Whats "too windy" for me/my boat?

[JZod420]

I've been out as often as possible in my newly acquired Zodiac Pro 420/Suzi 25 the last few weeks but this weekend the forecast was F5 gusting F6 for Southampton, so I chickened out! I'm after a bit of advice as to what the experienced collective thought is on what constitutes the limit as far as wind strength would be for a 4.2 m RIB with a relativly inexperienced skipper (RYA L2 + Day skipper + a few hours). I appreciate wind/tide all affect the wave height, and the Solent has this horrible short wavelength, but I am keen to get out as much as possible without pushing my luck. What would you suggest for a ballpark figure for the max wind conditions I should consider going out in (until I can afford a Stingher 10m...)?

PS: Launch at Southampton Dry stack, cruise So'ton water & into the Solent if not too lumpy...

[Poly]

There is no simple answer to your question. As you already recognise that tide and other factors can make F5-6 reasonable in one place at one moment horrible in somewhere else/another time.

Personally however, I think you probably made a wise decision. Its better to be on shore wishing you were out there, than out there wishing you weren't.

I have a slightly smaller boat/engine than you and wouldn't go out alone in F5/6 for fun; and I certainly don't go out with the wife and kids in anything like that. I am more likely to be adventurous if there are other boats with me.

I think when it gets too choppy for you/the boat you just know.

[Channel Ribs]

I think Polwart has hit the nail on head here, it reads to me like you have made the best call and "chickened out".

For fun most people reckon a forecast 4 that might be a 5 is ok, but a forecast 5+ is asking for more excitement than you might want.

Having said that, you have some fairly sheltered water around - perhaps you could trailer to Chichester Harbour for a day out?

If you want to get your hours up you could volunteer to help clubs and charities out with safety boat cover?

[Pete7]

You do have one grreat advantage with a rib of that size, it is easy to trail and launch anywhere. So if its blowing up as it did Sat afternoon, then look at launching and cruising the Hamble. It will take several hours to go all the way up on a rising tide. Eling at the top end of Southampton is another option from the Itchen and reasonably protected, just avoid the cruise liners.

Malthouse mentioned Chichester, it is possible to do Fareham to Chichester under the bridges of Portsmouth and Hayling which is probably 20 miles.

Pete

[Peter J]

Hi JZod420 and welcome to the forum. You have come to the right place for advice.

I've got a 6.5m rib that I keep just down river from you. I think the only way to find your limit is to keep trying. I don't like anything over a F5 but we have a great advantage being in southampton water because when it is too lumpy in the solent you can always have a whizz up and down to calshot.

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Malthouse mentioned Chichester, it is possible to do Fareham to Chichester under the bridges of Portsmouth and Hayling which is probably 20 miles.

You could try, but you won't get round the top of Portsmouth if you've got an A-frame. It is manageable in a SIB though.

Other than that, Langstone harbour can be pretty bleak but there's plenty of scope for slow exploring in Chichester harbour (especially at springs when HW is around lunch time!).

John

[JZod420]

Thanks for all your replies! I guess the bottom line is to steadily up the conditions until I feel any more would be dangerous. I don't want to be a "fair weather boater", neither another statistic on the RNLI books! I'm also assuming the boat will cope with far worse conditions than me - on dubiuos days I'll tread carefully once out of the Itchen so I can nip back to safety/shelter if the waves get too big...
Look forward to seeing you all out there!
Cheers,
Jason.

[Red Fox]

Learnt my limit when I went up the face of wave in 4.2 Zodiac and came back down the same face in reverse and the back end went under. Fortunately the boat level off but the tidal wave that came past my legs was a sight that I dont want to see again. Bought a 4.7 with a bigger lump on the back and feel a lot safer now in higher waves. Take care in the lumpy stuff!

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Red Fox

Learnt my limit when I went up the face of wave in 4.2 Zodiac and came back down the same face in reverse and the back end went under.

Hehe Ive done that in a 5.8 but it was in 40 foot swell and by the time we came down,... the wave passed through so we fell ... and fell .. and fell for what seemed ages arse first back in the water , quick re-assmbly of the crew and off we went That was where I learned about throttle control and on that occasion there was little wind, its just the type of conditions we get, so it can be very variable with wind or sea, you just have to be ontop of it (no pun intended )

[ian parkes]

All answers are sound advice , but i think the real answer has come out of it especially for a small lower powered boat , its when you don't have enough power to climb the faces of the waves , and when you find that out its good not to have far to go before you reach shelter .

there is a huge difference between what you will do alone compared to when you have the company of another boat .

