What to do when a storm hits on the open water?

You guys all have much bigger boats than I do. What advice for us little guys? (please dont' say get a bigger boat :grin: I'm in a 185. I haven't yet been caught in a big storm in 10 years. Usually we can see them coming, or we'll get an alert on the wx radio, and we make it back to the marina. But if we do get stuck? Stay put, look for cove, try to get back to marina?
 
when i had my 185, I can tell you I was turning high rmp's a couple of times to get away from summer storms. luckily, I never got caught. I usually tried to see how they were moving, and go around them. I got caught in a cold front if Feb that didn't rain, but almost swamped with high seas. just went slow, and gutted it out getting back in.

in florida, it's usually possible to outrun or go around, in a boat that's fast, summer storms.

now, i try to do that, but I'm slow, and they outrun me. i try to make sure the way is clear, visually before the storm hits, and on radar. then, i slow down, and keep going. it can get nasty, but it is survivable. usually, i'm caught offshore, and there aren't many folks around. i's probably panic if it was a congested waterway.

once, i was out with a friend and his girlfriend. we were running around storms all day, and we finally anchored to fish, about 20 miles out. as another big storm was coming, he and his girlfriend put on their dive suits, and jumped over the side, leaving me to ride out a summer storm at anchor in an 18 foot open fisherman.

i was pissed beyond relief - i couldn't crank up the boat and maneuver, because i would never find them again. i had no idea how to work electronics back then, and they would have disappeared to Davey Jones' locker had the boat moved even a half mile. I was scared witless, with lightning all around, and seas that kicked up big, besides being almost drowned by beating rain. I honestly thought that the anchor was dragging, and after the storm, I would be spending the next couple of hours looking for their bodies.

After it passed, they popped back up, and laughed it up. I just told them to take me home, and didn't say another word. When we got back to the dock, I grabbed my gear and headed to my car, without saying another word. Been 10 years, and I still haven't talked to that guy. in fact, my blood boils still even thinking about it.
 
mikestein said:
You guys all have much bigger boats than I do. What advice for us little guys? (please dont' say get a bigger boat :grin: I'm in a 185. I haven't yet been caught in a big storm in 10 years. Usually we can see them coming, or we'll get an alert on the wx radio, and we make it back to the marina. But if we do get stuck? Stay put, look for cove, try to get back to marina?
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Like ylwjacket said, first option in smaller boat: outrun it. Of course, to do so, you need to have a idea of where it is and where it's going... absent radar maybe NOAA radio can help but not always. Learn to pick up the signals of a storm before it hits and to determine it's path (or at least an idea of its path so you don't run to it).

Next option... look for a protected anchorage and hunker down... is there any wisdom to beaching a smaller boat? :smt017 I wonder...

Stay put only if a) you don't think you can run to safety, b) you trust your anchor(s), c) it's not too crowded where you are, and d) you're not likely to experience an adverse wind shift.

Just like in the animal world... it's fight or flight! In a smaller boat use you greatest advantage: speed!
 
mikestein said:
You guys all have much bigger boats than I do. What advice for us little guys? (please dont' say get a bigger boat :grin: I'm in a 185. I haven't yet been caught in a big storm in 10 years. Usually we can see them coming, or we'll get an alert on the wx radio, and we make it back to the marina. But if we do get stuck? Stay put, look for cove, try to get back to marina?
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I got caught in a thunderstorm in my 240 Sundeck with 12 people on board two years ago. No wind but the lightning and thunder was all around us and was fierce..............much worse than we experienced yesterday. Everyone was huddled under the bimini but because of the lightning strikes close by I felt we had to get out of there. We were able to outrun it after about five miles but I felt a lot more vulnerable than I felt yesterday. I guess that event in our 240SD is what caused me to try and motor back to the dock yesterday rather than wait it out.

But I think the answer to your question lies in the severity of the storm and what options are open to you. Being in a large body of water such as the ocean presents different challenges and risks than being on an inland lake as well. Common sense should dictate what choices you have. I would also say that all of us need certain items on our boats for the "just in case" scenario. What we need may be different depending on where we boat and the size of our boat but being prepared for the worse is very important.

I for one would like some of the more experienced boaters to tell us what they recommend we have on board (safety wise and other things as well) if we intend to safely ride out or survive these nasty storms.
 
ylwjacket said:
in florida, it's usually possible to outrun or go around, in a boat that's fast, summer storms.
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When I took my 240DA to Miami area I had to face this situation. I don't have a radar, but we watched the forcased and I had my VHF on all the time. Then, when we saw it comming from a distance I used some reference points to estimate the storm's speed and see how much time we have on our hands. I miscalculated by about 15 min, which I needed to covered the boat when it was already back on the trailer. This is where 40+mph really help.

Great post guys, I'm glad to be around such experianced boaters who I can learn from.

Thx,
Alex.
 
