Caught in a Storm on the Bay

[@kareemmagill709]

Aside from the storm cell and whitecaps, there was absolutely no indication that was coming!

[@donna-do-ya-wanna]

The sky said it all. You could see the storm rolling in from a distance . What troubles me is nobody looks to be wearing life jackets.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@susannewilliams]

Yes they are wearing lifejackets. Look at 04:54. You can see it very clearly.

[@susannewilliams]

It’s just a thunderstorm, they were not knocked down, the capt got the engine going at the right time, all good.

[@tnick340]

@@susannewilliams Thanks for watching and commenting. And thanks for the positive input, it is running 9 to 1 positive over negative, but the negative inaccurate comments get all the attention. There is a lot I will do different if in this sort of situation again.

[@aboversite]

Like the man said: " The best time to reduce sail is when you first think of it."

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. That is so true, if someone on board mentions reefing, then it’s time to reef. I’m guilty too many times of ignoring that “rule” if the next leg is down wind or some other excuse. Safety of the crew on your boat and other boats is more important than anything else while sailing.

[@Coyotehello]

How could someone miss the huge darks cloud moving from windward and take no action, no reefing, no furling, no life jackets, no teetering lines is just beyond comprehension.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@SOLDOZER]

Has to be dumbest crew Ive ever seen.

[@dutchflats]

Your sailmaker must love you!

[@tnick340]

Thanks for commenting. I was one of the only boats in the regatta to get our sails down during the storm. I’m still using these same sails and sheets and we’re doing very well in most of the regattas entered.

[@dutchflats]

@@tnick340 Very good. Looked pretty "frisky" out there!

[@dhouse-d5l]

Black sky bearing down its sails down asap then head up and hope for the best. Glad it all worked out ok.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, it worked out okay this time. Learned a lot though, need life jackets on sooner and sails furled sooner. Thought we could sail around the storm but they are unpredictable.

[@barrybrewer3629]

I was looking forward to seeing this week's video! I was on Renaissance.. That was about 5 minutes of all the excitement I wanted, and MORE! LOL

[@tnick340]

It was quite the experience!

[@bluerise]

Good experience I never felt so alive and focused like I did during this squall . It was fun most definitely!

[@RookieSailor]

I was trying to see if you caught my boat in your video, but couldn't tell which dock that was. I'm on F dock (the orange stack-pack)!

[@tnick340]

I’ll try to get it in the next video.

[@RookieSailor]

@@tnick340 LOL. Thanks!

[@bluerise]

I was in this race too and experienced the squall aboard the Renaissance .

[@tnick340]

Alright Dallisson, baptism under fire!

[@RHP9898]

The skipper is responsible for the lives of his crew. I think you could have done that differently.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, experience is one of the best teachers and we were lucky this time.

[@CO84trucker]

Brings back memories of my avid sailor father braving nasty weather on Lake Erie back in the 90s! The worst I've ever encountered was 7 foot swells on a 30 ft sloop not too far from Sandusky, OH.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. I was glad there weren’t swells. The water stayed amazingly flat!

[@TrenesMX]

Wow those cameras held up very very well, are they Gopro?

[@tnick340]

Thanks for commenting. No, they are Drift brand cameras. Supposed to be waterproof, their main feature is 6 to 8 hour battery life. HD version is $100 on sale on Amazon, 4K is $250.

[@TrenesMX]

@@tnick340 Your answer has made me watch some videos. Amazing HD quality in your video, would the 4k+ model be recommended over HD?

[@tnick340]

@@TrenesMX Thanks, I’m glad you like the videos. I only use HD. I can have 10 cameras running on three boats in a 4 hour race. Too much data to use 4K cameras.

[@TrenesMX]

@@tnick340 You are right, 4k for multiple cameras is not a good idea. I thank you very much for your time, I think I will choose the white HD, I imagine it is the same as the black HD version.

[@tnick340]

@@TrenesMX yes, the same. For some reason white is cheaper on Amazon right now.

[@BenoitLamarche]

Sporty! Glad you made it back safely!

