Caught in a FORCE 9 GALE | Ep 104
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- This is the worst prolonged storm we've been caught in on Fair Isle, three days of constant winds the wrong side of 30 knots and regular gusts up to 48 knots at the height of the storm.
This intense low developed very quickly out of a cold front that was tracking SE. We were 350NM offshore at the time so there was nowhere to run, but Fair Isle was built for these conditions, even if we aren't, so we managed to battle on through the storm and didn't have to resort to turning and running with it.
We did hove to for a time in the peak of the storm in the middle of the night, but apart from that we kept sailing strongly which is a testament to the boat (and a very good test of the recent mast foot repair!)
Filming in these conditions is not easy, not just because it kills cameras and is sometimes dangerous to do, but because by the end I basically hadn't slept for 4 days (Judy had, she can sleep anywhere!) So please do show your appreciation by subscribing to our channel if you haven't already, it costs you nothing and really helps us out with the YT algorithm. If you are new to the channel please do make a point of subscribing and hitting the notification bell. We try to always post quality films by limiting them to once every two weeks and taking great care with the production to produce something thats enjoyable to watch.
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And I was just telling my wife that modern weather forecasting is so good, nowadays, that we should never get caught out in bad weather by surprise 😮. You weathered it well, though, guys. Well done.
What a fabulous video. It had everything. Loved the storm footage and was glad I wasn’t there. More technical bits with rigging. Seville looked amazing.
Thank you so much. ⛵️
Vivaldi was a nice touch. On the bright side, the fishing rod was never that successful anyway. 😂👍 Great video.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Amazing use of drone footage! Who needs TV travel shows when you can get this quality on CZcams?
Now this episode is a true tribute to all the 30 - 40 years old vessels that were properly build ocean cruisers!
Using the picture from the 500NM front, I would like to confront today's salesman when they say "don't worry about the weather sir, with this boat you'll be able to outrun any weather!"
(= modern cruisers are faster than foiling IMOCA's 😂😂😂)
Great job to both of you!!!
gotta love the true brit style …”keep a strong upper lip”…and still manage to smile through 40-50 knots sustained for days…
and fair isle also seemed to happily deal with this in the same manner…this is when you gladly give up a knot or so of speed for absolute comfort and confidence…she’s a beautiful tough old girl…love your channel!
keep ‘em rolling !
Steve, I have to say it again; your sensible seamanship stands alone in this YT genre. Thank you.
This is when you appreciate that full keel and battleship build of a blue water cruiser like the Hans Christian.
Had the same problem getting my reefing cringles onto the horn. Made some loops out of dyneema that wrapped through the cringle to extend them. Works like a charm. No more wrestling with the main. Good luck the rest of the way....just made an offer on a big heavy cruiser. This video makes me feel a lot better about sacrificing some speed for safety and comfort in a sea way 👍.
Same setup on our main
I loved seeing Fair Isle sailing in her true elements; & yes, hopefully the sailors aboard are the weakest part of the boat. I am so looking forward to seeing more blue water footage. It is too bad H.C. never made the 48 in a ketch configuration. AND, I am very glad to see you wearing your harnesses while out on deck. I hope you have fair winds and no cresting stern waves in your coming adventures.
Actually they did. As I understand it she was built while Hans was still building in Taiwan , and exported to the UK.
Your boat is very capable especially with it’s great crew. Well done.
Can you imagine being in a Beneteau or Catamaran in those conditions? I was cracking up with that small bit of canvas and the boat flying through the waves. A quality film Steve and Judy.
Glad you liked it. Yes I was surprised we made a constant 7 knots into wind on virtually no sail. It is a nice option to have being able to beat into heavy weather when the need arises, I’m not saying some of the boats you’re thinking of wouldn’t have been able to attempt this but I’m pretty sure it would have been far too wearing on the crew. I’ve been on production boats in seas half that size which made you absolutely sure the boat was about to break in half on the next wave so you wouldn’t even consider doing it.
Impressive sailoring - respect! And then you see the advantages of having a proper helm station.
