Rib in Rough Water

[Cookee]

A little story to indicate how tough the racing is sometimes - It was a two part race for the Needles Trophy, probably one of the most prestigious trophies around. We had raced from Poole to The Hamble (the finish was in the Solent) on the Saturday, we were overnighting at the Royal Southern and had to return on Sunday morning, the weather forecast wasn't too bad but we were to hit wind over tide as we headed out past the Needles. The waves were so steep that it was impossible to stay on the plane with the boat going almost vertical on most waves and occasionally you would come over the top of a wave to find nothing but a huge hole! Despite my navigator yelling at me I changed course by around 45 degrees and instantly our speed went up and we could just about cope with the conditions, we changed course by 90 degrees every few minutes and got clear of the nasty stuff before everyone else and won the race by around twenty minutes (it felt like that but may have only been 5!) when we arrived at the Pier at Bournemouth.

It was scary at the time and we would have taken a very different route if we hadn't been racing but we had a mark to head for!

[Alan Priddy]

Originally Posted by Cookee

A little story to indicate how tough the racing is sometimes - It was a two part race for the Needles Trophy, probably one of the most prestigious trophies around. We had raced from Poole to The Hamble (the finish was in the Solent) on the Saturday, we were overnighting at the Royal Southern and had to return on Sunday morning, the weather forecast wasn't too bad but we were to hit wind over tide as we headed out past the Needles. The waves were so steep that it was impossible to stay on the plane with the boat going almost vertical on most waves and occasionally you would come over the top of a wave to find nothing but a huge hole! Despite my navigator yelling at me I changed course by around 45 degrees and instantly our speed went up and we could just about cope with the conditions, we changed course by 90 degrees every few minutes and got clear of the nasty stuff before everyone else and won the race by around twenty minutes (it felt like that but may have only been 5!) when we arrived at the Pier at Bournemouth.

It was scary at the time and we would have taken a very different route if we hadn't been racing but we had a mark to head for!

This is why I am building a Wave Piercing Boat. The "hardest" water I have ever hit is when I set off to go around the world in 2006. As we came through the Needles I saw a monster wave rolling in past Bridge. There was nothing I could do and it hit the boat half way up the mast and did a lot of cosmetic damage. in the following 25000 miles I never saw a wave as big as this one. If I was in a rib, I would have driven along it at a slight angle and consider religion once I got to the top! Alan P

[biffer]

Originally Posted by Alan Priddy

This is why I am building a Wave Piercing Boat. The "hardest" water I have ever hit is when I set off to go around the world in 2006. As we came through the Needles I saw a monster wave rolling in past Bridge. There was nothing I could do and it hit the boat half way up the mast and did a lot of cosmetic damage. in the following 25000 miles I never saw a wave as big as this one. If I was in a rib, I would have driven along it at a slight angle and consider religion once I got to the top! Alan P

Do you remember some of the stuff up the top of Scotland when we went round Britain in 1999, I remember our friend Hugo stuffing there boat and all the deck gear floated off, we were not going fast but we watched a wave stop his boat dead.

[tonymac]

The Atlantic can turn really nasty of the north west coast of Ireland. There are a few islands there which break the rollers and give you a false sense of calm. On one occasion I was out with my daughter (PB2 holder) doing a spot of fishing. She was driving north again towards harbour. We came out of narrows into the Atlantic to see that we had huge breaking waves between us and the harbour. We were in them before we really realised. Could not even change drivers so she hung on, relied on her training, powered up and down and zig zaged. Got us home in one piece much to my relief. Waves were the biggest I have ever seen. People on nearby shore kept losing sight of us in the waves.

On another beautiful, windless day I was out on Tory island. Heading home across Tory Sound I then realised that the millpond I was on was moving! The swell began. Nothing in my mind is ever so scary as the implied Atlantic swell. The sea kept calm thankfully but the huge roller swells kept reminding me of the power and the threat of the sea and what it could do to me if unleashed! Scary when you go into the trough of a swell and you can see nothing around you but water - yet the sea is as calm .... Made it across Tory Sound and down the west coast in one of my fastest times ever!!!

[Alan Priddy]

Originally Posted by biffer

Do you remember some of the stuff up the top of Scotland when we went round Britain in 1999, I remember our friend Hugo stuffing there boat and all the deck gear floated off, we were not going fast but we watched a wave stop his boat dead.

Hi Biff. I remember it well. 1999? So nearly 10 years before the powerboat "Boys" thought they went round (on trailers) and now they cannot even orgaise a trip to the South of France. Perhaps when you are fighting fit we can re-enact the trip. You know, bar to bar? ATB Alan

[GordyP]

Result of stuffing the Arctic into a wave whilst running with the weather, another expensive day's boating!

