Be careful on a light catamaran, heaving-to in survival conditions

Posted By: Tom T. House
Date: 9/27/07 7:37a.m.

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In Response To: Heaving-to discussion, thanks. (Tom T. House)

The following came from another forum discussing the same topci. I thought it worthy of posting here, since it delt with cautionary issues related to heaving-to on a ight catamaran in increasing heavy air and deteriorating sea conditions. Thuigh it may not necessarily apply to monos, other do read or check out tpcis on this site and it may be helpful to them. Replying to Tom House comments: Be careful in high seas. Sometimes it is better to run with a drogue aft, if you can deploy it safely, and run barepoles on a light boat that can be swatted like a fly by Natural Forces. Stay away from the rocks and you will be OK Ron Replying to Ron Nicol comments: Ron, What you said about heavy weather survival tactics makes a lot of sense to me. In my experience on the Stiletto 27, I have noticed how light the bows can become in a blow, especially when the wind gets under the trampoline, when coming off a crest, going to weather. From time to time, I have half thought dumping (i.e., cutting away or unlacing) the tramp might be an answer. However, the tramp helps keep the bows together and even with it in place and tightly laced, in messy conditions, I've had enough flex in the bows to drop the compression tube out of its base on one side. Not good..! I still don't know how it was able to that, but I have guessed the bows flexed sufficiently to allow the tube to rotate and allow it to randomly align the grove and key, allowing it to come out or its saddle. The tramp kept it from falling into the sea and we were able to secure it before it bashed holes in the sid eof the boat, until we could find a calm cove for the night and reinstall it the next AM after some sleep. I can see how running and trailing a drogue or perhaps better a series drogue would be a good defensive tactic in survival sailing conditions, if caught in a real blow and rough seas....if one couldn't plan better and sit it out at home in front of the fireplace or in a protected cove. Considering the dry boat wieght of the Stiletto 27 is only 1,100 lbs., that's really great when trailering, but not so good in a bad blow at sea. Also there's so much under-bridge-deck and trampoline area for the wind to act on, it could momentarily "fly" the entire boat, like a kite, if enough wind got under it coming off the crest of a wave, hove-to or hanging on a sea anchor. Wow, just the thought makes my hair stand on end. Running barepole, trailing a drogue or series drogue would help keep this condition from happening. Good call. Thanks, Tom