Pour the water in a continuous stream from on high so it hits a single spot on the ground. Watch the mini-tsunami you have created..... it spreads out in ALL directions!! Downburst air behaves the same way....... just because the storm is moving away from you doesn't mean you are clear of all its effects!

[bscott]

Only two things to add---make sure your hatch board is installed and the hatch firmly shut, and main sheet uncleated.

A loose footed main will dump water rather quickly so be prepared for water in the cockpit and an opposite righting moment.

Bob

[NiceAft]

As a single thunderstorm moving at ninety degrees to his position it may not have been a squall line. A squall line moves ahead of a line of storms and in the same direction as the thunderstorms' movement. This might lead sailors to believe that a single thunderstorm not moving towards them can't hurt them..... not so!

If the line is at ninety degrees to you, it is coming at you! Also, the wind does not necessarily stay in one direction. Quoting SAILING FUNDAMENTALS by Gary Jobson, page 168.

A cold front tends to produce more sever weather than a warm front. The cooler front forces its way under the warmer air mass. As the warm air is forced up, it condenses rapidly and forms altocumulus clouds. These are full and fluffy. As the clouds grow thicker and darker, the rain comes, and along with it come stronger wind and changes in the wind direction. This weather system can develop into either a thunderstorm or a line squall. ..............If the wind of the cold front is very strong, it may blow the top off the cumulonimbus cloud before the cloud has the opportunity to build. This results in a quickly passing storm called a line squall. The winds of a line squall are short-lived but can be extremely severe. A sign of an approaching line squall is a low rolling cloud. If you see one coming, look for shelter or quickly reduce sail area to ride out the storm.

Ray

[Richard O'Brien]

Me too!
Two Saturdays ago I thought I'd single hand under what was beginning to look like a grim day. Yes I read the weather report, but thought I could head downwind for a thrillride, or head upwind and stall if need be? The short version of this story is I never had a chance. I was lazily checking out the swimbeach at our local lake when the wind picked up. I had a full main and jib up and was just turning away from the wind when wham!! I was hit on the beam, and went over like a teenager after his first tequila ride.
I didn't panic, but was wondering when the mast might come up. it did slightly, to maybe 60 degrees, but there was just no weather helm, and I kept skidding on the beam. This was followed by horizontal rain (Thank God it didn't hail). I started the motor, hoping I could bring the bow back upwind, but the prop wasn't in the water enough. My next thought was to furl the jib in, and that worked, although it had a new tear along the leech. I now had to deal with a wet main. I released it but it only came down the mast about 6-8 ft. It was blowing wildly and I had already let my boom out over the safety stanchion, so I had to reel the whole wet mass in. I thought to throw my spinnaker halyard around it to 'sort of' tame it . That actually worked, as It helped squeeze some of the air out, and I began hauling main onboard. Finally, I restarted the motor, and headed back to the marina downwind. Even then I had a difficult time keeping the bow headed straight. Later I looked online, and The NOAA site said it was 25 mph gusting to 45 MPH. I ran into the park rangers later, and they said they had been watching me, wondering if I was going to pull it out? The water was at the rail and still a good distance from the companionway, so I have confidence in the boat, and I feel pretty good about the CDI furler now too. Maybe I should lean that Mast back a couple of degrees now though.