Another beauty of a video. I am so envious of you both! Apart from the stormy bits lol😂. Again another competent and calm crisis performance. Hope to see you again very soon. Merry Christmas from Sheffield England 🎉
Dear Steve and Judy, I felt quite anxious for you both in this piece. Just really glad you're both safe and sound. .. 😊
Great episode, I don't think you can beat Europe for culture or diversity, and Seville is wonderful. As to the weather you confronted, there's a lot of talk from some quarters about technology and / or speed being the solution to avoiding bad weather, yet here is a salutary lesson that on both counts this just isn't so. It is only likely we'll get more extreme weather events in the future too. Sorry if your discomfort is our entertainment, but I love seeing yachts in open ocean sailing conditions, particularly the rogue variety, it's instructive how different boats behave. Keep it up!!
Well done team Fair Isle ... I loved seeing the "salty game" almost glowing in both your affects ... very special. A solid example for all the couples out there joining on sea going adventures. Maybe we mericans can still learn from our elders ;-)
Yikes! I think I would have returned to port, seeing that storm on PW. You have one beast of an ocean-going vessel.
FANTASTIC videography of the rough sailing! A lot of CZcamsrs don't film when it gets hairy. Thank you for showing this. I enjoyed seeing how calm you looked and how well the boat handled it.
Don’t worry there were times it was too hairy to film, my excuse was it was dark but really filming and handling the boat at the peak would have been tough so I was glad of the excuse
Just started watching you guys, what a lovely level of calm you portrayed throughout the storm. Nice video.
Another superb episode again with amazing videography often under difficult lighting and weather conditions . Shaken, stirred but still smiling in the Madeiran Sun. Thoroughly enjoyable from the safety and comfort of my armchair. Merry Christmas and may your voyaging plans be fulfilled.😮
Relax and keep sailing! Fair Isle is definitely made to resist to such gales, especially with your very regular maintenance. 😊
you guys and Fair Aisle did very well. that is a lot of wind and sea. Wise decisions all around. Good footage.
The footage of you biking through Seville is breathtaking! Glad you guys made it to Madeira safely. RIP fishing rod...someone doesn't want Steve to fish.
I think the fish are scared, now we’re in the Atlantic they know I’m coming!
Awesome video, enjoyed every second. You two are now my favourite must-watch channel - thank you for sharing 👋👌👍l
Great episode and awesome videography, thanks for all the hard work making it for us landlubbers to watch. It looks like Fair Isle took the storm in her stride, what a great boat!.
Yep! She is a very good boat! HC~
LOL. I left LA for the Marquesas years ago, in a force 9 gale almost 50 years ago. It wasn't a surprise - I just didn't care. The boat was 34' LOA, junk schooner / traditional yacht hull.
I appreciate the way your heavy displacement beautiful Hans Christian yacht pushes the waves apart smoothly and gently. Certain more storm worthy craft than the more currently production Plastic Fantastic boats of late. Jim Rodgers
As usual, a well-balanced and interesting installment. You two make quite a team. Thanks also for the rigging update. You've got a beautiful boat, and we (SV Arcanum) hope you solve and fix those leaks. Moisture my not kill, but it certainly dampens the spirit. Cheers and tally Ho, Ho, Ho as Christmas approaches. Fair winds, Fair Isle!
Vivaldi was a nice touch. 😊
I'm glad you showcase the beautiful city that I was born. Sevilla. Gracias! Great video!
Nice test for your mast handy work.
We were attacked by Orca around there, loads of boats were around us. Some people had firecrackers, they made no difference. We are steel with a keel hung rudder, so apart from shaking us around a bit, there were no issues.
Wow that sounds a little scary
Nice to have a sensible steel boat!
I get the impression that fin rudders are the issue, maybe also because they give out vibrations.
I do wonder if dumping some hot chilli powder into the sea would send them off.
@markthomasson5077 The orcas don't seem to care what sort of rudder you have (ours was keel hung for instance) and people try dumping all sorts in the water, including very large explosives and the results are at best temporary. There is a lot of water to dilute any sound or chemical!
I suspect the solution is not to be of interest to them (so not crunchy!) and robust enough to survive the initial attack.
Amazing! You can definitely tell you are both from a TV background..
Love your Videos....
Just found your channel and so glad i did! Count me a new sub and big fan!
