SAILING ROUGH TIDES: Things to Know
Whether starting your sailing journey or being a seasoned sailor, sailing in rough tides can be exhilarating and safe with the right vessel and crew. It's not if you will experience rough tides or high gusts, it's when. There are important things to consider during these experiences. During wintertime in the bay, rough tides are more common due to northerly winds, and we had an incredible experience on an Island Packet 27.
It was a blustery December day, with two-foot seas and 20 knot gusts. Our 20-foot Celebrity daysailer has a look that consistently draws compliments and is the perfect place for a sunset picnic when the bay is calm. These conditions, however, would overwhelm her. Miss Gracie Too, the 23-foot Sonar we had been taking lessons on. We were in luck, though, Captain Tom was at the harbor that day. He had recently made some changes to Music, his beautiful Island Packet 27, and needed to do a sea trial in moderately rough weather.
Unlike the daysailing and racing boats we would normally take into the bay, Music was built for long stretches of blue water. The well-appointed, spacious cabin provided a welcome place to rest from the howling wind. A rack-and-pinion tiller offered a smooth and easy way to point the boat exactly where we wanted it, chasing the wind as it tore whitecaps from the tumbling waters of the bay. Self-tailing winches placed strategically on the deck made unfurling the massive genoa sail at the front of the boat simple, easy, and a lot less work than we expected just from looking at the size of the sail and the strength of the wind.
Conditions like these call for careful planning and a watchful eye for details. The swinging booms, whipping lines, and billowing sails that are normal hazards in good weather take on a more sinister character when wind speeds climb. Our normal habits of keeping decks clear of piles of rope and other items go from good housekeeping to potentially life-saving activities. Having a skipper who knows every inch of their boat like the back of their hand means correct orders being given at the right time to keep the crew safe and the boat right-side up.
When the gales of life threaten to overwhelm us, it is oftentimes wise to reef our sails. Pull the mainsail down part or all the way and sail with only the foresail, which may need to be furled smaller itself. Less sail means less pushing from the wind, and an easier time navigating our path through the storm. Rushing makes things worse; we remember to slow down and get our bearings, doing things smoothly rather than just quickly. When slowing down isn’t enough, the best outcome often comes from bringing in all the sails and dropping the anchor to figure out the way forward.
Sometimes, the best thing to do is simply stay on land. If Captain Tom had not needed to try out some things on Music, we would have done that day’s lesson in the harbor. Discretion and practicality are what allow a sailor to grow old and wise with time. Balancing risk and reward is something we do every time we venture onto the water, or get out of bed in the morning, for that matter. Decades of experience and a seaworthy boat got us back home safely, but a navigation error caused a delay that planning and attention to detail would have avoided.
We are very grateful to Captain Joe and Captain Tom for shepherding us along this journey. Their years of experience and depth of knowledge inspired great confidence in our ability to get there and back again intact and dry. We are appreciative of every experience with a different boat, a new crew, and the ever-changing waters of the bay. Every time we go on the water, it is a unique experience to be pondered and treasured. Each wave and gust of wind is unique from every one before or after it. Each one arises new, travels its path, and leaves this world without protest.
Do you know someone whose experience gave you confidence to succeed in a difficult situation? Has there been a time when you had to change plans, but ended up having a better experience than you originally expected? Have you and your partner ever experienced rough seas that helped you grow together? Share your stories with us here! If you’d like to watch what this experience looked like for us, be sure to check out the video on our YouTube page.
