videos of sailboats in storms

5 Terrific Heavy Weather Sailing Videos

Don't miss the most dramatic heavy weather videos.

When sailing, we don’t always find sun, calm sea and relaxation. Sometimes we have to face heavy weather conditions. Exactly as happens to the protagonists of these 5 videos. We can tell you … they are all fine!

Hallberg-Rassy 48 heavy weather

Heavy weather at 80 north

Generali in the storm

The Toughest Sailing Race | Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 

Global challenge rough weather footage.

From Stainless Steel to Dyneema: A Lifeline Upgrade Story

Sailing nandji ep 352 what problems are we about to find, sailing nandji ep 351 preparing for the indian ocean, starts now, 1936. voyage around cape horn by schooner wanderbird, live your passion, subscribe to our mailing list.

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Video: 10 ships caught in a storm

• Stef Bottinelli

Watch the dramatic footage of these ships and boats caught in a storm and battling it out in rough seas.

We’ve all seen videos of boats struggling through stormy weather and choppy seas, but this footage collection by Storm Force could make even the most seasoned sailor feel seasick.

Watch as these 10 ships and boats brave the elements to make it safely to port or carry on with their voyage and take a look at the impressive seamanship and courage of captains and crew.

A boat caught in rough seas

Video: Yacht lost during fatal storm located

A sailboat lost in a heavy storm that took the life of a six-year-old girl floated some 2,000 miles before…

Video: Tug braves big waves, saves Russian aircraft carrier

Watch the dramatic video of a tugboat rescuing the Russian Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier after it broke down in the…

Seasickness prevention and cure: the good, the bad and the dreadful

Seasickness causes, prevention and cures. We look at pills, patches, bands and natural remedies to highlight what may work best…

Dramatic video and pictures show RNLI yacht rescue in gale conditions

Watch the dramatic video and see the photos from the RNLI rescue of a disabled yacht in Cornwall.

Video: Sailors rescue puppy lost at sea

Watch as Italian sailors come to the rescue of a puppy lost at sea.

A Complete Guide To Sailing In A Storm

Sailing in a storm can be a challenging experience but with the right preparation and techniques, it can be navigated safely in most instances.

While it's best to avoid storms when sailing, there are times when storms cannot be avoided.

To sail in a storm:

• Prepare the sailboat for a storm
• Monitor the weather conditions
• Adjust the sailboat to stabilize the vessel in the storm
• Maintain communication with the coast guard

The number one priority when sailing in a storm is safely navigating through the water during these bad weather conditions.

1. Prepare The Sailboat For A Storm

The first step of sailing in a storm is to prepare the sailboat for storm weather conditions.

To prepare a sailboat for a storm:

• Check the rigging & sails : Assess the rigging and sails overall condition. Ensure they are in full working order with no issues with maneuverability or rips in the sails. There should be a storm sail onboard too in preparation for sailing in the storm
• Ensure safety equipment is onboard : Ensure there are liferafts, life jackets for everyone onboard, life buoys, heaving lines, sailing jackets, flashlights, flares, VHF radios, chartplotter/GPS, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers
• Remove the boat canvas/bimini top : In preparation for sailing in a storm, remove the boat canvas/bimini top to prevent it from getting damaged or destroyed or causing injury to passengers onboard ‍
• Ensure loose items are tied down : Any loose items like lines on the deck should be tied down and secured before sailing in a storm. Loose items can become dislodged and damaged or cause injury to passengers onboard if they are not secured during a storm
• Ensure the sailboat's engine is in great condition : Ensure the sailboat's motor is in perfect condition with sufficient oil and fuel to operate during the storm

Preparing the sailboat for a storm will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. This timeframe will vary depending on the size of the vessel and the amount of equipment needed to be purchased and installed onboard.

In preparing for sailing in a storm, there is certain sailboat equipment needed. The equipment needed for sailing in a storm includes a storm sail, heaving lines, sailing jackets, life jackets, life buoys, liferafts, first aid kit, Chartplotter/GPS, fire extinguishers, VHF radio, and flares.

The benefits of preparing the sailboat for a storm are a sailor will be prepared for any issues caused by the storm and a sailor will have the necessary safety equipment to help keep everyone onboard safe during the storm.

One downside of preparing the sailboat for a storm is it can be costly (over $500) especially if the sailor does not have all the right equipment needed to withstand the stormy weather. However, this is a small downside.

2. Monitor The Weather Conditions

The second step of sailing in a storm is to monitor the weather conditions regularly.

To monitor the weather conditions:

• Connect to the VHF radio weather channel : Connect to channel 16 on the VHF radio as this channel provides storm warnings and urgent marine information for boaters
• Use a chartplotter : Modern chartplotters will have marine weather data for boaters to monitor the weather conditions and check windspeeds, rainfall levels, wave height and other relevant marine weather data
• Check a marine weather forecast provider website : If you have internet access on the sailing trip, connect to a marine weather provider for marine weather forecast information in your area

In sailing, weather conditions are considered a storm when the wind speed is 28 knots or higher and the wave heights are 8ft or higher. Other characteristics of stormy weather when sailing is poor visibility with visibility ranges of under half a mile (0.8km or less) and heavy rain with a precipitation rate of at least 0.1 inches (2.5 millimeters) per hour.

It can take approximately 3 to 6 hours for a storm to fully develop when sailing. However, for larger storms, it can take over 2 days for the storm to fully develop.

Monitoring the weather should be done every 20 minutes when sailing in a storm to get up-to-date information on potential nearby locations with better weather to sail to.

The benefit of regularly monitoring the weather conditions is a sailor will be more prepared for the weather that lies ahead and the sailor will be able to make adjustments to their sailing route to help avoid the bad weather.

3. Adjust The Sailboat To Stabilize The Vessel

The third step of sailing in a storm is to adjust the sailboat to stabilize the vessel.

When sailing through the storm, reef the sails to reduce the stress and load on the mast and sails, attach the storm sails, turn the vessel until the wave and wind direction are blowing from the stern of the sailboat, i.e. the wind is blowing downwind. Carefully tack the sailboat slowly until the boat is in the downwind position. Pointing the sailboat downwind is not recommended if the sailboat is near land as it could cause the boat to run into the land.

Alternatively, if the storm is very bad, sailors can perform a "heaving to" storm sailing maneuver.

To perform the heave-to storm sailing maneuver:

• Turn the bow of the boat into the wind : This involves turning the sailboat so that the bow faces into the wind. This will cause the boat to lose forward momentum and begin to drift backward
• Adjust the sails : Depending on the size and configuration of your boat, you may need to adjust the sails in different ways. In general, you will want to position the sails so that they are catching less wind and are working against each other. This will help to slow the boat's drift and keep it from moving too quickly
• Adjust the rudder : You may need to adjust the rudder to keep the boat from turning too far or too fast. In general, you will want to angle the rudder slightly to one side to counteract the wind and keep the boat on a stable course
• Monitor the boat's drift : Once you have heaved-to, you will need to monitor the boat's drift and make small adjustments as needed to maintain your position. This may involve adjusting the sails, rudder, or other factors as conditions change

The heaving to maneuver is used to reduce a sailboat's speed and maintain a stationary position. This is often done in rough weather to provide the crew with a stable platform to work from or to wait out a storm.

This sailing maneuver will adjust the sailboat and should stabilize the vessel in the storm.

The benefits of adjusting the sailboat position in a storm are it will help to stabilize the boat, it will improve safety, it will reduce the crew's fatigue as the crew will not be operating with a boat at higher speeds, it will help maintain control of the sailboat, and it will reduce stress on the sailboat and the rigging system.

Depending on the size of the sailboat, how bad the weather conditions are, and a sailor's experience level, adjusting the sailboat to stabilize it in the storm should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

4. Maintain Communication With The Coast Guard

The fourth step of sailing in a storm is to maintain communication with the coast guard.