[The Grocer]

Originally Posted by GordyP

Result of stuffing the Arctic into a wave whilst running with the weather, another expensive day's boating!

Ouch! When - & where - did that happen?

[GordyP]

Heading down to Kip form Largs a few years ago just opposite Wemyss Bay. Came down the back of a wave into an unexpectedly deep hole, ripped the tubes back to just behind the console.

Henshaws made some nice new ones for me though.

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by tonymac

Scary when you go into the trough of a swell and you can see nothing around you but water

Yes we get some days like that after a prolonged North Westerly in the North Minch ... I remember as a boy putting up and down massive 40 odd footers in a wee 16 foot wooden dingy where the motor laboured as you climbed up the front, then revved up a little when you surfed down the back powering over them once the wind has dropped, at an angle in the RIB is excellent fun, as they tend to be quite regular, so you can vary your 'hang time' as you come off the back

[The Grocer]

Originally Posted by GordyP

Heading down to Kip form Largs a few years ago just opposite Wemyss Bay. Came down the back of a wave into an unexpectedly deep hole, ripped the tubes back to just behind the console.

Henshaws made some nice new ones for me though.

I can imagine why you'd be surprised up there! Seen your new tubes a few times on our travels; just had our Ribcraft re-tubed at Ferry Marine - but that was down to old age, not youthful exuberance... ;-)

[willk]

Originally Posted by tonymac

On another beautiful, windless day I was out on Tory island. Heading home across Tory Sound I then realised that the millpond I was on was moving! The swell began. Nothing in my mind is ever so scary as the implied Atlantic swell.

*sighs* Tory Sound - a joy to traverse...

...remind you of anything Tony? That's Callum's old Redbay, BTW. So there's a nice tie-in.

Tory Rocket Tory Island - YouTube

[jambo]

Yo Willk do you remember a certain saturday last year coming back from Colonsay and going thru the Corry Jesus I was vertical that day looking at nothing but blue sky for what seemed an eternity

[willk]

Originally Posted by jambo

Yo Willk do you remember a certain saturday last year coming back from Colonsay and going thru the Corry Jesus I was vertical that day looking at nothing but blue sky for what seemed an eternity

Ah yeah, sorry about that!

[biffer]

Originally Posted by Alan Priddy

Hi Biff. I remember it well. 1999? So nearly 10 years before the powerboat "Boys" thought they went round (on trailers) and now they cannot even orgaise a trip to the South of France. Perhaps when you are fighting fit we can re-enact the trip. You know, bar to bar? ATB Alan

I'll be up for more than that when I'm fitter, not going to waste my time working so hard, I now know I'm here for a good time not a long time

[jambo]

Originally Posted by willk

Ah yeah, sorry about that!

No I didn't mean it that way , just an example of rough water. Cheers
B

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[tonymac]

Originally Posted by willk

*sighs* Tory Sound - a joy to traverse...

...remind you of anything Tony? That's Callum's old Redbay, BTW. So there's a nice tie-in.

Every time I go out of Cushendall I have this stupid grin on my face remembering that day you and I spent out there on Charles' boat! There was us being quite respectful to the guy - treating his new toy so carefully, not wanting to damage anything, and all he did was shout in our ears "power on, power on ..."!!

So power on we did! What a day!

[captnjack]

Originally Posted by willk

*sighs* Tory Sound - a joy to traverse...

...remind you of anything Tony? That's Callum's old Redbay, BTW. So there's a nice tie-in.

Complaining about the seas, yet no life jackets tsk tsk.

[willk]

Originally Posted by captnjack

Complaining about the seas, yet no life jackets tsk tsk.

Were they complaining? I got the impression they were quite enjoying themselves

Wearing a life jacket is not a requirement in Ireland on a vessel of this size, it is for smaller craft. The benefit of a lifejacket inside a "cabin" in a capsize (the only immediate risk to this vessel in that sea) might be limited - at worst, it might trap the wearer.

Of course, being from Tory Island, they wouldn't wear a life jacket if you TOLD them you were going to throw them in. Not manly

[tonymac]

Originally Posted by willk

Were they complaining? I got the impression they were quite enjoying themselves

Wearing a life jacket is not a requirement in Ireland on a vessel of this size, it is for smaller craft. The benefit of a lifejacket inside a "cabin" in a capsize (the only immediate risk to this vessel in that sea) might be limited - at worst, it might trap the wearer.

Of course, being from Tory Island, they wouldn't wear a life jacket if you TOLD them you were going to throw them in. Not manly

Nor would they go in after you!

[Seabird]

This was an accident waiting to happen. The driver was positioning incorrectly and mis reading the waves. as he should have been falling back with some of these waves instead of trying to power into them