That's a true shake down for your new rigging!! So much respect for the boat, for you both and how you maintain ship shape, calm during a storm and produce quality videos week after week. Kudos ❤
Wow I loved it!
Thanks for quality videos and interesting storylines. The weather has become more unpredictable the past years. You need to download weather charts at least twice a day as it changes fast. Also when you set off to sea, prepare for the worst. You should spend next to no time out on deck in gales/storms. Pity you spent only a day at Porto Santo, it’s a relaxed and quiet place to visit. We spent a month at anchor there.
Hi, with this kind of bad weather it makes you appreciate all the work that you have done with the structure of the mast. Better some sweat than being in a nightmare that doesn't end. Safe travel!
Incredible couple, great admiration in such dreadful conditions. Let alone courage.
I had to watch this episode twice. Good lesson to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.
Best storm video I’ve seen in a long while. Well done!
This is the difference between traveling safely through a storm or losing the mast. You were well prepared. Reduced sail before the storm got bad and hove to when things got worse so you could save the boat and yourselves from taking a beating. Everyone going offshore should watch this video.
My favorite videos from you both… severe storm sailing!
Marvelous episode, Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas David & thank for your support through the year
Very happy to have found your channel. Your seamanship know how and attitude are very humbling. Beautiful vessel and sailors. Wishing you happy holidays and stupendous travels.
That’s a very nice note, thank you
Very exciting! Glad you got in ok
Another wonderful vlog….thank you! 👍🎄🥰
Wow! Exciting episode. Your filming and editing skills are amazing.
i can never see that type of dancing w/o remembering the Morticia/Gomez tango.
Nicely prepped for and handled and amazing filming and editing. Good to see all 3 of you in one piece. Merry Christmas to you also.
Nice to hear from you. What are you up to these days?
Bravo. Good preparation paid off. Pleased that you arrived safely
Two of my greatest sailing memories were on a 44' yawl. At one point of our voyage we had 7 sails flying making 2 knots in about 5 knots of breeze on a glassy sea (reacher, #1 jib, staysail, main, minnaker, mizzen staysail, and mizzen). And a later part making 10 knots surfing 18-20 waves in a force 9 gale with storm staysail and storm trysail. Both situations etched in my mind the need for a well found boat and a well seasoned crew. Looks like you have both! :)
Loved the four seasons music track in this one.
Cheers for that.
Stay safe &, hopefully, dry.
Hi, reminiscent of your run across the bay of biscay quite some time back,excellent filming and as always a good watch.Your mentioning of orca’s reminds me of being in a Grimsby trawler at Iceland in the 70’s and a whale could be seen scratching itself against the hull of the ship,possibly removing parasites?enjoy your shore leave.cheers Roly🇬🇧
Excellent music during the gale footage.
You two have true grit!! we have been there as well, hard to forget those passages. Fair Winds. S/V Onward laying Grenada
Well done on a safe passage. Madeira is worth more than a few days, if you have the time. Mountains are stunning.
Yes we've done a couple of the levada walks now, wet but lovely
Fair Isle says 'is that all you've got' !
Perfect music at 29:
Enjoyed Vivaldi. 😊
And THAT’s why ornery old critters like Steve & me don’t like modern flat bottom boats for blue water sailing. When it all turns bad out of nowhere, like it will, it’s bad enough in a good seaworthy boat like Fair Isle, without it slamming as well, and worrying about hull flex, keel bolts and unsupported rudders.
By the way, that staysail looks like it sets really well furled albeit with the sheet a bit slack (30:15), which is unusual. You must be pleased with that.
Yes the staysail has great shape, strong too, loving our Precision sails! By the way the sheet was bar tight, it’s just the fact it was shot on a 360 camera that make it look that way. The big wide angle flattens the seas too, it why everyone says you can’t portray the size & steepness of waves filming from a boat, it because you can’t get a steady shot from a moving boat with any sort of telephoto lens. You need a 50mm lens to get perspective the way you would see it with your eye and all the action cams are much wider than that.
Chapeau!! you made absolutely breathtaking pictures with your insta 360...by biking and in heavy sea.