This is particularly important if the storm is over Beaufort Force 7 when sailing is much harder.

To maintain communication with the coast guard during a storm:

• Understand the important VHF channels : During sailing in a storm, be aware of VHF international channel 16 (156.800 MHz) which is for sending distress signals
• Ensure there are coast guard contact details on your phone : Put the local coast guard contact details into your phone. These contact details are not substitutes for using the VHF channel 16 distress signal or dialing 911. These contact details should only be contacted if all else fails

Contacting the coast guard takes less than 1 minute to complete and they are fast to respond in case of an emergency caused by the storm.

The benefits of maintaining communication with the coast guard during a storm are it will help improve safety, the coast guard will be able to provide real-time alerts, and it will provide navigation assistance as the coast guard has access to the latest navigation technology and can guide you through the storm's hazardous areas such as shallow waters or areas with a strong current.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sailing In A Storm

Below are the most commonly asked questions about sailing in a storm.

What Should You Do If You're Caught Sailing In A Storm With Your Boat?

if you're caught sailing in a storm with your boat, you should reef the sails, attach the storm sails and tack the vessel slowly until the wave and wind direction are blowing from the stern of the sailboat.

Should You Drop An Anchor When Sailing In A Storm?

Dropping an anchor can be a useful technique to help keep a boat steady during a storm. However, whether or not to drop an anchor depends on a variety of factors including the size and type of the boat, the severity of the storm, the water depth, and the type of bottom (i.e., mud, sand, or rock).

If you are in a smaller boat that is being pushed around by the waves, dropping an anchor can help keep the boat oriented in a particular direction, reducing the boat's drift. Additionally, it can help reduce the risk of capsizing or being thrown onto a rocky shore.

However, if the storm is very severe with high winds and waves, the anchor may not be enough to hold the boat in place, and it may put undue stress on the anchor and the boat's attachment points. In such a case, it is usually better to try to navigate to a sheltered area or to deploy sea anchors that can help reduce the boat's drift.

It is also essential to be careful when anchoring in a storm as it can be challenging to set the anchor correctly and the wind and waves can cause the anchor to drag.

Is It Safe To Sail In A Storm?

Sailing in a storm should be avoided due to the lack of safety. However, experienced sailors can sail in storms up to Beaufort Force 7 if required. Beaufort Force 8 and higher storms are extremely dangerous to sail in and should be avoided at all costs.

How Do You Improve Safety When Sailing In A Storm?

To improve safety when sailing in a storm, wear a life jacket, hook everyone onboard up to a safety line or harness so they don't fall overboard, reef the sail to improve the sailboat's stability, and understand where all the safety equipment is onboard and how to operate it in case of an emergency.

What Type Of Storm Should Not Be Sailed In?

A sailor should not sail in any storm but especially a storm from Beaufort Force 8 to Beaufort Force 12 as it is considered to be too dangerous.

Can You Sail Through A Hurricane?

While sailors have successfully sailed through hurricanes in the past, sailing through a hurricane should be avoided at all costs. Sailing in hurricane weather is too dangerous and could result in loss of life.

What Are The Benefits Of Sailing In A Storm?

The benefits of sailing in a storm are:

• Improves sailing skills : Sailing in a storm will force sailors to improve their sailing skills and increase their ability to handle rough seas
• Exciting experience : For some sailors, the thrill of navigating through a storm can be an exhilarating experience that they enjoy. The adrenaline rush and sense of accomplishment of successfully sailing through a storm can be incredibly rewarding
• Greater appreciation for the power of nature : Sailing in a storm can provide a unique perspective on the power of nature. It can be humbling and awe-inspiring to witness the raw force of the wind and waves and this can lead to a greater appreciation for the natural world

It's important to note that these potential benefits should never come at the expense of safety. For the majority of sailors, it is smarter to avoid sailing in a storm and instead wait for the bad weather to pass.

What Are The Risks Of Sailing In A Storm?

The risks of sailing in a storm are:

• Boat sinking/capsizing : With high winds over 28 knots and waves and swells at heights over 8ft, there is a risk of the sailboat capsizing and sinking
• People drowning : High winds and high waves during a storm can cause people onboard to fall overboard and drown
• Loss of communication : Bad storm weather can cause the sailboat's communication system to stop working making it much harder to signal for help if needed
• Boat damage : Storm weather can damage the boat including the sails, mast, rigging system, lines, Bimini top, etc.
• Poor visibility : Sea spray, large waves over 8ft, and heavy winds over 28 knots can reduce the visibility to under 500 meters in some instances making it difficult for navigation
• People being injured : People onboard can get injured due to the increase and sharp movements caused by the storm

What Should Be Avoided When Sailing In A Storm?

When sailing in a storm, avoid:

• Getting caught sailing in the storm in the first place : Ideally, a sailor should avoid sailing in the storm in the first place by checking the weather radar and instead wait for the weather to clear before continuing their sailing trip
• Increasing the sail area : Increasing the sail area in a storm should be avoided as it can cause the sailboat to become more unstable and increase the risk of capsizing
• Not wearing a life jacket : Life jackets should be worn at all times when sailing but especially during a storm. Avoid not wearing a life jacket in a storm as there is no protection if someone falls overboard
• Not wearing the appropriate gear to stay dry : Sailors should avoid not wearing the appropriate foul weather gear to stay dry when sailing in a storm
• Not connecting the crew to safety lines/harness : When sailing in a storm, all crew on the boat deck should be
• Not understanding the safety equipment : Sailors should avoid not understanding the safety equipment onboard

How Do You Avoid Sailing In A Storm?

To avoid sailing in a storm, check the weather forecast regularly when going on a sailing trip to know when and where not to sail as the weather gets worse in these areas. If a sailing trip involves passing through a storm, wait in an area where there is no storm until the weather clears up in the storm area before continuing on the voyage.

What Are The Best Sailboats For Sailing In A Storm?

The best sailboats for sailing in a storm are the Nordic 40, Hallberg-Rassy 48, and the Outremer 55.

What Are The Worst Sailboats For Sailing In A Storm?

The worst sailboats for sailing in a storm are sailing dinghies as they offer little protection from the dangers of stormy weather.

What Is The Best Sized Sailboat For Sailing In A Storm?

The best-sized sailboats to sail in a storm are sailboats sized 30ft. and longer.

What Is The Worst Sized Sailboat For Sailing In A Storm?

The worst-sized sailboats to sail in a storm are sailboats sized under 30ft. as it is more difficult to handle rough weather and choppy waves in these boats.

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Storm Tactics for Heavy Weather Sailing

• By Bill Gladstone
• Updated: November 15, 2021

Storm tactics can be roughly defined as the ways to handle a storm once you’re in it. There are several proven choices, all of which intend to keep either the bow or stern pointing toward the waves. No one tactic will work best for all sailboats in all conditions. As skipper, it will be up to you to consider the best approach for your vessel, procure the right equipment, and practice with it before it’s needed.

Here we look at some active storm options that might work when conditions are still manageable and you want to actively control and steer the boat. Crew fatigue is a serious consideration when using active tactics.

Forereaching

Although not often mentioned as a tactic, it can be highly effective for combating brief squalls or moderate-duration storms. Here’s how to set up your boat for forereaching: Roll the jib away (especially if you have a large roller-furler genoa set); reef the main down to the second or third reef position; and sail on a closehauled course, concentrating on keeping the boat flat. It will be a comfortable ride, everyone will be relatively happy, and you will be making 2 to 3 knots on a close reach. Check your course over ground because increased leeway will cause your track to be much lower. This is a possibly useful tactic to claw off a lee shore. Note that not all boats will be at ease forereaching, so you’d better experiment with it ahead of time. Catamarans in particular will lurch and demonstrate much-increased leeway.

