Did you know that most squalls, gales, or storms at sea take sailors completely by surprise. Learn to sail with skill and confidence in heavy weather with these seven "storm preparation" secrets from the pros
In his book "Maximum Sail Power", master sailmaker and experienced ocean racer Brian Hancock says "My experience is that storms take people by surprise, and that is when they do their most damage." So how can us mortal sailors better prepare for Nature's wrath. Assume the worst will happen to you and your sailing crew sooner or later. Make these seven preparations now to make things much easier when tough conditions cross your path
1. Prepare Your Sailing Gear
When was the last time you dropped your roller furling Genoa and checked it for chafe and wear. Luff tapes take a beating, as do the sacrificial leech cover. Have your sailmaker make repairs to these two critical areas before you head offshore.
Check every inch of the furling drum line for wear. Replace all of the line if you find a single spot where chafe has taken over.
Inspect stays and shrouds, including terminal ends, turnbuckles, turnbuckle sleeves, cotter pins, and deck chain-plates. Before you cast off, order a die penetrate test on turnbuckles and end-swages. Replace any fittings found with hairline cracks.
Replace worn sheets. Carry plenty of canvas, old split fire hose, and marline for chafing gear to protect line from chafe. Check running rigging like boom vangs, mainsheet, traveler control lines, and reefing lines for worn spots. Replace any lines you suspect may fail in heavy weather sailing.
2. Carry and Hoist Storm Sails
Lots of folks carry a storm jib (also called a "spitfire"), but have never attached it to a stay. Sloops with a single stay covered by furling extrusion gear and a rolled up Genoa need to make special provisions in order to attach and hoist a storm jib.
If you own a sailing sloop and are going offshore, rig a second collapsible inner stay. This gives you a place to bend on the storm jib and keeps the foredeck crew off the end of the bow. Cutter-rigged sailboats should use the inner forestay for storm jibs.
Vessels that carry storm trysails (a small, triangular, loose footed sail that replaces a deep reefed mainsail) should use a separate external track. Have your crew raise the trysail and lead the sheets through the blocks aft so that they all understand the unique set of these sails.
3. Conduct a Reefing Drill
Jiffy reefing can be done in a jiffy in ideal conditions. It's another deal altogether on a heaving, pitching deck, trying to wrangle a 470 square foot mainsail down a 63 foot mast, find the second luff reef cringle, and set the reef.
Make reefing the mainsail one of the first drills you do with any crew--novice or old salt. All boats are different and a reefing drill will clear up any confusion. Lower the sail to the first luff reef cringle. Use a pencil and mark a big "1" in a circle on both sides of the cringle. Do the same at the leech reef cringle.
Mark the mainsail halyard where it touches the cleat. This will tell you how far to lower the halyard. On a black night with spray blowing, this will make your crew's job much easier.
Lower the sail to the second reef and mark a big "2" in a circle on both sides on luff and leech cringles. Mark the halyard. Repeat the process with the third reef.
4. Practice at Night
Make your first storm practice run right after sunset the first night out. Break out the storm sails, run the sheets, and hoist the storm sails. Work the kinks out now so that you are ready for the heavy stuff when it arrives.
5. Test Personal Sailing Safety Gear
Test harnesses and pay particular attention to tethers. On our last offshore delivery, we found two worn out end-clips that stayed in the open position. They would not have held crew to the jackline, which could have resulted in an overboard emergency or injury.
Check flashlights, decklights, and jackline integrity. Tape lifeline pelican hooks shut. Require all crew to wear inflatable vests with harness after dark and tethers in foul weather or when going forward in foul weather or at night.
6. Learn How Your Boat "Heaves-to"
Many racing or cruising sailboats have been damaged or lost when running before the wind in storm conditions. Boats that are properly hove-to have ridden out storms for centuries in relative comfort. Instead of running ahead of an oncoming storm, heaving-to keeps you in an almost stationary position, and the storm will pass you by faster.
Learn how your vessel heaves-to. Many modern rigs need just a reefed main and lashed tiller or wheel. Others may require a small storm jib, backed to the wind. Practice now in different wind strengths. Keep a log of what you find so that you can duplicate the same sail settings when a real blow comes.
7. Reef Before Sundown
Exercise prudence and reef the mainsail to the first reef just before the sun kisses the horizon. Squalls often come up at night and with a reef already set, you are one step ahead in your steps to prepare your small sailboat for heavy weather.
Follow these seven steps to learn to sail in heavy weather with more skill and confidence. You and your sailing crew will be well prepared for the tough stuff--wherever in the world you choose to go sailing!
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