1. Deploy a parachute. A parachute stops your boat reducing your kinetic energy to zero. It decouples the storm´s energy from your yacht. It holds the bows into the wind and seas making it harder for the storm to take control of your yacht.
Parachutes work exceptionally well with catamarans. The wide beam of a cat allows the use of a bridle that keeps the bows of the cat pointing directly into the seas. Furthermore, there is no rolling of the catamaran when lying to a parachute sea anchor. We have used a parachute sea anchor only one time, and it was pure magic. It turned a bad situation into a "no worries mates" situation.
2. Deploy a drogue. Drogues slow your boat down and may even protect against wave strike in breaking seas if you use a powerful drogue. The Jordan Series drogue is extremely powerful, and if your stern and cockpit can handle breaking seas. the Series Drogue can maintain your kinetic energy at safe levels even with a major wave strike.
Drogues work well on catamarans for several reasons. The twin hulls of the catamaran impart exceptional directional stability to the yacht, and the cat will run downwind like it´s on railroad tracks. Furthermore, the following seas are able to slide under the elevated bridge deck rather than climb on board. Seas that might climb up the stern and fill the cockpit of a monohull will pass harmlessly under the bridge deck of a cat.
Storm management is about energy management. If you control the energy of your yacht, and if you decouple the energy of the storm from your yacht, the odds of survival are in your favor.
All you can do is all you can do, but all you can do is enough
Don´t wait until you´re in a storm to figure out how you´ll deal with it. Make your preparations ahead of time and have a plan. Storm survival isn´t rocket science; it´s mostly common sense. If you have a seaworthy vessel, a parachute, a powerful drogue, and don´t panic, the odds are in your favor, and you´ll the survive the savage seas. So drop your dock lines and pull up your anchor. It´s time to sail on the ocean of your dreams.
Reprinted with permission of - David Abbott, http://Maxingout.com
Part 5: Sea anchor chainplates
Storm Management for Cruisers Part 5
Storm Management for Cruisers Part 6
Storm Management for Cruisers Part 7
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