Motorsailing

Sometimes it’s necessary from a time or safety perspective to stow the jib and fire up the iron genny instead. Motorsailing lets you point high and make progress to windward. Motoring with no sails will not work well (or at all, in some cases), particularly in big seas, but a reefed mainsail will provide lateral stability and extra power. Trim the main, head up high enough to control your angle of heel, set the autopilot, and keep a lookout. Fuel consumption makes this a short-term option.

Here’s a tip: Make sure cooling water is pumping through the engine. On some sailboats, the water intake lifts out of the water when heeled. A further difficulty is that the pitching boat might stir sediment off the bottom of the fuel tank, which can, in turn, clog the fuel filter.

Running off and drogues

Sailing under storm jib and a deeply reefed mainsail or storm trysail provides the most control. If you don’t have storm sails, a reefed jib will give you the power to steer and control your boat in the waves. The boat must be steered actively to maintain control because no autopilot will be able to do this.

If excessive speed is a problem and steering becomes difficult, towing a drogue will slow the boat. A retrieval line should be set from the head of the drogue for when it is time to bring it back on board. If you don’t have a drogue, trailing warps might help slow the boat.

In a storm of longer duration, or when conditions become otherwise unmanageable, the situation might call for a skipper to consider passive storm tactics. When you are exhausted and you just want to quiet down the boat and maybe get some rest, there are other boathandling options available, depending on the sea state and the ­equipment you have onboard.

Heaving to can be an excellent heavy-weather tactic, though some boats fare better than others. Wouldn’t it be great if during a heavy-weather episode you could just slow everything way down? Imagine a short respite with a reduced amount of motion from the relentless pitching and pounding. A chance to regroup, make a meal, or check over the boat. Well, you can.

Heaving to allows you to “park” in open water. Hove-to trim has the jib trimmed aback (that is, to the wrong side), the reefed main eased, and the helm lashed down to leeward. The easiest way to do this is to trim the jib sheet hard and then tack the boat, leaving the sheet in place. Trimmed this way, the jib pushes the bow down. As the bow turns off the wind, the main fills and the boat moves forward. With the helm lashed down, the rudder turns the boat toward the wind. As the main goes soft, the jib once again takes over, pushing the bow down. The main refills, and the rudder pushes the bow into the wind again.

RELATED: Safety at Sea: Mental Preparations Contribute to Positive Outcomes

Achieving this balance will require some fine-­tuning, depending on the wind strength, your boat design and the sails you have. You might, for example, need to furl the jib most of the way in to match the wind strength. Trimming the main will ensure that the bow is at an angle to the waves, ideally pointing 40 to 60 degrees off. Modern fin-keeled boats do not heave to as well as more-traditional full-keel designs.

When hove to, the boat won’t actually stop. It will lie, as noted, about 40 to 60 degrees off the wind, sailing at 1 or 2 knots, and making leeway (sliding to leeward). Beware of chafe. When hove to, the jib’s clew or sheet will be up against the shroud and might experience wear damage. Monitor this regularly, and change the position of the sheet occasionally. You might not want to heave to for an extended time.

Deploying a sea anchor

A sea anchor is a small parachute deployed on a line off the bow. A sea anchor helps keep the bow pointed up into the waves so the boat won’t end up beam to the seas. Light displacement boats will pitch violently in high seas, and chafe and damage might occur to the bow, so setting up a bridle and leading it aft through a snatch block will allow the boat to lie at an angle to the waves, providing a more comfortable ride. A big concern when using a sea anchor is the load on the rudder as the waves slam the boat backward. Chafe on the sea-anchor bridle is another big factor, so the bridle must be tended regularly.

Remember, if you and your vessel are caught out in heavy-weather conditions, as a skipper, you must show leadership by setting an example, watching over your crew, offering relief and help to those who need it, and giving encouragement. Remember too, discomfort and fear can lead to fatigue, diminished performance, and poor decision-making. Don’t compromise the safety of the boat and crew to escape discomfort.

Few people get to ­experience the full fury of a storm. Advances in weather forecasting, routing and communications greatly improve your odds of avoiding heavy weather at sea, but you’re likely to experience it at some point, so think ahead of time about the tactics and tools available to keep your crew and vessel safe.

Heavy weather might not be pleasant, but it is certainly memorable, and it will make you a better sailor. Take the time to marvel at the forces of nature; realize that the boat is stronger than you think.

Happy sailing, and may all your storms be little ones!

This story is an edited excerpt from the American Sailing Association’s recently released manual, Advanced Cruising & Seamanship , by Bill Gladstone, produced in collaboration with North U. It has been edited for design purposes and style. You can find out more at asa.com.

• More: Anchoring , How To , print nov 2021 , safety at sea , seamanship
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Heavy weather tactics: 5 options for sailing through a storm.

• Do you have enough sea room to allow the boat to crab slowly to leeward? The answer will obviously vary depending on your distance shore, the direction of the wind/current, and the longevity of the storm conditions. Remember, heaving-to is a passive tactic, so you’ve got to be o.k. with letting the boat do its thing while you hunker down in the cabin.
• Are your sails and rigging up to the task? As with many storm tactics, your sails and rigging will be subjected to high loads and chafe. Is your boat equipped with storm sails that can handle strong winds and potential flogging? Our boat's sails wouldn't be up to the task of remaining hove-to for hours on end, but I'm confident that I could ride out a short summer squall. 
• How well does your particular boat heave-to and will it remain hove-to without putting your beam to the seas? Large swells and breaking waves can be trouble for a boat that doesn’t like to heave-to.
• Do you have sea room to run off? That is, is there land, shallow water or other dangers downwind of your position that make this tactic unadvisable? Furthermore, will running off simply serve to keep you in the path of the storm longer than an alternative tactic? 
• Can you maintain steering with the wind and waves on your stern quarters or directly abaft?
• Do you need to deploy a drogue or warps to slow your forward speed in order to maintain control and keep from being overpowered by the waves?
• Are you up for the physically exhausting challenge of manually steering your ship for potentially hours or days on end? 

• Sailing a Serious Ocean by John Kretschmer
• The Voyager's Handbook by Beth Leonard
• Heavy Weather Sailing by Peter Bruce
• Storm Tactics Handbook by Lin and Larry Pardey
• Bluewater Handbook by Steve Dashew
• Heavy Weather Sailing Tips - An interview with Allen Breckall on The Sailing Podcast
• Mahina Expeditions - Learn from longtime cruisers and offshore sailors John and Amanda Neal
• YaYa Blues  - Join John Kretschmer for a workshop or participate as crew on an expedition

Lots of great advice and references in there, thanks for all the helpful tips! We were caught in an unexpected gale in the Gulf Stream this year with winds sustained out of the north averaging 45 knots for a good 90 minutes. We were running off under bare poles until the winds subsided to the mid 30's, but it worked out well for us.

Thanks Jessica. That's exactly the kind of real world experience I was hoping folks would share in the comments.

We were in a big storm in Stewart Island - New Zealand - getting blown on to a lee shore. We tried to start the motor to help us crab to windward, but in one knock down the motor must have got a big gulp of air instead of diesel. Anyway it meant that the motor cut out. So if you do try and use your motor to assist, make sure you have got a full tank of fuel.

Concerning lying a-hull, it's interesting to read Alan Villiers's account of using this tactic with the Mayflower-II during her crossing in 1957. He wrote "we had no idea what would happen,as no one had attempted this in a ship of this type in over 200 years..." He went on to note that with the sails down, and the rudder lashed to leeward, she pointed up nicely and "lay as a duck on a pond with her head tucked under her wing." (I'm paraphrasing here, since I can't find my copy of Men Ships and the Sea at the moment...) Its' worth noting that ships of that type, with their huge, boxy top-sides had substantially different windage characteristics than our sleek modern designs. From what I've been able to glean, lying a-hull in a square-rigged galleon 300 years ago probably wasn't a terribly different proposition than heaving to under a back-winded jib today.

I should have added that as I understand it at least, it was a maneuver designed to keep the waves on your stern quarter. Same principles, just facing a different direction? I'm gonna have to find my copy of that darn book now, as I'm confusing myself and sounding like an idiot.