Wow, what an incredible episode! The storm footage was intense, but you handled it like a pro. Your positive attitude and perseverance are truly inspiring. And can we talk about the Vivaldi music? It added such a dramatic and epic touch to the whole adventure. Also, I couldn't help but chuckle at the not-so-successful fishing rod. 😂 Nevertheless, this video had everything - stunning shots, technical tidbits, and even glimpses of Seville's beauty. Your videography skills continue to amaze me, especially capturing such challenging lighting and weather conditions. I felt like I was right there with you, albeit from the comfort of my armchair. Merry Christmas to you and may all your voyaging plans be fulfilled. Thank you for sharing these incredible adventures with us landlubbers. You truly prove that CZcams can provide travel experiences that rival any TV show. And Fair Isle is such a fantastic boat, taking everything the Force 9 Gale threw at her. Keep up the amazing work! ⛵️👏
I have to assume there is no chance of the super yacht paying for the damage it caused whilst you were stationary , tied up to the pier , with no possible blame on your side ? Is it normal to have to accept damage ?
Thanks for showing us the cities , the culture and that storm . Wow !
I confronted the skipper of the superyacht at the time, he just denied he came in too fast. We didn't see it ourselves, the information came from someone who had a stall selling things on the dock, so not a lot we could do. Unfortunately although the customs dock had a camera they were not recording.
If only we can convince the whales to disable super yachts.
Great to see that beautiful yacht beating along.
Great video and the mast job looks like a great success.
Would be interesting to see how you hove to ?
What a testament to the auto-pilot. Handling 44,000 pounds of boat in those conditions, and seemly for long periods. Quite a piece of gear.
Yes, it’s funny you say that, our auto helm is amazing. That was brought home to us a couple of days ago sailing down the the Canaries when we had an electrical problem that meant we spent the first night hand steering. It was nothing like the conditions we had on the passage before with the storm but hand steering was hard. And if you look at the track on the plotter that we steered compared to the auto pilot we weren’t nearly as good!
I love the way she spits water out after taking a wash like "Not enough, do better, urgh"
Lovely couple, beautiful boat, always fun.
Superb folks, that one had it all 👌👌👌
Buenos días
Si os gusta la guitarra, escuchar a nuestro maestro, PACO DE LUCIA, entre dos aguas y el concierto de Aranjuez a guitarra interpretada por este gran maestro
Love Seville ! Last time we were there we visited the sites of Bizet`s opera "Carmen", Don Jose`s barracks, the plaza de toros and the cigar factory ( which now is a library ) The large river, Guadalquivir, is home to the port of Seville which is still used today. To amuse ourselves, we would ask locals directions to the barber !
Quattro Stagioni ,perfect accompaniment to a nice drop of roughers, Senor Vivaldi would be chuffed.!
Fair winds guys xx
yes the thing that amazed me most about Seville was how important it was as a port that far up river, seems strange
Quite an adventure. Tourist board level video showing off Seville (I now want to visit there) and handling a scary storm out of nowhere. Glad you went through it ok. Nice prep with the lifelines, maybe should have tried that 3rd reef at the marina ?
Yes should always try all the reefs with a new sail, the to-do list is never ending though
she's a very good boat. thanks for the video, I enjoyed it.
Nice haircut... Much better 😎🤣
Smart boat, smart captain.
Good job getting that kind of footage and tending the ship at the same time. You have the dedication of a good cinematographer and the results made for a splendid video segment!
Great footage 👍🏼👍🏼
Love the Vivaldi ! When people think of buying a Blue Water boat , they should watch this video so they know what they are getting into and buy a strong boat.
Nice work!!
Good job you chose a well founded boat great video thanks.
Solid dodger & med to heavy displacement & a furling staysail with a main with 3 reefs > Perfect . Good test , Come frew with flying colors = Sorry about the rod ,
Great episode, thank you both!
Youre dodger is fantastic. Best ive seen.
Well done for surviving the first serious gale of this crossing..! It Just goes to show how important the 6P Rule is - prior preparation prevents piss-poor performance. Enjoy Madeira; it's a lovely place, very green and very clean. If you get the chance, venture north for the sea pools.
That must have been a comfortable passage 😬! Glad you’re both safe. Interestingly, I always found the ECMWF weather model to be by far the most reliable.
