Riders of the Storm
A sudden storm can put your skipper skills to the test - here's how to make sure you pass.
February 1, 2006
Few sights get a boater's adrenaline pumping harder and faster than that of a sudden storm
blowing up when you're a long way from anywhere. One minute you're enjoying clear skies and calm
water, and then the clouds appear and the waves start ganging up on you. The winds are getting
stronger, and you may see a flash of lightning or hear a rumble of thunder. As the captain - even
at the helm of a 12-foot jon boat, you're still the captain - you're responsible for getting your
boat and passengers through safely, so your skills are about to be tested. If you respond properly,
you'll come through with little more than a thumping heart and some great stories to share at the
docks. While every situation will present unique challenges, the following steps will put you in a
position to handle whatever Mother Nature throws at you:
The
first step is to bring everyone on board together to assess the situation and show your leadership.
Pass out PFDs and foul-weather gear, and have everyone put the gear on - children first, then
adults. Explain, very calmly and clearly, what's going to take place and what each person's
responsibilities will be. Make sure everyone knows to stay as low in the boat as possible, and not
to move around any more than is absolutely necessary. If possible, have everyone go belowdecks. If
you're on a runabout or a pontoon, have everyone stay seated in the main cockpit.
Next, determine the storm's position and direction of movement as best you can. Monitor channel 16 on your VHF radio for updates and information. While you're doing this, have your passengers secure the boat. Close all windows and ports. If you have a camping-style full canvas enclosure, and there's sufficient time, deploy it. Don't, however, deploy a Bimini top - it'll just turn into a giant parachute and cause more problems than it solves. Stow everything that's non-essential for getting through the storm, which is just about everything. If something can't be stowed, like an oversized ice chest, tie it down securely. Anything that's not stowed away or tied down will likely be blown overboard by the storm and lost forever, so be obsessive about your gear. Then, turn on the bilge pump and leave it running. This will add stability by reducing the sloshing effect of water in the bilge.
Prepare any and all emergency equipment you have on board. Put hand pumps, whistles, flashlights, flares, signal flags, first-aid kits and any other emergency gear where you can access it quickly and easily. Make your preparations quickly but deliberately. Even if the storm is bearing down on you, don't rush or panic. Rushing and panicking are all but guaranteed to lead to mistakes. Acting calmly and surely will also help keep your passengers focused, trusting, and calm.
With your preparations complete, turn your attention back to the storm itself. Fix its position, as well as its direction and speed of travel. Although it's tempting to try, do NOT attempt to outrun a storm. Squalls can move with amazing speed, and it's easy to underestimate how quickly a storm may be bearing down on you.
Seek sheltered water. If there's a marina nearby, make for it. If there's a sheltered cove that may block some wind, make for it. If, however, it's clear that the storm will reach you before you reach sheltered water, don't put yourself at risk by making a run for it.
If you're going to be forced to ride the storm out, make sure you're in the deepest, least-crowded waters possible. When the storm starts whipping up the chop, you don't want to be in shallow water where your boat could possibly hit bottom and suffer damage. Deep water may seem rougher, but it's actually safer because there's less likelihood of grounding and – usually - less debris floating around.
By the same token, when you're on a boat and there's a storm blowing up, there's no safety in numbers. Wind and waves will make it difficult, if not impossible, to effect total control of your boat, and if you're around a lot of other boats, the risk of collisions increases exponentially. So make for deep, isolated waters.
Whether you're heading for a nearby marina, a sheltered cove, or deep, isolated water, your goal is to arrive safely, so don't make a full-throttle run for it. Look for the best possible combination of speed and smooth running. Unfortunately, you won't be able to simply set the throttle and leave it; you'll have to constantly work the gas to cope with the changing conditions.
If you're lucky, the storm will create more or less consistent wave action, putting you in a position to face head seas, quartering seas, beam seas, or following seas. In a nutshell, if you're dealing with head seas, where the waves are coming more or less right at you, moderate your speed enough to make progress, but don't go so fast that you bury the bow when you crest the wave and ride down the back. If the head seas are very strong, you'll want to tack so that you take the waves at closer to a 45-degree angle, turning the head seas into quartering seas. Following seas are dealt with in a similar fashion; adjust your speed to avoid flying over the crest or having the waves break over your transom. And, as with head seas, if following seas are too strong, you may need to tack so that you take the waves at nearer to a 45-degree angle. Beam seas should be avoided, if at all possible, by tacking.
Finally, if the storm is moving very rapidly, you may have to simply stay put and ride it out. In that situation, use the engine to aim the bow, as best you can, directly into the oncoming wind and waves. Use only enough power to give you control of the boat - "bare steerage" - and don't worry about making any headway. Your goal in this situation, known as "heaving to," is to hold your position as well as you can until the storm blows over and you can make your way to safety.