Thanks for your wonderful and so helpful tips. We also would like to invite you to our Sailing Community - Clubtray Sailing Clubtray Sailing where members could be more helpful by your great advices and references. Hope to read more kind of real world experiences from you soon.

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HOW TO SAIL SAFELY THROUGH A STORM

Tips and tricks to help you get home safe.

Compared to the quick response and sudden nature of a squall , sailing through a storm in open water is an endurance contest. In addition to big wind, you’ll have to deal with big waves and crew fatigue.

Sailing in Waves

Sailing in big waves is a test of seamanship and steering, which is why you should put your best driver on the helm. Experienced dinghy sailors often are very good at heavy air steering, because they see “survival” weather more often than most cruisers.

Avoid sailing on a reach across tall breaking waves; they can roll a boat over. When sailing close-hauled in waves, aim toward flat spots while keeping speed up so you can steer. To reduce the chance of a wave washing across the deck, tack in relatively smooth water. A cubic foot of water weighs 64 pounds, so a wave can bring many hundreds of pounds of water across the deck.

Sailing on a run or broad reach in big waves is exhilarating, but be careful not to broach and bring the boat beam-to a breaker. Rig a preventer to hold the boom out.

Storm Sails

If reefing isn’t enough to reduce power, it’s time to dig out your storm sails — the storm trysail and storm jib. They may seem tiny, but since wind force rises exponentially, they’re the right size for a really big blow. Storm trysails are usually trimmed to the rail, but some modern ones are set on the boom. The storm jib should be set just forward of the mast to keep the sail plan’s center of effort near the boat’s center of lateral resistance. This helps keep the boat in balance.

Storm Strategy

The first decision before an approaching storm is the toughest: Run for cover, or head out to open water for sea room? With modern forecasting, a true storm will rarely arrive unannounced, but as you venture further offshore the chances of being caught out increase. While running for cover would seem the preferred choice, the danger lies in being caught in the storm, close to shore, with no room to maneuver or run off.

Two classic storm strategies are to try to keep away from land so you’re not blown up on shore, and to sail away from the storm’s path — especially its “dangerous semicircle,” which is its right side as it advances.

Storm Tactics

Storm tactics help you handle a storm once you’re in it. There are several proven choices, all of which aim to reduce the strain and motion by pointing one of the boat’s ends (either bow or stern) toward the waves. No one tactic will work best for all boats in all conditions.

Sail under storm jib and deeply reefed mainsail or storm trysail. This approach provides the most control. Sails give you the power to steer and control your boat in the waves.

Run before the storm with the stern toward the waves, perhaps towing a drogue to slow the boat. This tactic requires a lot of sea room, and the boat must be steered actively. Another concern is that you will remain in front of an approaching storm, rather than sailing out of its path.

Heave-to on a close reach with the jib trimmed to windward. Heaving-to can be an excellent heavy weather tactic, though some boats fare better than others.

Deploy a sea anchor while hove-to or under bare poles. A sea anchor is a small parachute set at the end of a line off the bow. A sea anchor helps keep the bow up into the waves so the boat won’t end up beam to the seas. One concern is the load on the rudder as waves push the boat aft.

Another alternative is lying ahull, simply sitting with sails down. This passive alternative is less reliable than the other tactics, as you lose the ability to control your angle to the waves and may end up beam to the seas. Furthermore, the motion of the boat rolling in the waves without the benefit of sails can be debilitating.

Want to order a storm trysail or storm jib for your boat? Contact a North Sails Expert here .

How to Heave-To

Wouldn’t it be great if, during a heavy air sail, you could just take a break, and relax for a bit? Imagine a short respite from the relentless pitching and pounding: a chance to rest, take a meal, or check over the boat in relative tranquility. Well, you can. The lost art of heaving-to allows you to “park” in open water.

To heave-to, trim the jib aback (i.e., to the wrong side), trim the main in hard, and lash the helm so the boat will head up once it gains steerageway. As the jib tries to push the bow down, the bow turns off the wind and the main fills, moving the boat forward. Once the boat begins to make headway, the lashed helm turns the boat toward the wind again. As the main goes soft the jib once again takes over, pushing the bow down. The main refills, and the rudder pushes the bow into the wind again.

The boat won’t actually stop. It will lie about 60 degrees off the wind, sailing at 1 or 2 knots, and making significant leeway (sliding to leeward). The motion will be much less than under sail, and dramatically more stable and pleasant than dropping all sails and lying ahull. You will also be using up less sea room than if you run before the storm at great speed.

Achieving this balance will require some fine tuning, depending on the wind strength, your boat design, and the sails you are flying. Also, fin-keeled boats do not heave to as well as more traditional designs.

In storm seas, some boats will require a sea anchor off the bow to help hold the boat up into the waves while hove-to.

Alternate Storm Strategy: Don’t Go

If conditions are wrong, or are forecast to worsen, don’t go. If you can avoid the storm, then do so.

If you’re at home, stay there. If you’re mid-cruise, button up the boat, make sure your anchor or mooring or dock lines are secure, and then read a book or play cards. Relax. Enjoy the time with your shipmates. Study the pile of Owners’ Manuals you’ve accumulated with each piece of new gear. Tinker with boat projects.

Put some soup on the stove, and check on deck every so often to make sure the boat is secure. Shake your head as you return below, and remark, “My oh my, is it nasty out there.”

If your boat is threatened by a tropical storm or hurricane, strip all excess gear from the deck, double up all docking or mooring lines, protect those lines from chafe, and get off. Don’t risk your life to save your boat.

Misery and Danger

Although everyone will remember it differently years later, a long, wet, cold sail through a storm can be miserable. As the skipper, you need to make the best of it: watch over your crew, offer relief or help to those who need it, and speak a few words of encouragement to all. “This is miserable, but it will end.”

Take the time to marvel at the forces of nature, and at your ability to carry on in the midst of the storm. Few people get to experience the full fury of a storm. It may not be pleasant, but it is memorable.

While misery and discomfort can eventually lead to fatigue, diminished performance, and even danger, do not mistake one for the other. Distinguish in your own mind the difference between misery and danger. Don’t attempt a dangerous harbor entrance to escape misery; that would compromise the safety of the boat and crew, just to avoid a little discomfort.

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27 February

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Everything you need to know about Southern Ocean storms

• March 1, 2023

Expert weather guru, Chris Tibbs takes a look at Southern Ocean storms and considers how sailors can best take advantage - or avoid- them

Any colour you want as long as it’s grey! That’s my overriding memory of life in the Southern Ocean – we tend to forget the sun reflecting off icebergs and the aurora of the Southern Lights on the horizon at night, because it is the relentless succession of low-pressure systems rattling around the world that dominate the weather.

This gives periods of low cloud and rain to be followed by an active cold front and squally conditions. A temporary lull may occur as a ridge of high pressure builds… .before the next low is upon us and the pattern repeats until we escape from the area.

For many sailors the Southern Ocean is the holy grail of racing, with its reputation for fearsome storms and monster waves. But what makes it different from other storms and oceans? The remoteness, for one: knowing that the only help you’re likely to get is from other competitors and at times you’re closer to the International Space Station than any other person (beyond fellow competitors). The Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility is at 48° 52.6’S and 123° 23.6’W and is the point on the globe furthest from any land (over 1,400 miles) – and it feels it!

I have been fortunate to race around the world three times; twice in the Whitbread Race and also as skipper in the BT Global Challenge (racing the wrong way around the world) and the depressions were bigger and fiercer than others I have experienced in other parts of the world.

Racing strategy indicates heading south to reduce the distance along the great circle route, and also to take advantage of the circumpolar current that continually circles the globe, without getting south of the low pressure systems and into head winds. In the days of the heavy IOR yachts of the early Whitbread races, the more wind you had the faster you went, with the cold and ice being the limiting factors.

