Heavy Weather Sailing
Here are my top four tips for heavy weather sailing:
#1 Stay hydrated, rest, and eat food. This can really make a difference in how tired you get and how fast in heavy weather.
#2 In fog a sailboat sounds One Prolonged Blast followed by Two Short Blasts. This is true for Sailing vessel, commercial fishing vessel, and a vessel not under command or one restricted by draft which is operation in restricted visibility. This signal would be used by a sailboat sailing in fog. This signal is sounded at intervals of not more that 2 minutes. Also in fog make sure to always use all navigational and communication tools available to you – including VHF!
#3 Make sure to always have someone that knows where you are going and when you should be back. If you don’t make it back by that time they should know who to contact and how. This could be you friend, parent, or another member.
#4 The stiffer the breeze the flater the sail. As the wind picks up make sure to really put some tension on your downhaul, vang, outhaul, etc. This will make your sail much easier to control.