In any event, the keys to getting through a sudden storm are preparation, calm action, and a willingness to change plans in order to adapt to changing conditions. Remember those keys and you'll come through most weather with flying colors and some great stories for your buddies at the docks.
The
first step is to bring everyone on board together to assess the situation and show your leadership.
Pass out PFDs and foul-weather gear, and have everyone put the gear on - children first, then
adults. Explain, very calmly and clearly, what's going to take place and what each person's
responsibilities will be. Make sure everyone knows to stay as low in the boat as possible, and not
to move around any more than is absolutely necessary. If possible, have everyone go belowdecks. If
you're on a runabout or a pontoon, have everyone stay seated in the main cockpit.
Next, determine the storm's position and direction of movement as best you can. Monitor channel 16 on your VHF radio for updates and information. While you're doing this, have your passengers secure the boat. Close all windows and ports. If you have a camping-style full canvas enclosure, and there's sufficient time, deploy it. Don't, however, deploy a Bimini top - it'll just turn into a giant parachute and cause more problems than it solves. Stow everything that's non-essential for getting through the storm, which is just about everything. If something can't be stowed, like an oversized ice chest, tie it down securely. Anything that's not stowed away or tied down will likely be blown overboard by the storm and lost forever, so be obsessive about your gear. Then, turn on the bilge pump and leave it running. This will add stability by reducing the sloshing effect of water in the bilge.
Prepare any and all emergency equipment you have on board. Put hand pumps, whistles, flashlights, flares, signal flags, first-aid kits and any other emergency gear where you can access it quickly and easily. Make your preparations quickly but deliberately. Even if the storm is bearing down on you, don't rush or panic. Rushing and panicking are all but guaranteed to lead to mistakes. Acting calmly and surely will also help keep your passengers focused, trusting, and calm.
With your preparations complete, turn your attention back to the storm itself. Fix its position, as well as its direction and speed of travel. Although it's tempting to try, do NOT attempt to outrun a storm. Squalls can move with amazing speed, and it's easy to underestimate how quickly a storm may be bearing down on you.
Seek sheltered water. If there's a marina nearby, make for it. If there's a sheltered cove that may block some wind, make for it. If, however, it's clear that the storm will reach you before you reach sheltered water, don't put yourself at risk by making a run for it.
If you're going to be forced to ride the storm out, make sure you're in the deepest, least-crowded waters possible. When the storm starts whipping up the chop, you don't want to be in shallow water where your boat could possibly hit bottom and suffer damage. Deep water may seem rougher, but it's actually safer because there's less likelihood of grounding and – usually - less debris floating around.
By the same token, when you're on a boat and there's a storm blowing up, there's no safety in numbers. Wind and waves will make it difficult, if not impossible, to effect total control of your boat, and if you're around a lot of other boats, the risk of collisions increases exponentially. So make for deep, isolated waters.
Whether you're heading for a nearby marina, a sheltered cove, or deep, isolated water, your goal is to arrive safely, so don't make a full-throttle run for it. Look for the best possible combination of speed and smooth running. Unfortunately, you won't be able to simply set the throttle and leave it; you'll have to constantly work the gas to cope with the changing conditions.
If you're lucky, the storm will create more or less consistent wave action, putting you in a position to face head seas, quartering seas, beam seas, or following seas. In a nutshell, if you're dealing with head seas, where the waves are coming more or less right at you, moderate your speed enough to make progress, but don't go so fast that you bury the bow when you crest the wave and ride down the back. If the head seas are very strong, you'll want to tack so that you take the waves at closer to a 45-degree angle, turning the head seas into quartering seas. Following seas are dealt with in a similar fashion; adjust your speed to avoid flying over the crest or having the waves break over your transom. And, as with head seas, if following seas are too strong, you may need to tack so that you take the waves at nearer to a 45-degree angle. Beam seas should be avoided, if at all possible, by tacking.
Finally, if the storm is moving very rapidly, you may have to simply stay put and ride it out. In that situation, use the engine to aim the bow, as best you can, directly into the oncoming wind and waves. Use only enough power to give you control of the boat - "bare steerage" - and don't worry about making any headway. Your goal in this situation, known as "heaving to," is to hold your position as well as you can until the storm blows over and you can make your way to safety.
In any event, the keys to getting through a sudden storm are preparation, calm action, and a willingness to change plans in order to adapt to changing conditions. Remember those keys and you'll come through most weather with flying colors and some great stories for your buddies at the docks.
related articles:
Riders of the Storm: A sudden storm can put your skipper skills to the test - here's how to make sure you pass.