Low pressure system west of the Antarctic Peninsula with a developing secondary low

Modern around the world races now have ice limits to prevent yachts getting too far south and into the areas where icebergs are known to be (though the Jules Verne record attempt does not); in addition modern racing yachts will go faster in lighter wind strengths and sea states.

Lows develop from different air masses coming together but not mixing, giving the different sectors of a depression quite different characteristics. Warm tropical maritime air will give low cloud, rain and drizzle with poor visibility, then as you are overtaken by the cold front this gives way to squalls with hailstones likely and gusty conditions.

Post-front showers and squalls will come through like a freight train with significant increases in wind. There is also a noticeable drop in temperature as the wind backs more to the south, although there may well be sunny spells.

With no land to stop the progression of the lows in the south they tend to develop and travel across large tracts of ocean before they eventually mature and decline. With a large area of cold water and, more importantly, cold air above to the south and warm, moist air to the north there is plenty of energy and temperature contrast to set things going. Once developed they are driven by the jet stream and continue their track for thousands of miles – compared to the depressions of the north Atlantic, for example, where after a couple of thousand miles the depressions reach Europe and decline.

he southern spring can generate fearsome depressions, such as the 60-knot storms which hit the 2018 Golden Globe fleet

The southern winter

Study has shown that the southern polar jet stream moves progressively further south during the southern hemisphere winter to around 60°S and becomes clearly separated from the sub-tropical jet stream near 30°S. However, during the summer months it moves north and becomes less well split from the sub-tropical jet stream; often a single jet stream can be found near 40°S.

This indicates that the later in the season racing yachts circumnavigate, the further north the tracks of depressions are likely to be and in general the less aggressive they are, so a more favourable passage through the Southern Ocean is likely to be in March than December.

Article continues below…

Southern Ocean Seas

Fedor Konyukhov battered by storms

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This weekend five crewed IMOCA 60s will take to the startline for the third leg of The Ocean Race, on…

Cold, active fronts

Not only are lows likely to be bigger in the Southern Ocean and cover large areas, they will generally be shown with just a cold front; we will still get conditions usually associated with a warm sector, it is just that there is not a well-defined warm front. Fronts define the boundaries between different air masses and while no two lows are ever identical, so it’s also true that no two cold fronts are the same.

In the Atlantic it’s not always the case that the cold front is the more active front. However, in the Southern Ocean it is nearly always the case that the cold front will be the more active, with strong winds, squalls and hail. I once experienced a 100-knot squall in the Southern Ocean and on a number of occasions fronts passed through with 80-knot squalls. These active fronts are known as ana cold fronts, named due to the warmer air ascending up the frontal boundary, generating large cumulonimbus clouds and intense squalls.

Crews in The Ocean Race are taking on a mamoth Southern Ocean leg in early 2023. Photo: Stefan Leitner / Austrian Ocean Racing powered by Team Genova

Ahead of the front we can expect a period of steady wind with drizzle and poor visibility. This is the time yachts can make good progress – the faster the boat, the longer they can keep ahead of the cold front. As the front gets closer the wind will become gustier with bands of heavy rain. This is where life becomes more interesting with gusty wind making for more testing sailing.

It is this relatively quiet period that sailors want to really maximise, where big mileages can be made in comparatively flat seas. However, it’s never straightforward, as it’s a balancing act between positioning yourself for the approaching front, not getting too far south to the strongest wind and the restrictions of ice gates, and not too far north into lighter winds and a longer route. Ana cold fronts are vicious but not all the same: prefrontal troughs can give a wild ride ahead of the front but if the front is in decline you may get spat out the back with lighter wind after the squalls.

Secondary lows

If the lows were consistent and regular it would be possible to plot a passage through, but they are not. It’s important to keep an eye out for secondary lows. These are small lows that develop on the cold front and can deepen quickly. If one develops to the north the best result is a period of calmer conditions as it passes through, the worst case scenario being a period of violent headwinds if caught on the wrong side of the new low.

Secondary lows are best spotted on satellite imagery by a change in cloud patterns and should be in forecasts, but are not always picked up in weather models until too late.

On one race in the Indian Ocean a secondary low developed close to the north of us. Conditions went from a westerly gale to nothing as the low passed close overhead with a horrendous sea state, then almost instantaneous headwinds of 50 knots had us scrambling for storm sails, all in one four-hour watch!

Grey, grey and more grey is a feature of Southern Ocean sailing. Photo: Charles Drapeau / GUYOT environnement – Team Europe

The waves are unfettered by an almost infinite fetch and after a few days of near gale force westerly or north-westerly winds, followed by a backing of the wind and gales from the south-west, the result is a sea state like a washing machine, only more dangerous.

Even when we think the end is in sight and Cape Horn beckons, at 56°S it may be the furthest south we get on the race. It is a bottleneck of weather and waves. Quite often a large, slow moving low develops west of the Antarctic Peninsula. The landmass of South America funnels the wind, predominantly north-westerly here, and the seas are the highest of anywhere.

Horn bottleneck

The large slow moving low spins off secondary lows with great regularity. These secondary lows can be active and further north than previous lows. Throw into the mix that to the south-west of Cape Horn the ocean floor rises from 4,000m to 100m within a few kilometres, and the resulting large waves and swell, with a rapidly shallowing water, can make the exit from the Southern Ocean particularly exciting. It was here on my second Whitbread that the last storm of the Southern Ocean overtook us.

Classic pre-front conditions had given a fast run towards the Horn though we’d been pushed further south than we really wanted to be. However, the backing wind after the front would take care of this. Like any cold front we were ready with reduced sail for the expected squalls – what we were not ready for was close to 100 knots. The front arrived and with it the mainsail disintegrated as we tried to put in the third reef, with just a blast reacher (jib top) the log was showing 20 knots and the anemometer was up against the stops.

As the sun came out all that could be seen was white water and, close by, a fishing boat! What they must have thought of crews sailing by Cape Horn for pleasure will never be known. After a couple of hours of squalls we were back to normal as we passed through the Le Mare Straits – we got away with it by the skin of our teeth because an uncontrolled broach in those conditions could have been disastrous.

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What to Do When Sailing in a Storm: The Complete Guide

It’s your worst nightmare come to life. You’re sailing along in perfectly calm weather when suddenly, the skies gray, thunder booms in the distance and the waves get choppy. Even if you never end up in such a scenario, it’s still a good idea to be ready just in case. What should you do when sailing in a storm?

To stay safe on your sailboat in stormy conditions, remember these tips:

• Make a storm preparedness plan before you venture out
• Don’t freak out, especially when you’re sailing with other people
• Put on your life jacket if you’re not already wearing it and tell your crew to do the same
• Learn how to recognize a storm
• Seek a path that avoids the storm
• Lie ahull, in which you ride out the storm with the sail down
• Use your storm sails to maintain control and steering through rough conditions
• Heave-to, in which you trim your jib and then the main while lashing your helm for steerageway
• Check the weather forecast to avoid future dangers

In this in-depth, complete guide, we’ll walk you through all the above points in much greater detail. Let’s get started.

Sailing in a Storm? 9 Tips for Safe Travels

Have a storm preparedness plan at the ready.

As a sailor, you have to anticipate every possible scenario you might encounter on your boat, even the most unlikely and awful ones. Having a plan to get out of such situations gives you peace of mind. You’ll also have a set of steps to act on so you can hop right to it when trouble comes.

If you often sail with a group of others, sit down with your crew and come up with a storm preparedness plan. You might ask some crew members to man the back of your sailboat and others the front, or someone might unleash the storm sails and others the luff. Whatever it is you want to do on your sailboat, make a plan.

Having a storm preparedness plan doesn’t mean you can’t ever deviate from it. In some situations, it may be more appropriate to heave-to or sail away from the storm, and if so, that’s what you should do. 

If this is your first storm aboard a boat, then it’s natural to feel nervous and very unsettled. That’s to be expected. Even seasoned sailors aren’t particularly comfortable handling storms, but they do what they have to.