Seemed to be the best in the Eastern Med I would agree, but lately over here the PW versions seem to be better... & sometimes none are!
I had the same problem getting my new third reef onto the horn. So, I 'extended' the horns outwards with a threaded bar, several nuts and a ring on the end....
Reefing. With everything going on, you recorded. Thank you for that.
Good stuff folks, I just subbed. You must’ve been grateful for the centre cockpit!
Yes the center cockpit is a must have for a cruising boat in my book, I wound not have wanted to be standing a foot from the transom to steer as a lot of modern boats would have you doing now!
@@svfairisle I say! Thank you for the reply. 😊
P.S. We also hope you keep an extra Insta360 on hand, since ONE of you seems to like dunking it. You are just asking for Neptune to snatch it (He is a curious chap)! Peace
It's highly recommended to use Tefgel on bolts in aluminum. Seriously... Especially on the boom as it's not only one of the most important parts on the boat but also it's a safety risk when the boom is coming down in a strong breeze. Please also deal with the obvious corrosion on the forward end of the boom for same reasons. Aluminum will crack without warning if the corrosion is not warning enough. You should have the sleeve coated with titanium. This will isolate the stainless from the aluminum and therefore erase the cause of the corrosion on the boom. Alternatively the hole sleeve can be made from titanium.
Yes if you watch any of my tech videos you’ll see I religiously use dielectric grease. I did use Tefgel on the assembly and also epoxied the insert in place so it won’t be so easy for salt water to get in and act as an electrolyte. I’m not overly worried about corrosion in that area though, after 23 years the problem was wear, no sign of corrosion. Of course the pain (well it’s not paint it a plastic coating) is coming away. There’s no way of getting paint to stick to aluminium for any length of time so it’s not worth trying to paint it. I just clean it up and use Awtrol oil on the bare metal, works well
@@svfairisle I'd take care of the corrosion soon. Seems to be going on for quite some time as you wrote. I'm a naval architect in the Superyacht industry and you're right, no paint will stick to aluminum for long. But electric coatings are just a foil which is wrapped around the metal. If that's damaged somewhere it's not protecting at all. That's why no alloy parts are allowed for subcontractors to be coated that way in the German yards. Maybe for Italian yachts it's used. So if the corrosion has gone worse below the coating you may not notice it. A good paint will do a better job. It's more elastic and if damaged the neighborhood will stay protected. I suggest to have the boom X-rayed or or with crack searching paint, repaired if necessary, then have it sand or glassblasted, then wash it down with dry ice and be primered immediately. If the alloy has little to no time to build an corrosive layer, the paint should last fairly good. Also be careful about the hole diameter which you have widened. A corroded section may not like to be reduced on top. Alloy will not bend but break immediately.
Fair Isle Looks good in a storm,,
You made it! (Probably not always very comfortably :-)
😀👍👍👍❤ Happy Holidays to you both and your family. 2024 will be a good year for Fair Isle. Stay healthy, bye from Seattle, WA. USA.
Bet your glad you spotted the damage to the base of the mast. That gale may have had you in trouble. Love Seville great old city.
Thanks for the video, I am pleased you guys finally got out the Med and are applying your videography skills to more interesting ocean passages.
I know you got delayed with unforeseen issues but your experience does highlight the accuracy of Jimmy Cornells advice. 'Leave for the Canaries after mid October and there is a much increased risk of storms on the way'!
Madeira is brilliant particularly if you like hiking (we stayed 2 weeks). Looking forward to the next episode. Greetings from SV Skyfall (now in NZ)
Yes I’ve got Jimmys book andI was mindful of that, fortunately the second stage is going better, currently mid ocean between Madeira and the Canaries. The Lavanta walks in Madeira we’re lovely, if a little wet.. got wetter walking in the mountain there than I even have on a boat!
I'm always waiting for Judith Chalmers to appear after the intro music.
We'll get her to do a cameo performance one day!
In Seville is the museum commemorating the world's first circumnavigation by Juan Sebastian El Cano. It's a pity you missed it.
Yes there’s a lot of good museums there, only one night for us though. Another time.
You have the boat for it. LIGHTWEIGHTS.
Well done guys - geez thank god for a well found boat - hey ho Cape Horn will be a breeze after this.