Survival sailing in a TH?

[Jeremy]

Hi all,

Do you have any experiences survival sailing in a top hat at sea?

I am thinking you may have had to heave to, run off under bare poles, deploy a sea anchors etc... or escape a lea shore under difficult circumstances.

What worked for you? did you have the sea anchor connected to the bow or stern & what were the conditions?

What have you found the limits of your boat (or you) wind and wave wise in a seaway?

Cheers,

Jeremy

[SeaLady]

Hi.

I am a fair weather sailor and avoid difficult and rough weather situations like the plague.

However, that geing said.

My shipwright has told me that my Top Hat will handle a lot more than I can.

My most hair raising situations.

1. 45 knot southerly with waves crashing over the bow all over the deck and getting completely soaking wet in the cockpit. - That was in Sydney Harbour crossing the heads. Forecast
was for a 25 knot southerly many, many hours later. Combination motoring and a hankerchief of headsail up for stability.

2. Big waves - difficult for me to estimate but that day the biggest waves measured at by the off shore wave buoy was 12.8 metres. I turned around and came back inside.


Many people have done circumnavigations in a Top Hat. And there are books and links on here.
Just go throught the threads

My 2 cents is to ensure your boat is properly prepared.
Good rigging everything up to date and proper safety equipment.

An aquaintance of mine had his mast come down in Sydney Harbour with 5 guests on board - not a Top Hat 3 weeks ago.

When I asked how old was the rigging - all I got as an answer was - old.

I repeat.. my shipwright says that Top Hats are a very very seaworthy boat.
And it can certainly handle more than I can.

[storm petrel]

A well set up Top Hat and a knowledgeable skipper would be as capable as any 25ft yacht of surviving serious storm conditions. All small boats, even quite heavy ones, have a faster motion than larger heavier yachts and this can make life aboard very uncomfortable. Smaller yachts are also more susceptible to being rolled by a rogue breaking waves in 'filthy' weather.

I think the best description of survival sailing in a Top Hat I have read was the 1978 Solo Trans-Tasman race in which the Top Hat, White Tie, skippered by Nick Creech pushed through cyclonic conditions and was the only boat to keep sail up throughout the entire race. Mind you, it survived over a dozen knockdowns. I think there is a link to his story on the site somewhere. One shortcoming of the Top Hat design is not having a bridge deck, but Nick got around this problem by fiberglassing in the lower 30cm of the companionway on White Tie(this is what allowed him be knocked down multiple times without taking too much water through the companionway).

The worst conditions I have had my boat in was 35 knot winds and a steep messy 3+m swell. The boat sailed strongly under a storm jib and could even hold a deeply reefed main as well(though a lot wetter and more heel), but it was uncomfortable sailing. I think a trisail and storm jib would be a better set up for these conditions. Others on the site probably have had more experience in bad conditions.

Best to use modern technology to try avoid being caught out in really bad conditions and using good sense about lee shores.

Cheers,
Mark
Storm Petrel

[bearmcnally]

Hello Hatters,

There is no reason why you should ever get yourself into that situation ?.

Bear

[Phillip]

I agree Bear,

The only way I get caught out in those conditions is if there has been a dramatic unreported change in the weather.

So how do I do it, Plan Plan Plan and Plan.

Then if it looks like S... I stay home and watch TV or if on Seaka, find shelter really quickly and read a book.

I have done that for 9 days before, only the lack of food and better conditions let me sail on!!

Anyway I hate rough weather!

Seaka is in Croudace Bay, Lake Macquarie.

[storm petrel]

The link to the White Tie Trans-Tasman logs is:

http://users.tpg.com.au/kateh1/tophat/f ... tasman.pdf

If it doesn't open you will need to right click and goto OR paste it into your browser.

I note that Nick also fitted a staysail and used it to good advantage in the race.

Cheers,
Mark

[Jeremy]

Thanks for the input.

The trans-tasman race is an amazing story. Thanks for posting the link Mark.

Couldn't imagine getting thrown about in a 25 footer for days on end... but as you have mentioned they are a solid little boat, interestingly enough they have more lead in the keel than a compass (easterly) 30.

[Shaun]

Im going to disagree in part with Bear & Phil....

Depends what type of sailing you are doing or intending to do.
Coastal hops or overnighters, then yes you'd have to be reckless not to look at the forecast as well as having a basic understanding of general weather before you cast off the lines.

But if your crossing oceans then you will face heavy weather sooner or later(unless you take the precaution of taking a bucket of sand with you & sticking your head in it when the wind & seas get up!)

I havent been in heavy weather, but I have been reading a fair bit lately & their are a lot of single-handers that propose 'lying ahull' as their preferred method, they claim good sea boats will all find their comfy positions naturally & roll with the punches so to speak. Obviously the yacht would have to be as watertight as possible. If you do get caught out, the books say its a lot safer to head offshore, than to try closing the land attempting a dangerous entry to port in dubious conditions.

I wouldnt deploy a sea anchor from the bow, I reckon she'll swing around (like at a mooring) putting too much strain on her bow roller etc, not to mention possible rudder damage if she lurches backwards.

BTW, does anyone know the Top Hats "Stability Range" should be a figure around 130 or similar?

cheers

[rob.lovelace]

agreed stay at home option isnt always on the table. So far I haven't had to sit anything out, and the worse it gets the further offshore I prefer to be. Heaving to is very comfortable in my boat and she sits well under tripple reefed main. laying ahull is a bit rolly poley. I am making a sea anchor to Captain John Voss's specifications at present and am going to try it out. Same a Shaun I've only read others opinions and am in the process of experimenting. I tell Mum if it gets too bad I will just drop all the sails and lay in my bunk crying until if goes away.

[storm petrel]

I found a solid Voss style sea anchor on 50m of heavy rode stored in one of the forward lockers when I go my Top Hat years ago. I have never had cause to deploy it but have kept it onboard just in case. Not sure what the history of my Top Hat was but from some of the other old gear I found on her she might have done some serious cruising in the past. Like Shaun I would worry about the rudder when deploying this type of sea anchor forward.