If you’re captaining a crew especially, you must maintain your poker face. Internally, you can feel turmoil, but outside, you must be stoic, calm, and ready to tackle anything. Even if you’re by yourself, freaking out does nothing but misguide your energy towards your panic. You could also get yourself so worked up that you can’t think straight, causing you to make critical mistakes.

Remember the storm preparedness plan you came up with. Begin completing steps per that plan. Once that starts coming together for you, you should surely calm down. 

Besides feeling panicky, make sure to prevent discord among your crew members. They may have agreed to work certain stations when you created your storm preparedness plan, but now that the time has come to actually enact the plan, some crew members might get annoyed or argumentative about their assigned tasks.

Remind your crew that everyone’s lives are at risk until you can get to safety. That should help them recall that there are more important things to worry about right now than who gets to do which task. 

Wear Your Life Jacket

Make sure that when drawing up your storm preparedness plan that you remember to include life jackets in there somewhere. There should be enough life jackets for yourself as well as anyone else you have onboard your sailboat.

Not all life jackets are made the same. The U.S. Coast Guard approves of several types or classes of life jacket. 

For potential sailing emergencies, we’d recommend Type I, or offshore life jackets. These are ideal when riding in remote waters, rougher seas, and open ocean when you may be stranded for a while. The reflective tape and eye-catching color grab attention. Also, if you or a crew member were to become unconscious after a storm-related boating accident, a Type I life jacket would turn you over so your face is up and out of the water. 

You might also invest in a Type II life jacket, which is a near-shore vest. Don these life jackets if riding in inland waters where the conditions are calm and you may be rescued fast. You won’t necessarily be flipped up by your life vest if it’s a Type II, so all your crew members must be conscious when wearing this life jacket.  

Know How to Recognize a Storm

You’re no weatherperson, but if you’re a trained sailor, then you should have a knack for predicting storms. Well, predicting maybe isn’t the right word, as you’re using your senses to gauge your surroundings and determine when a weather event may come. 

How do you do that? Here are some signs that a thunderstorm could soon roll in on the water:

• The cirrus clouds travel quickly. If you don’t know, cirrus clouds are the shorter, singular clouds that have edges like hair. These clouds are also always at a higher altitude. 
• The moon or sun develops a halo around it. This is a sign of humidity, which is typically a predictor of a storm. Look at the brightness of the halo to get a feel for what kind of weather you’re expecting. If the halo is dimmer, the storm won’t be that bad, but a bright halo indicates very inclement weather ahead. 
• Look at the birds in the sky, especially the puffins, tropic birds, cormorants, frigate birds, sea ducks, and gulls. Are they all moving away from the sea towards the shoreline? That’s happening for a reason. A storm is imminent.
• Invest in a barometer, a weather tool that tracks your air pressure. If the barometer suddenly gives you a low reading, then the air pressure likely decreased because of an impending storm. 

Move from the Storm If You Can

Now that you know a storm is on its way, you have some decision-making to do, and fast. You can either head towards the open ocean or towards shore. Which choice is the smarter one will vary depending on how far you are from the shoreline and the storm. If the shore is 100 miles away but the storm is 25 miles, then veering from it towards open ocean is your smartest bet. 

If you have your heart set on getting to shore, make sure you have a clear path in that direction that doesn’t intersect with the storm. If your sailboat gets gripped by tough winds or hard waves, it could catapult into the shoreline, causing massive damage. Sometimes, it’s better not to risk it.

If Not, Lie Ahull

You can’t always avoid or maneuver away from the storm, especially if it comes on suddenly and you weren’t gauging the weather using the tips above. If not, then add the next three tactics to your storm preparedness plan as a Plan B, C, and D.

Lying ahull means you and your crew undo all the sails and lay them flat against your boat. This will prevent the wind from wrestling you in an unintended direction. Otherwise, you just sit and wait for the storm to pass.

Just because your sails are down does not mean your sailboat can’t capsize or that you’re in total control. You’re still at risk, so you should choose when you want to lie ahull strategically. If you’re expecting a day of moderate yet frequent storms, then lying ahull is a good idea. You and your crew can easily pull the sails down, and doing so doesn’t exert much energy.

Once the storms are finally over, you can begin making your way back to shore, hopefully without sustaining any damage to your boat. 

If you’re caught in a particularly nasty storm, we would not advise you to lie ahull. You’re essentially a sitting duck when you do this, so conditions must be relatively safe. Otherwise, you’re much better off trying a few other tactics. 

Or Use Your Storm Sails

For example, you can rely on your storm sails. If you’ve never used your storm sails before, here’s an introduction. The storm sail or jib attaches to an inner forestay, which is removable if necessary. 

Some sailors use a flat-cut headsail as a storm sail and others a reefed roller genoa. The latter is generally not recommended. Since it’s not flat, the roller genoa can become baggy when the sail’s draft moves. This can also make your sailboat heel.

To lift your storm sail when needed, use a halyard. Your storm sail should be sheeted so it’s in a close-haul position. Jot down where the sail’s track is so you can determine pennant length at the stay base. When bad weather calls for you to use your storm sail, you can then connect your pennant to your stay base, hoisting your storm sail when you do. 

The International Security Assistance Force or ISAF has published a set of rules known as the Offshore Special Regulations for Storm and Heavy Weather Sails. The rules encompass your sailboat’s storm sail, so keep these in mind when using the sail:

• Cut the luff by almost half (40 percent) when raising a reefed mainsail instead of a trysail.
• Measure the foretriangle to height squared. Then, ensure your staysail, also known as a heavy-weather jib, doesn’t exceed that height squared by more than 13.5 percent.
• You also need to know your forestay length, as the luff can’t be more than 65 percent of it.
• Calculate your foretriangle in height squared, then confirm your storm jib isn’t more than five percent of that.
• You must be able to sheet your trysail without the boom. 
• The boom length by the luff length must be larger than the trysail, which needs an area less than 17.5 percent.
• You can’t rely solely on your luff groove when attaching the storm jib.
• You cannot use a high-tech fiber sail as your storm sail. 

Or Even Heave-to

The third strategy we’d suggest when sailing in a storm is the heave-to. This is a means of stopping your boat, especially in conditions where the air is especially heavy and your sails could use a break. 

If you’ve never done a heave-to before, first, you want to trim your jib so it’s facing the opposite (and yes, the wrong) side it usually does. Next, you want to trim your main, doing so hard. By lashing your helm after that, your sailboat has steerageway. This is just the least amount of speed needed for your helm to work. 

Your sailboat, which moves up to get steerageway, will also go forward. This happens because your jib attempts to put downward pressure on the bow. Your bow then moves away from the wind, allowing the main to fill and propel your sailboat. 

As you move, your lashed helm should move you in the direction of the wind. Your main sail will also soften. That’s when the jib goes into action, moving the bow as it had tried before. Your main sail fills back up so the rudder moves the bow towards the wind. 

Your boat should be far enough from the wind, at least 60 degrees, that your speed is reduced to no more than 2 knots. Your sailboat also becomes more stable, especially compared to lying ahull. 

You may have issues with the heave-to depending on which sails are up and how blustery the winds are on that particular day. You might need a sea anchor, attached near the bow, to keep your boat mostly still for the heave-to. 

Never Sail Without Knowing the Weather 

Using the advice and information in this article, you were able to navigate your sailboat safely back to shore in stormy conditions. You and your crew all admit it was quite an experience, and not one you’d like to repeat again anytime soon. 

You don’t necessarily have to. Long before you ever have to look at the clouds and the birds around you to determine whether it will storm, you can use a weather app or website. We would recommend you make this a habit on the days you plan to set sail.

It’s not enough to check the forecast earlier in the week and then head out on the weekend. Weather forecasts change all the time, and you must be prepared. Look at the forecast at the beginning of the week, sure, but then also two days before you go out. 