[@RobertdeVries-trimaran-sailing]

“Experience is the thing you get, júst after the moments you needed it most” :-) @ minute 2 is where I would have dropped main and 80% rolled jib. When still possible . And motor.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, should have furled sails sooner and will next time.

[@MichelleGianni]

wow, that is some wind there. How fast was the wind blowing?

[@tnick340]

Hello Michelle, hope you are enjoying your new Hunter 340. My wind speed indicator failed when the storm hit. A boat half a mile west of us saw +50 knots. I think we were in a stronger part of the storm.

[@MichelleGianni]

@@tnick340 wow, 50+ knots is a lot! I love the boat and getting used to sailing it.

[@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck]

how strong were these winds?

[@tnick340]

My wind transducer at the masthead stopped working. But, another boat not far from us said he saw 60 knots on his wind meter.

[@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck]

@@tnick340 wow. it looked like you stayed bow to the wind. Is that because you were able to start your motor?

[@tnick340]

@@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck Yes, the ship channel was too close and downwind of us and I didn't want to get blown in front of a tanker. So I started the engine.

[@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck]

I thought the 40 gusting 44 that saw this year was bad.

[@sailingcruiser25]

Experience is the best teacher. Glad everyones including the boat was ok.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, experienced is the best teacher and sometimes a slap in the face is in the lesson plan.

[@wallabybob3020]

That looks like a fun day out.😳

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@bartdude]

had to watch it 2x...fun times!! What was the wind speed?

[@tnick340]

Glad you enjoyed it. Another boat in the race about a half mile west of us saw +50 knots on their windmeter. Mine broke when the storm hit, so only my opinion and I'm going to say over 60 knots and that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Ask me tomorrow and I'll probably say it was hurricane strength winds.

[@bluerise]

I was crewing in the Renaissance and the wind speed went upwards to 50knts. This is my first squall so I learned a lot from this experience since I have only been sailing for under 3 months .

[@scomo532]

The footage of the storm approaching showed it to be very threatening. Huge anvil with wicked black rain clouds at the base. I would have furled the jib right away and laid in all the reefs in the main. Notify the race committe, start the engine and send everyone below. It looked to be 40 kts sustained with higher gusts. You could’ve sailed through that with a deeply reefed main and the engine in neutral. Doesn’t look like it lasted more than 15-20 mins. It would’ve been good practice for offshore sailing.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Several boats sailed through the storm. You’re probably right with the 40 true, gusting higher. But, seemed so much higher when we were trying to furl the jib.

[@scomo532]

@@tnick340 i heah ya, that’s because you’re fighting the flogging. I’ll bet that if you had furled that suckah to storm jib size, you could have sailed through that squall with that job and a triple reefed main. Nothing like being on her beam ends and rounding up when a gust hits. Your sails need to look like sheet metal though, small and very flat. You did ok though, as we used to say after racing in 30 kts a wind on Bizzards Bay…..nobody died. I raced a bunch with the GBCA as well.

[@tnick340]

@@scomo532 I have run through every scenario possible in my head that we shoulda, coulda, woulda done that day. Just got back from a fun GBCA race today with a few gusts over 30 knots apparent and had no problems with one reef in the main. J/105 Stinger sailed with no reef and flew their spinnaker on the last DW leg.

[@scomo532]

@@tnick340 what boat do you have? She looks like a Beneteau 36 or so. Generally speaking, on cruising boats, a reefed main and a furling genny is the best combo in moderate to heavy air. The genny does most of the work and the main provides balance. You’re flexible, because you can easily fuel the jib if it’s blowing hahd on the weather leg, then unfurl it for reaching or running. It’s easier to shake out the reefed main in the downwind leg as well, but you need to be prepared to quickly reef and furl before reaching the downwind mark. You probably noticed that the 105 had just a blade jib with her full main. Js get most of their power from the mains’l. I sailed a 105 a couple of times on Galveston Bay, they like it theyah. Hang in theyah, you’re game.