Good Decisions in Bad Weather

Dave,

I've been in this fix ... frequentlty. As Frank has noted living and boating in Florida and for me SoFla storms are a fact of life in boating here. I am exposed to spring and summer storms that frequently result in "whiteout" conditions sometimes lasting for an hour or more.

Being anchored in close quarters with a storm emminent is the first decision I'd change. When I mentally ask the question "Am I in for it?" it is time for me to treat the situation in the affirmative.

I warm up the radar and get a fix on my distance off the storm and its direction. I dial up WX and keep updates comming. I asess my situation and proximity to shore vs. the danger of being driven off my anchorage. If my family or guests are getting anxious I calm them down and ask for their co operation while you look after getting prepared.

If I'm in the path of the storm I get out of the way if I can, and get to a stable dock, even if its not my home dock ( often will just lay up and dock along the ICW here and ask the resident or business If I can wait out the storm, I've never been refused.

If that option is not available I get ready for weather. First I button up, get any passengers settled below decks. Then get my hook up if I'm close to a threatning shore and move to a safe distance off shore, staying out of any high traffic lanes and get a deep hook down. If I'm underway I update my paper charts taking note of my position; the storm track and the location of any other vessels that are stationary.

I'f I'm going to weather on the hook I set up anchor guards for Radar, GPS and my Depth Sounder so I'll know quickly if I'm dragging.

If I'm not hooked and running in open water and the WX reports indicate high winds I set up to either run with the storm of if restained by shorlines to run 90 degrees to the storm track in reciprocating parallel tracks until I can make forward way. In most cases I run 10 minutes towards the favored end of the storm line and then ten minutes on a reverse heading attempting to hold my line against the storm track. If the surrouding water is crowded, with other pleasure craft and small boats that I'm likely to miss in sea/rain clutter, I shorten my track to 5 minutes.

Given many boats do not have Radar or if they do their skippers don't know how to use it I take the obligation for collision avoidance diligently. I make a final check before the front line of squals reach my position, Running/Anchor lights on, radar adjusted for best target acquisition. I'll take a moment and TAG all surrouding vessels with radar MARPA. And then get more than one set of eyes with binoculars on deck, a hand held GPS running as well.

Once I've got my plan made and the boat ready I set my guests/family to work on small tasks to keep them busy ... lookouts, making up some cold cut sandwiches or stowing away the "stuff" below decks. If the situation calls for it I'll get everyone back in their life vests. I want them to see a skipper in control and on top of things.

Sometimes you can't fight the weather you just have to go with it ...
 
So I'm guessing that me sitting naked on top of the arch during a storm isn't a good thing. :huh:
 
Dave S said:
I for one would like some of the more experienced boaters to tell us what they recommend we have on board (safety wise and other things as well) if we intend to safely ride out or survive these nasty storms.
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I am definitly not an experienced power boater, though I have spent over 20 years sailing a variety of boats up to 20m (yes, this was done in the North Sea off Germany's coast). What I am interested to hear from the EXPERIENCED power boaters on the list is if it makes sense to have a sea anchor on board. A friend of mine uses on on his 26' striper for drift-fishing out in open bodies of water. It sure seems to keep the bow of the boat pointed nicely into the wind. Would deployment of such a sea anchor make sense in a squall or storm, say when you loose engine power? :smt100
 
Thoughts on Bonding

I've only operated fully bonded vessels and wouldn't be on one that wasn't. I know there is a school of contrary opinion but for my life, I'll take the grounded lightning rod effect every time.

I do not switch off my breakers in lightning. Power boats are literally pools of electri appratus most of which is essential for safe operation. I just trust the bonding system to protect my boat and my butt. We check those bondiing wires, straps and busses frequently for broken wires or corroded braids.

Keep the bonding system ship shape and leave the breakers on, thats my $0.02 worth and how I do it.

On Sail boats with Aluminium Masts, bonded of course, I'd shut off my navigation breakers until the storm passes.
 
TurtleTone said:
So I'm guessing that me sitting naked on top of the arch during a storm isn't a good thing. :huh:
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It's fun, so long as their's no lightning. Especially if you can get the wife to go along with you. :thumbsup:

gengiant said:
Would deployment of such a sea anchor make sense in a squall or storm, say when you loose engine power
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That is actually something I need to get. I had one for the previous boat, and left it aboard when I sold it. I have never had to deploy it, but it always seemed like a good idea. The only problem is, it seems that, for it to be large enough to useful, it is amzingly expensive.
 
