Weather Conditions
- Thread starter Jfrano
- Start date
BB marine
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2016
- Messages
- 2,924
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-26
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- Grady White 208
- Vessel Name
- PORT-A-GEE
Thats a broad question. Wind is never fun for launching or docking. Sometimes you don't have a choice so plan ahead. If it's windy and the ramp is in an open area you deal with wind and waves not a good scenario. When I plan to launch the boat I pick a ramp that is protected and has a dock along side the ramp. If it is windy and have the option I will pick the up wind side to launch so the boat lays on the dock when launched (fenders out). I normally launch and load the boat by myself. If launching or docking in a heavy wind always make your decisions for your approach ahead of time based on wind directions. Know the wind direction and plan ahead for the reaction it is going to have with the boat. This doesn't guarantee easy sailing but gives you a fighting chance. The best answer to you question that I can give you is, use your gut feeling. If you feel its doable in the wind conditions your up against go for it. If you question it and are uncomfortable wait for another day.
BB marine
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2016
- Messages
- 2,924
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-26
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- Grady White 208
- Vessel Name
- PORT-A-GEE
I wasn't sure so used the phase (launching or docking) It apples to both. If your new to handling the boat and it is windy but a beautiful day ask the Marina what channel they monitor and if you can get assistance from dock hands. A call to the marina (marine radio) asking for assistance is a common practice. Know the wind direction, plan ahead, and most importantly if you get in a situation don't panic with the throttle. A bump on a piling, dock, or even another boat does little to no damage. If you are panicking with the throttle and bump with power " Damage". Good Luck and enjoy your new boat.
JamesTXSD
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2008
- Messages
- 892
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-24 C
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- C-Dory 25 (sold)
- Vessel Name
- Wild Blue
Jfrano":sz3evzmm said:
The answer to the "conditions to launch under" is the same as "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" Practice, practice, practice. The best way to learn is by going out in incrementally increasing winds. Once out of your slip and into open water, toss out a fender or a flotation cushion and practice coming along side it... with upwind, downwind, and crosswind approaches. As you get more familiar with your boat and how it handles, your confidence and skills will build. If you are in a marina that has plenty of open slips, put out fenders on both sides of the boat and practice going in and out of the different slips. Neutral is your friend - as you approach the slip, learn how far the boat will glide in neutral. Practice going into neutral, spinning the steering wheel, and seeing the effect that forward or reverse gives you. Even though you have thrusters, learn back and fill to line up with your slip. Practice getting a line on quickly.
It isn't "like driving a car" - it is a new skill to be learned. As as your skill levels increase, so will your wind tolerances. You will learn how much throttle is necessary to deal with the wind, based on direction, current, and water conditions.
We live in a windy area (considered one of the Top 10 areas for wind surfing); if we didn't go out when the wind is blowing, we wouldn't get out very often. The approach to our dock is down a canal (with boats on both sides), do a 180, then come alongside our dock. It has been a different technique with each boat we've owned. Driving commercial boats, I always get plenty of practice time in before going out with passengers. (You get judged on your boat handling skills in that last two minutes of each trip.) 😉
Enjoy the practice time.
mjq1987
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2017
- Messages
- 57
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-30 CB
- Vessel Name
- Sea Quinns
- MMSI Number
- 338327333
While there are too many variables to nail down specific conditions, proficiency comes with practice and familiarity. We keep our boat on a lift in an inlet where current is usually not an issue and our go/no go decision is based on bay conditions rather than wind conditions at our slip. Wind ahead or astern is no big deal and wind at 10kts or less isn't either. In my experience, winds over 10kts and more than 30 degrees off the bow or stern make backing in to the slip challenging. If you are going bow in, the approach is easier to control in higher winds with broader angles.
The bow and stern thrusters are great, but they don't have the force to overcome, or even compensate for, a significant cross wind (or current). Also, the pivot point of the R-29CB is right around the aft edge of the dinette table (aft of the pivot point shown in the factory line drawings due to loaded vs. unloaded considerations), so almost 2/3 of the boat's length is forward of the pivot point along with the majority of the boat's sail area. Along with the prop walk and prop wash dynamics when maneuvering at slow speeds, the boat's characteristics make backing in a cross wind very challenging, but the same wind in a head-in mooring approach is easier to compensate for. I have found getting out of the slip is easy, even in a significant cross wind, if you push yourself out with the boat hook rather than trying to motor out...way more controlled, especially with the ability to use the thruster remote when I'm in the cockpit.
So, like Brian said, no real answer, but I have found that experimenting in different conditions is best for developing proficiency, confidence and personal go/no go condition assessments. After a lot of practice with different slip/mooring conditions, the limiting factor for us is what the bay conditions are rather than our local inlet conditions. Our open water go/no go conditions depend on wind strength, direction and fetch. In general, on the Chesapeake Bay, we get 1 foot wind waves for every 5-7kts of wind when it has a reach of several miles. So 15kts and 2-foot wind waves doesn't sound bad, but add that to the normal swell conditions and take the short wave periods on the bay into account and it can result in suboptimal comfort conditions quickly. I'm sure others have different opinions, but here are my thumb rules:
1. No Small Craft Advisories (by plan...we have been out in "pop up" Small Craft Advisories which resulted in establishing this thumb rule...)