[Chief Wiggam]

Was out two weeks ago off No Mans Land - Chimet registering F8 but 6 m boat handling waves well and good progress made - the difficulty with the Solent and island is that sea conditions can vary so much within a relatively small area in strong wind conditions. I would simply suggest that at the point where all you can see ahead is a curling wave topped with breaking white water, blocking the horizon it's probably time to go home.

A well set up Rib should be able to cope with severe conditions but you need to be confident in your ability, your decision making processes and the boat's capabilities. Personally I find it useful to go out in severe conditions if only to get a feel for how the Rib reacts and how the helmsman reacts as well.

The Island North shore can be grim in a SE blow but in a SW wind, up to Gale Force it is perfectly acceptable to run up to Cowes - however at the same time coming out of the Hamble would be a whole different experience.

[Poly]

I would simply suggest that at the point where all you can see ahead is a curling wave topped with breaking white water, blocking the horizon it's probably time to go home.

its when you don't have enough power to climb the faces of the wave

whilst those might be when the boat is getting to its limits - I suspects that as:

a relativly inexperienced skipper (RYA L2 + Day skipper + a few hours)

the skipper got beyond his comfort zone a while before. There is a risk that we perpetuate the myth that ribs are invincible.

[Phil]

we have broached (pun intended) the subject of this before ;you might also wonder how you are going to get home in a boat that size facing breaking waves which block out the horizon---picking the moment to turn in that stuff ranges from the impossible to very very tricky

[spartacus]

I've been out as often as possible in my newly acquired Zodiac Pro 420/Suzi 25 the last few weeks but this weekend the forecast was F5 gusting F6 for Southampton, so I chickened out!

I have the same boat as you, but with a bigger engine and an auxilliary back-up. I've experienced conditions on the west coast of Lewis with a north-westerly blowing F5/6 and a F5/6 in the Moray Firth.

My recommendation is always to stay within a limit you feel comfortable in. Remember weather conditions can change quite quickly. Add in squally showers, an engine that's not behaving properly, and what started as a F5/6 can feel much worse.

The Zodiac Pro has a relatively shallow V and tends to 'slap' on-coming waves rather than cutting through them. It'll handle it okay, but you or your passengers will spend a degree of time airbourne as you negotiate the swell.

Better to call off, rather than press ahead just because you've prepared to go out. It's a pain when the weather is poor, but sometimes you just need to wait for a window. Personally I'd only go out in a F5/6 with someone else on board. Basically to keep the bow down!!!

[K&S]

We tend to use this moto, not scientific or measurable but if has kept me out of trouble so far:

'If in doubt don't go out.'

Better safe than sorry!


Our boat is cat B rated, however if i were to use this boat in these conditions i would surely be asking for trouble. Just because it can doesn't mean you have to.


There is a great poem in a sea Kayaking book by Derek Hutchison which i can't resite word perfect but the jist is:

Those that do not fear the sea will surely drown,

Those that do only get drowned now and again

[K&S]

Having said all that we did have a fab day recently, with plenty of sea, sky moments.
i find the 'can we go out?' threshold is a lot higher without the wife and kids

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by K&S

i find the 'can we go out?' threshold is a lot higher without the wife and kids

Ain't that the truth

A friend of mine some years ago, after getting married, got himself a boat (can't even remember what it was now). When asked one day if he was going out, he sighed in the negative, held up his hand and wiggled his wedding ring. "Might not weigh much, but it doesn't half bloody slow you down"...

[The Grocer]

Originally Posted by BogMonster

When asked one day if he was going out, he sighed in the negative, held up his hand and wiggled his wedding ring. "Might not weigh much, but it doesn't half bloody slow you down"...

Solution: find one that can drive RIBs - Mrs. Grocer now has her APB (CE).
"Which is nice..."

The downside of course is that the fuel bill gets bigger!

[PeterM]

Isn't it a good thing that the comfort/ safety etc of crew/ passengers is taken into account? ( OK -its makes it bloddy boring ! )

While its great when the wife & kids come out I push harder if its me & mate who are very able to hold on harder / for longer & enjoy the 'flying' moments where as the family just want me to slow down !

[Ian M]

Originally Posted by Blackroady

Isn't it a good thing that the comfort/ safety etc of crew/ passengers is taken into account? ( OK -its makes it bloddy boring ! )

While its great when the wife & kids come out I push harder if its me & mate who are very able to hold on harder / for longer & enjoy the 'flying' moments where as the family just want me to slow down !

Same here, but the eldest holigan, at a big 13, is getting quite useful on the throttle though