Safety Gear to have on Board for Storms

All the safety gear MOB, Vests, Rafts etc.you got but especially:

1. Good Foul Weather Gear.
2. Good supply of flares
3. Two pair of 7X50 Binoculars
4. Hand Held GPS
5. Hand Bearing Compass
6. Hand Held VHF in Water tight bag
7. Second Anchor with rode made up ready to run.
8. Safety Harness
9. Air Horn
10 RADAR if possible
11. Set of paper charts for area with NAV tools & sharp pencils
12 Calm Head
 
This may seem like a stupid thing to say, but one of the things I found to be less than useless - or should i say "downright dangerous" in heavy rain are presciption glasses. :smt018 I wear them when I don't wear contact lenses. Having been caught wearing them on the boat in driving rain conditions just once taught me to wear contact lenses whenever there's even a slight chance of foul weather. It's amazing how little one can rely on others that under "normal" circumstances would seem totally reliable.
 
On a couple of the lakes I boat on, its sometimes impossible to see storms approaching because of tree covered hills or mountains next to the water. So, if its hot and humid, and it looks like there's the potential for storms, I will periodically check the weather radar using the internet service on my cell phone.

I use the http://www.wunderground.com website because they have a PDA/Mobile version of their site that nicely displays our local NEXRAD radar on my phone. Using this method, we can either run to a different area of the lake to avoid the storm or get back to the ramp to pull out if we won't be able to avoid it.
This method won't work for everyone since alot of phones don't support internet browsing, but it has worked great for us. Luckily, we have'nt had to ride out a storm yet.
 
The greatest threat by far on Lake Michigan is lightening. I'm not talking about the bright white zig zaggy stuff that you see from a few miles out. I mean the stuff that is bronze colored, 18-24 inches wide that makes a sound like a howitzer going off inside your boat the moment you see it strike the water by your boat. It's the stuff that makes your hair stand up and your VHF antenna hum with static. I've only been in this once and never want to see it again. We were 25 miles off Manistee, Michigan taking blue water over the bow that rolled up the windshield, over the bimini and crashed into the cockpit. Pretty impressive for a storm that affected all of Lake Michigan from Traverse City to Chicago and it was not forcasted. We sat on the floor of the salon until the lightening let up. After that we putzed into Manistee two hours later and ran the inlet with water breaking over the north and south walls. The CG turned the range lights on so we could see the inlet at 5:00PM. We passed a large Hatteras that was anchored just off the end of the pier. He was afraid he would broach coming in. Eventually he came in around 10PM. We were in a small boat (30 foot week ender) that handled the conditions pretty well as long as you kept it on the back of the breakers. We've been in bigger seas and never felt in danger. The lightening was another story altogether.
 
Sudden storms are a big problem in the summer here due to the monsoons. If we are up in the canyon, you have no idea ones coming until its on you. VHF doesn't work up in them. Winds can exceed 50mph with rain and lightning that will scare you. I avoid the open basin our get out it quick because it takes boats out every summer. With our lakes there are plenty of coves to pull into and drop multiple anchors to ride it out. They only last about an hour then its sunny again. Glad you made it ok. :thumbsup:
 
About Sea Anchors & Drogues

I carry a Gale Rider brand storm drouge sized for my boat and weight. It is made up to connect to my spare 3/4 nylon rode and I can deploy it in 7-8 minutes . I've practiced running it out and when its at the full two hundred feet of scope and there is no way my boat will go faster than 3-4 knots with this thing deployed.

http://www.hathaways.com/xcart/customer/home.php?cat=263

The idea is to pin your stern to the steep face of a following wave and prevent surfing to a pitch pole or broach. I've never had to deploy it but I have faith it would help the situation tremendously. I have to say getting that basket weaved buck of air back on board is a task that takes two in calm water!

I do not carry a conical sea anchor
 
l

I've been puzzled about what's the primary difference between waiting for the storm to pass at your dock or being anchored in what looks like a safe area (a cove or loguna)?

So far the answers I found:
1. Lightning - My boat becomes the highest point, therefore a good target. Is this true with trees and lets say a couple of houses on the shore few hundred yards from me?- At the marina this is not an issue due to surrounded houses.

2. Anchor dragging - when winds picks up I have a potential to start dragging and loose my position. I guess, this can be somewhat fixed by deploying a second anchor.- At the marina this is not an issue.

3. Waves - If I'm near shore in 3-4' of water and wind is blowing to the shore I may be facing the waves, which will create big discomfort for people on board. - At the marina this is not an issue.

Can you guys point out what am I missing while determining if a storm looks like a passing one and if we wait for 30min or so, we could be back on deck enjoing the rest of the day vs. running back to the marina and sitting by the dock?

thx,
Alex.
 
You can pick the weather you leave on

You can't pick the weather you get once you're away from the dock.

If you have brought guest aboard for nice day on the water and it looks like a storm is going to hit you within an hour ... delay the departure, let the storm pass and sit below and play strip poker.

If the storms are forecast for a half a day away ... go boating and enjoy the day and plan to beat the storm back to the dock. If you don't then see my earlier post in this thread to deal with a storm on the water.

The skipper is responsible for the boat and the crew ... never leave the dock in conditions you are personally not prepared to handle nor if you have inadequate crew to meet the challenge.
 
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