[@tnick340]

@@scomo532 It’s a Hunter 340. Definitely not a racer, but it’s the boat I have for now and I’m hooked on racing. Only 110% jib, main is the engine on this boat, huge main. But, no backstay. Just the slightest stretch of the shrouds and the forestay sags so much, combined with the shoal draft wing keel, you’re not pointing in anything over 15 apparent. Great on a close reach, though. I have an outstanding regular crew of good people and new crew always want on board, we have a great time whenever we leave the dock.

[@nonames1957]

wow. i thought my little 30 knot breeze was exciting on my father's day sail.

[@tnick340]

Normally, 30 is above my limit for even leaving the dock!

[@fossilfool]

Same. I thought 35-40 gusts were scary. Something I don't get about this footage is why aren't the wind waves bigger? And why do the wind waves appear to be moving slowly?

[@tnick340]

@@fossilfool I thought there should be larger waves also, glad there weren’t.

[@gordondyer4587]

My god, it’s people like this that cause my insurance premiums to be so high.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@Sailor-Dave]

Too little, too late. I may be a wimp, but I'd have pulled those sails down pronto at about 1:30, started the engine, and made sure I wasn't close to that 30-ft aluminum lightning rod overhead. I'm glad y'all are OK, but it could have been worse than just flogged sails.

[@tnick340]

We can all be Monday morning quarterbacks, including me. Yes, it was too little, too late. Next time I will do things different, I learned a lot. I was taking a que from other boats ahead, as soon as I saw the J/105 lay over I started the engine. I thought I would have a minute or two after that. Nope, it all happened really fast. There will be a new PFD drill on the boat, too. Everyone will pick one if they didn't bring their own, try it on, adjust the straps so it fits, know how to to put it on, and stow it handy where they can find it.

[@Sailor-Dave]

@@tnick340 Experience is a rough teacher. It gives you the test first, and then it teaches you the lesson. Glad everyone is OK.

[@tnick340]

@@Sailor-Dave Thanks for the comments David. Sometimes experience is the best teacher and a slap in the face is part of the day’s lesson plan to get your attention.

[@tnick340]

Just saw an ad for "zoPoo" on this video! I better start seeing some residuals! And I mean cash or check, not samples.

[@desertmaverick7567]

Arrrr....That's right mates. Thar sea can be a fun ocean at one moment, or it can become ones most terrible fate! One must insure that all hatches are battened and ye marlin spikes ready and handy! Also make sure that yar course is well thought out as well or it be Davy Jones Locker for ye and yar crew! .\ /. Retired: United States Navy Chief, 22 years of sailing on six Western Pacific tours, served during three wars. May ye have fair winds and following seas! Now I spend my life sailing the mighty sand deserts in my Jeep Wrangler. Arrrrrrrrrrrr....

[@NZ_sharpie]

what a gong show that was!!! scary how this still happens on the water.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@kathyives7551]

It was a squall, life happens. Good job!

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, life happens. Several woulda, coulda, shoulda moments in this scenario, lots I would different next time. But no one hurt on any of the boats caught in the storm and we had no damage, just some accelerated wear and tear on the sails and rigging.

[@hecava9618]

Well, whether they knew they were headed into a storm or not it can happen just that quick on the water. But no life vest 🦺 being worn isn't playing it safe. ⛵

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. A lot going on in the video that needs too much explaining. A couple crew are wearing PFD’s. The others really need them on.

[@SOLDOZER]

Big storm cell headed our way. Should be reef? Naaaaaa....lets wait till it hits us first.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@franktartan6808]

fun fun fun

[@tnick340]

Actually, fun and scary, I knew it would be over soon. Kept hoping any way. Now, I watch the video, I’m almost terrified by it.

[@shawnl6959]

Wow. You managed to hold it together and everyone came home safe. Nice video. I for one found it a 'teaching moment'. Of what to do, and how to hold it together as a skipper. Hat's off to you.

[@tnick340]

Thanks, I do appreciate it. But the major mistake: Me and the blonde have them on, but no one else.