The night before your sailing trip, check the forecast again. Look hour by hour to see what kind of weather is predicted in your area. If your weather service offers a radar, use this too, as it shows when storms may roll in and when they would be their worst. 

If inclement weather is on the forecast, we’d strongly dissuade you from sailing. Yes, there’s always a chance the forecast might be incorrect, but is it really worth chancing it? All it takes is surviving one scary experience at sea in a storm to say no, it isn’t. 

Conclusion 

Is a storm a-brewing while you’re out on the sea in your sailboat? The best way to avoid a storm is to never go out in inclement weather at all. If it’s already too late for that, then you can try a variety of tactics to get through the storm, such as the heave-to, lying ahull, or raising your storm sails. In some cases, you can sail back to shore or into open ocean to dodge the storm altogether.

The most important element of storm survival on your sailboat is the full understanding, communication, and cooperation among you and your fellow crew members. Stay safe! 

I am the owner of sailoradvice. I live in Birmingham, UK and love to sail with my wife and three boys throughout the year.

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Complete Guide to Storm Sails

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

Storm sails are popular safety measures that help you retain control of your boat in high winds. They also reduce the risk of knockdown.

In this article, we'll cover the most common types of storm sails and their uses. Additionally, we'll go over storm sail materials, cost, sizing, and tips from the sailing community. You'll also learn when (and how) to deploy storm sails at sea.

Storm sails are durable and compact sails designed for use in rough weather. They're smaller than regular mainsails and headsails. The most common kinds of storm sails are the trysail and the storm jib. Storm sails can be deployed alone or in pairs.

The information contained in this article was sourced from expert sailors and storm sail manufacturers. Additionally, we sourced technical specifications from reviewers and users of storm sails.

Table of contents

What are Storm Sails?

Storm sails are small and durable headsails and mainsails designed for use in rough weather. They are a fraction of the size of typical mainsails and headsails, and they attach to the vessel using a multi-point tie system.

Storm sails are almost always triangular regardless of what kind of vessel they're deployed on, which includes storm sails designed for gaff-rigged sailboats. This is because a three-pointed sail is durable and easy to deploy at the base of the mast. Three connection points are easier to deal with than four, and storm sails don't require the use of top spars.

Storm sails are typically bright orange in color to distinguish them from other canvas aboard the vessel. Additionally, high visibility material makes it easier to see the boat in dangerous conditions. This is especially useful in emergencies, and it helps avoid collisions with other vessels.

Storm sails are stronger than the rest of the sails aboard most vessels. They are designed to stand up against gale-force winds and heavy ocean spray. Most storm sails can be deployed rapidly without completely removing the mainsail or headsail.

How do Storm Sails Work?

The concept and function of a storm sail is simple. A storm sail is essentially just a reefed version of your headsail or mainsail. Storm sails provide propulsion in high winds, which is essential if you want to keep control of the boat.

Storm sails are useful because they are smaller than the smallest configuration of your typical sail setup. In other words, they give you a smaller sail plan than you could have achieved by reefing. During dangerous storm conditions, this could be the difference between a controllable boat and a knockdown.

Types of Storm Sails

Most vessels that carry storm sails have one for the forward sail plan and one for the after sail plan. This typically includes a trysail for replacing the mainsail and a storm jib for replacing the headsail. In some cases, vessels opt to carry only a single storm sail as an easy precautionary measure.

Vessels that only carry a single storm sail generally opt for a storm jib, as it can be easier and safer to rely on a headsail during foul weather conditions. Additionally, it frees up the mainsail for precise adjustments, as it's easier to reef and trim from the cockpit. The downside of carrying only a storm jib is that it requires someone to trek to the bow of the boat during hazardous conditions.

In addition to trysails and storm jibs, there are many sub-varieties of storm sails available today. Next, we'll cover a few of the most popular storm sail types and their intended uses.

Basic Storm Sails for Emergencies

Basic no-frills storm sails are available for typical cruising boats to use in emergencies. These simple, often brightly colored Dacron sails are easy to rig and compact for long-term storage. They are triangular and often flat, which makes them ideal for quick deployment.

They are the most affordable type of storm sail and often considered 'universal fit' for boats within a certain size range. In other words, you probably won't have to custom-order a basic storm sail setup for your production fiberglass cruising sloop.

Basic storm sails often come in a convenient and weatherproof storage box that's clearly marked for stowing with your other emergency gear. These are not the most efficient or durable storm sails available, but they're strong enough to improve your chances in a dangerous situation.

Racing Storm Sails

Storm sails have found a unique niche amongst some offshore racing sailors. Vessels that participate in offshore regattas in foul weather often rely on them to achieve high speeds. This is especially true in conditions that are too hazardous to deploy a standard sail plan.

There are not a whole lot of purpose-built storm sails for racing. However, many sailors who participated in ocean races choose higher-quality and more controllable storm sails. That said, ocean racers often choose storm sails with unique shapes and characteristics.

Racing storm sails are usually slightly larger than basic emergency storm sails. They often have a deeper reef and longer leech, which increases the size of the canvas and brings it closer to the deck. Additionally, these characteristics make the small sail more efficient and allow the vessel to reach higher speeds while retaining precise control.

Racing storm sails are often reinforced in key areas, which is done at the factory or after the fact by the owner. This is because they're more likely to be deployed more than once and left on extended periods. Sometimes, Racers opt to delete unreliable quick-rig features that are found on standard storm sails.

Custom Storm Sails

There are many reasons why a sailor might choose to have a custom storm sail produced. As far as cost is concerned, it's comparable to a typical custom sailmaking job. Custom storm sails can be made with unique dimensions to optimize their efficiency on a specific hull design.

Custom storm sails are sometimes produced with higher-quality materials than consumer models, which gives sailors additional peace of mind. In many cases, the unique design of some sailboats requires purpose-built storm sails.

Most sailmakers will produce storm sails upon request. However, you may have to provide additional specifications ahead of time. They can also reinforce consumer storm sails using high-quality material or make adjustments to provide a better fit for your boat.

What are Storm Sails Made Of?

Storm sails need to be strong and weather-resistant. Additionally, they need to survive long periods of storage in less-than-ideal conditions, such as in the bilge or under a deck hatch.

Modern sale materials such as Kevlar and laminates are strong, but they don't always perform well in long-term storage. As a result, storm sails are typically made with a thick sheet of good old Dacron.

Dacron is a popular type of polyester sail fabric that's found in all kinds of sailboats. The primary difference between a Dacron storm sails and run-of-the-mill sail fabric is color and thickness.

When to Use a Storm Sail

What sort of conditions warrant the use of a storm sail? This varies between boats, and also between captains and crews. But generally speaking, storm sails can be deployed in high-wind conditions when typical reefing and adjustments aren't enough.

The precise wind speed that causes you to deploy storm sail is impossible to predict without knowing your specific vessel's handling characteristics. However, storm sails are sometimes found in winds exceeding 30 or 40 knots.

If a knockdown is imminent, the best course of action is most likely maneuvering. It will be very difficult to rig a storm sail when the vessel is at extreme risk of being blown over. It's best to rig a storm sail when the boat is still under control, either by you or someone else.

How to Rig a Trysail

Storm sails rig up similarly to your regular sails. Precise installation instructions vary between boats and sail models, but you can expect to install them roughly the same way.

The luff and tack of the main storm sail (trysail) typically rig up using sheets to the spinnaker blocks on the mast. The storm sail sheet runs to a block on the deck and then to a winch, similarly to how a jib sheet would run.

How to Rig a Storm Jib

The storm headsail, or storm jib, rig up using an inner forestay or halyard. The storm jib is hanked on, and the jib sheet runs to block and winch on the deck. The storm sheet typically follows the same route as a regular job sheet.

Are Storm Sails Required?

Some sailors believe that the Coast Guard requires storm sails aboard all sailboats. This is not the case, as the USCG doesn't list storm sails on its roster of mandatory safety gear . The majority of sailboats don't (and probably won't ever) have a storm sail aboard.