2. Good conditions if wave period divided by wave height is greater than 2
Good luck!
The bow and stern thrusters are great, but they don't have the force to overcome, or even compensate for, a significant cross wind (or current). Also, the pivot point of the R-29CB is right around the aft edge of the dinette table (aft of the pivot point shown in the factory line drawings due to loaded vs. unloaded considerations), so almost 2/3 of the boat's length is forward of the pivot point along with the majority of the boat's sail area. Along with the prop walk and prop wash dynamics when maneuvering at slow speeds, the boat's characteristics make backing in a cross wind very challenging, but the same wind in a head-in mooring approach is easier to compensate for. I have found getting out of the slip is easy, even in a significant cross wind, if you push yourself out with the boat hook rather than trying to motor out...way more controlled, especially with the ability to use the thruster remote when I'm in the cockpit.
So, like Brian said, no real answer, but I have found that experimenting in different conditions is best for developing proficiency, confidence and personal go/no go condition assessments. After a lot of practice with different slip/mooring conditions, the limiting factor for us is what the bay conditions are rather than our local inlet conditions. Our open water go/no go conditions depend on wind strength, direction and fetch. In general, on the Chesapeake Bay, we get 1 foot wind waves for every 5-7kts of wind when it has a reach of several miles. So 15kts and 2-foot wind waves doesn't sound bad, but add that to the normal swell conditions and take the short wave periods on the bay into account and it can result in suboptimal comfort conditions quickly. I'm sure others have different opinions, but here are my thumb rules:
1. No Small Craft Advisories (by plan...we have been out in "pop up" Small Craft Advisories which resulted in establishing this thumb rule...)
2. Good conditions if wave period divided by wave height is greater than 2
Good luck!
Cutwater28GG
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2016
- Messages
- 1,998
- Location
- seattle
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-28
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- Cutwater 28
- Vessel Name
- Living The Dream
the other factor beyond the excellent advice above, is tide level. in my marina if its lower tide there is more wind protection from the land and breakwater making cross winds in the marina less of an issue.
not sure in other areas, but the noaa marine forecasts portray a large range. this week we have small craft advisory. it was windy - 20 knot gusts and sustained 15 for 30 minutes and died back to flat calm. often it will be listed at 5-15knots or 15-25knots but winds can fall outside these ranges regularuly. so look at the conditions and not just rely on the forecasts. the wind alert app can be useful but often it misses the downdrafts near marinas from land because its measuring at a buoy or headland nearby.
not sure in other areas, but the noaa marine forecasts portray a large range. this week we have small craft advisory. it was windy - 20 knot gusts and sustained 15 for 30 minutes and died back to flat calm. often it will be listed at 5-15knots or 15-25knots but winds can fall outside these ranges regularuly. so look at the conditions and not just rely on the forecasts. the wind alert app can be useful but often it misses the downdrafts near marinas from land because its measuring at a buoy or headland nearby.
NautiTug
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2016
- Messages
- 190
- Fluid Motion Model
- R-21 EC
- Vessel Name
- No Reservations
I am in NJ as well and have a new to me C28 this season. And yes the past few months have been windy!! (today being another one of those days). I thankfully am on a mooring so makes coming and going a little easier in the heavy wind but still not fun!
SgtAlf
Well-known member
Joe,
It seem the wind has picked up on Barnegat Bay over the past few years. I've come to deal with it. If it isn't raining I go out. I've gotten pretty good at backing into my slip with a cross wind. In the 29 you should have a bow and stern thruster, which should make docking easier than my 23 with just the bow thruster. I'm eyeing the weather right now, and deciding if I'm going out today.
I bought pads for the pilings and had the marina install them on the front two pilings, saves the hull, just in case. I ran a 1/2" line from the bow piling to the stern piling on the south side of my slip. This gives the crew something to hook with the boat pole when a dock line is still out of reach. The prevailing wind is out of the south. If there's only 2 of us on board 1 is at the stern, with 3 it's easy, 1 stern, 1 on the bow. They grab the windward lines first while I maneuver with the motor and thruster.
When the wind is blowing around 20 knots I have to be more aggressive = a little more speed to counter the wind. It takes some practice, but very doable.
I'm moored in Bayville, a little north and across from Tices Shoals.
It seem the wind has picked up on Barnegat Bay over the past few years. I've come to deal with it. If it isn't raining I go out. I've gotten pretty good at backing into my slip with a cross wind. In the 29 you should have a bow and stern thruster, which should make docking easier than my 23 with just the bow thruster. I'm eyeing the weather right now, and deciding if I'm going out today.
I bought pads for the pilings and had the marina install them on the front two pilings, saves the hull, just in case. I ran a 1/2" line from the bow piling to the stern piling on the south side of my slip. This gives the crew something to hook with the boat pole when a dock line is still out of reach. The prevailing wind is out of the south. If there's only 2 of us on board 1 is at the stern, with 3 it's easy, 1 stern, 1 on the bow. They grab the windward lines first while I maneuver with the motor and thruster.
When the wind is blowing around 20 knots I have to be more aggressive = a little more speed to counter the wind. It takes some practice, but very doable.
I'm moored in Bayville, a little north and across from Tices Shoals.