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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Thunderstorms

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/08/2006 : 18:33:50

Do races usually get called if the forecast is for T-storms?

Rick

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2006 : 21:31:57

It depends on the culture of the area. Around here they might delay if the weather behind the storms looks good. If it looks to be on land they might go out and shorten the course if it starts looking bad. If its already here and sitting on top of us, they might just call it a day.

It is up to the Skipper of each boat to make the determination of whether or not the boat leaves the dock. That is pretty standard verbage in every application.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2006 : 21:43:10

Sore subject... A few years back, a huge front had been forecast for days, and as the day arrived, the forecast was for violent storms as it came through. Even as the greenish-blueish-black sky loomed in the northwest, the local yacht club (I wasn't in Mystic yet) went ahead and held its races--a J-24 fleet, a Sonar fleet, and an Ensign fleet. One of their most stalwart members, at 70-something years old, died after being struck by his boom, I think, and being knocked overboard. I had driven home from 10 miles away, knowing that this was a big one, and was buttoning down my own boat in its slip. With no NOAA report, I knew over a half hour before it hit that it was big trouble. How did those racers stay out there?? I'll never get it.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 06/08/2006 21:49:51

takokichi
Captain

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USA
321 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2006 : 21:55:09

Rick - Most races won't get called for T-storms, but lots of people will choose not to race. The T-storms are the least of our worries for Saturday, though. They're predicting serious wind, at least for the first part of the day. I left you a couple of messages tonight, but maybe too late and you'd gone to bed. Call me in the AM (Friday) and we'll see what's what. If its really blowing 25 plus, I would not leave your mooring were I you. GMORA will honor your provisional rating another weekend - if it becomes an issue I will intervene.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2006 : 22:30:11

We cancel for lightning

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2006 : 08:27:22

Our race committee cancelled last Wednesday's race due to threatening T-storms. Twas kind of a bummer because it was the last Wednesday Night Race of the Spring Series, and I needed to start it to qualify for a flag. I would have been in 3rd place if I could have started the race.

Oh well, better safe than sorry. Hopefully I'll get a flag in the Summer Series.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5913 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2006 : 11:54:12

Most clubs that I know of postpone or cancel races for thunderstorms, but, how many times have you been out sailing and scared to death by an approaching thunderstorm, and hurried back to your slip, and then sat in the cabin of your boat until the thunderstorm passed over? I've done it many times. I suspect the likelihood of getting hit by lightning is approximately the same, whether you are on the lake or in your slip. It seems to me that, if you don't get off the boat after you return to the slip, then you might as well just stay out on the lake and sail through it.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2006 : 11:59:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 ...It seems to me that, if you don't get off the boat after you return to the slip, then you might as well just stay out on the lake and sail through it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Well, there are also (sometimes) those 50+mph puffs...

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2006 : 12:19:22

An old timers strategy ...If your AM radio is all staticy and registering periods of black (no message)intervals, you do not go out sailing...

You get away from any source of strike potential. Some golfers have even been known to leave the links, under such circumstances.

Me, having survived a hit,

wait under the bed till all is over and done with, again tuning the old AM radio until a clear transmission is heard. Battery operated radio, mind you, lest I invite a hit.

Val on Calista # 3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2006 : 12:19:35

An old timers strategy ...If your AM radio is all staticy and registering periods of black (no message)intervals, you do not go out sailing...

You get away from any source of strike potential. Some golfers have even been known to leave the links, under such circumstances.

Me, having survived a hit,

wait under the bed till all is over and done with, again tuning the old AM radio until a clear transmission is heard. Battery operated radio, mind you, lest I invite a hit.

Val on Calista # 3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2006 : 12:25:50

sorry about the double post...due to circumstances beyond my control I am not able to erase one of them.

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1772 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2006 : 15:29:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tinob
 sorry about the double post...due to circumstances beyond my control I am not able to erase one of them.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hey Val ... what's an AM radio?

Edited by - on

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