[@fakiirification]

douse the jib before it rips all the stiches out! LOL

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Jib made it through with very minor damage, just some accelerated wear. It’s difficult to furl the jib in high winds, there’s not enough furling line on the drum when the sail winds that tight around the foil. Some of the jib doesn’t furl.

[@Frederik-gv7lo]

I don’t think that’s the correct way to reef a sail 🙂

[@tnick340]

I thought we were doing something wrong, too. Ya know, at the time I was in the moment and loving every minute of it. Now, when I watch this, it scares me to think about all that could’ve all gone wrong. We were very lucky.

[@richardparker9284]

A squall, not a storm

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, it could’ve been called a squall. All the TV meteorologists called it a storm in the weather reports that night. I wish I would have recorded the radar images and included them in this video.

[@tonygert6785]

old and bold..

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, old and bold, the crew and the boat. One boat in the race and caught in the storm had an eighty year old skipper. They didn’t get their sails down, rode through with them up.

[@richardgiles2484]

This is what happens when you have more money than sence 😢

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. I’m sure you would have done everything different. There are dozens of things that you cannot see or do not know from a few minute video, except that it happened that fast. I would do a lot of things different in the same situation, but one thing I would do the same is not stay at the dock on a day with a great weather forecast like this one had.

[@toddlong8672]

No need to stow the sail

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@SuperfloDee]

Everything was flapping around there🫢😂👍🏻..wow that was brutal

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. No one was hurt, nothing was damaged. Other boats caught in the storm were damaged.

[@Jls104]

You guys should of known what was coming it was pretty obvious

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, but not as obvious as an edited video makes it look. Half a dozen other boats in the race did not get their sails down. Radar projections we were watching showed the storm moving away, even though it looked ominous. But they were wrong, it got larger and changed direction when it got over the water. We were lucky and hopefully learned from experience.

[@douglaswilkin4991]

Good God they sailed right into it. Very poor seamanship.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. One of the busiest ship channels in the world was just to port and behind, it would have been really poor seamanship to let the storm blow us in front of a container ship. Weather forecast was perfect when we left the dock.

[@tom12146]

Jesus i would never get on that boat again. Clueless

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Glad you weren't on that boat.

[@m.gertrudish.g.7630]

Congratulations. A perfect disaster

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Not a complete disaster, lessons were learned without anyone hurt and no damage to the boat, just accelerated wear and tear on the sails and rig.

[@chavijr9020]

😂😂😂🤦

[@howardrice7280]

Amateur hour

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@MondoRockable]

Y'all look like a bunch of amateurs. Front rolling in and mains still up, no effort to furl the jib, everyone's just standing around. Captain needs his head examined give his lack of direction & leadership.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Your comment shows you have no clue what was going on. Thanks again and please keep commenting.

[@ferdinandoiorio1695]

Dovevi andare a secco di vele prima.

[@tnick340]

Thanks for commenting, I do not speak Italian at all and Google translates it as “You had to go dry first”.

[@caravanstuff2827]

What a total 💩 show that was...a perfect example of what not do do when a storm is coming your way out at sea...I'm surprised they posted this!!!.🤣🤣🤣

[@tnick340]

Thanks for commenting. But, what was the "perfect example of what not to do"? Besides stay at the dock when there was a perfect forecast with no chance of thunderstorms.

[@francisdelobel2642]

nuls ! LES VOILES FASSEYENT , on navigue au moteur , NULS? NULS NULS !

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. We had to motor, the storm wind was blowing us toward the shipping lane, one of the busiest in the world. Houston ship channel in Galveston Bay.

[@sergealan8225]

nul

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Though I’m not quite sure what the comment means, thanks anyway.

[@bussi7859]

A storm starts at 33m/s. You just entered some gushy winds from a thunder cloud. Poor seamanship as you saw it coming from faaaaar away. Go back to school

[@tnick340]

Thanks for commenting.

[@bradleycruz2286]

Maybe don’t own a sail boat we’re in the 21st century

[@tnick340]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@bussi7859]

I Hope that you get into a storm at least once to find out the differency, this is absolut crap

[@tnick340]

Thanks for commenting. Please explain what “differency” means.