While storm sails are not a legal requirement aboard sailboats, there are situations where sailors must carry them. Ocean races are an example of one such situation, as many offshore regattas mandate them. This is especially true in Northern latitudes, where rough weather and gale-force winds are commonplace. Most of these organizations don't require sailors to use them; they just require sailors to have them.

How Much do Storm Sails Cost?

Storm sails are typically affordable, at least compared to other emergency gear, such as automatically inflating lifeboats. Storm sail prices vary based on material quality, thickness, and size. Below, we'll cover the price and specifications of a typical storm sail as an example.

Our example model from National Sail and costs $640 . It's a conventional hank-on storm jib, which is the most common type. It has a luff of 28 inches, a leech of 22.5 inches, and a foot of 11.9 inches. It has an overall weight of 9 pounds. Based on its size, this model is designed for a boat around 40 to 50 feet in length.

As you can see, storm sails are relatively affordable, even for large boats. The prices you can expect to pay for a typical 30-foot cruising vessel are between $200 and $350, depending on the quality and thickness of the cloth.

Storm Sail Sizes

It's essential to find the right size storm sail for your boat. Storm sails vary in both dimensions and fabric weight (or material thickness). Most storm sail manufacturers produce trysails and storm jibs for vessels between 20 and 60 feet in length.

Are Storm Sails Necessary for Offshore Cruising?

The debate about the necessity of storm sails has been raging for years. The jury is still out whether sailors should keep one aboard. Some people swear by them, and others dismiss them as a needless complication when reefing and handling would suffice.

It comes down to your personal experience and judgment. Storm sails work, and there are many instances where they've been deployed and likely helped save vessels from knockdown or foundering.

That said, sailors rightfully note that they can be very difficult (and even dangerous) to deploy during storm conditions when captain and crew effort would be more useful trying to handle the vessel.

Storm Sail Use and Preparation

It's essential to practice with storm sails in windy conditions before relying on them in truly dangerous situations. Go out on a windy day and practice deploying and controlling your storm sails. Put a plan in place to get them up quickly and safely.

Make sure to wear a life jacket and harness when deploying storm sails or moving around the boat in rough weather. Ensure that you have a place to attach your harness along the way, especially in areas that you need to stand to rig your storm sails.

Also, make sure to find harness attachment points on both sides of the mast, as you never know what side the boat will be heeling when you need to deploy your storm sails. Once you're confident that you can deploy and control your storm sails quickly and safely, you'll be ready to rely on them as an additional safety measure in rough weather.

Should I Buy Storm Sails?

So, should you buy a set of storm sails? Again, the answer depends on your location, sailing conditions, and personal experience. If you live in an area where rough weather is common or if you intend to embark on an offshore race, it's worth considering a set of storm sails. For the price, storm sails are a cheap insurance policy for hazardous weather.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Maps and photos show massive rainfall in Florida as flooded communities face ongoing downpours

By Emily Mae Czachor

Updated on: June 14, 2024 / 3:35 PM EDT / CBS News

A relentless string of powerful storms  soaked much of South Florida this week and Friday's forecast predicted more rain will continue to soak sections of the state. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for Broward, Collier, Lee, Miami-Dade, and Sarasota counties.

The National Weather Service warned that even smaller amounts of precipitation could worsen saturated areas, triggering more flash floods on Friday. Patients and workers at a cancer hospital in Fort Myers were stranded Thursday afternoon because of flooding, CBS affiliate WINK-TV reported .

Images emerged of children traversing South Florida streets in an inflatable raft, adults wading through knee-deep water covering neighborhood blocks, and cars stalled while submerged and stranded in the middle of roadways. Meteorologists warned that an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain were forecast for Friday with higher amounts possible in some areas.

Officials said around 20 inches had fallen on Thursday afternoon in Hallandale Beach, near Fort Lauderdale. Videos from the Broward County community showed cars submerged to the hood. All Broward County schools were closed Thursday, and will remain closed Friday.

Parts of South Florida were under flood watches on Friday, with forecasters projecting additional rain falling on saturated ground for counties previously hit by earlier deluges in the last few days. 

What communities in Florida will be impacted?

A tropical disturbance triggered a rare flash flood emergency warning across the tip of the Florida peninsula Thursday. Parts of South Florida were hit by heavy rains and flooding earlier in the week.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service updated their risk profile for excessive rainfall in Florida's southernmost areas to "moderate" early Friday morning, explaining in a bulletin that "even moderate rain rates are likely to cause additional flash flooding, as any rainfall will be unable to drain anywhere, and will instead pond in place." 

Hazardous conditions continue tonight as more rounds of heavy rain move across Miami-Dade and Broward counties. pic.twitter.com/EAAWiMH06I — NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) June 13, 2024

Florida wildlife officials have said that alligators and other wildlife could become more visible in flooded neighborhoods after a hurricane or tropical storm. It was not immediately clear whether current flooding would bring them out in the same way.  

In addition to the governor's emergency declaration, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis individually issued emergency declarations for their jurisdictions in response to torrential rain and flooding.

Those declarations trigger a set of emergency management protocols that allow authorities, either at the local or state level or both, to access funds and other resources to respond to the weather. With the declaration in Miami, the city also set up distribution sites for sandbags, for residents to place outside the doors and windows of their homes to block out water, and opened nine public parking garages for people in flood-prone areas to leave their cars.

Another state of emergency was declared for the cities of Dania Beach and Sunny Isles Beach, as police and fire crews said they had conducted at least 40 rescues in Dania Beach in the midst of Wednesday's storms, CBS News Miami reported. Photos and video out of Dania Beach showed streets completely flooded, with water levels in some instances as high as a car tire. 

Many of those cities and counties braced for ongoing storms, and a flood watch was in effect for parts of Miami-Dade and Broward counties through Friday evening.

How much rain is Florida forecast to get?

Storms have already dumped massive amounts of rain on much of southern Florida, with the latest precipitation reports indicating over 20 inches fell in parts of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. These totals were just shy of the record rainfall total recorded in the state over the last three days, which surpassed 2 feet of rain in the Everglades. Along the Gulf Coast, reports show at least 6 or 7 inches fell in several counties this week, and as much as 10 or 11 inches fell in several of them.

This week's rainfall set new records in a handful of places, including some as far north as Fort Myers and the Winter Haven Regional Airport, which is about halfway between Tampa Bay and Orlando, according to the weather service. In Fort Myers, the city's latest rainfall of 5.44 inches in 24 hours eclipsed the 3.86 inches recorded earlier in the week, which surpassed its 2008 record-high of 2.14 inches. Precipitation records for Fort Myers date back more than a century.

Meteorologists said that parts of coastal Sarasota County , which sits just below Tampa Bay, felt the brunt of the Gulf Coast weather on Wednesday, with 6 to 10 inches of rain recorded in various spots. One rainfall report showed almost 11.4 inches at a location in Sarasota.

Despite the significant rainfall that already hit western Florida and the additional totals expected, forecasters said widespread flooding probably would not materialize, since precipitation would be coming in spurts and the breaks in between allowing water to drain. The primary concern was localized flooding and, potentially, flooding in urban areas. "Heavy rainfall is forecast now through the weekend. At times, this could lead to mainly minor nuisance flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas,"  NWS Tampa Bay  said Tuesday in a social media post. 

Model derived radar imagery for the rest of tonight through Thursday indicates that more showers/t-storms are forecast with highest coverage across southwest Florida once again. Remember, if roads become flooded Turn Around Don't Drown! #flwx pic.twitter.com/GjgnoQiv2L — NWS Tampa Bay (@NWSTampaBay) June 13, 2024

The agency advised drivers in the area to avoid flooded roads — according to  National Weather Service data , almost half of all flood-related deaths in the United States each year involve vehicles.

Although the Florida counties farthest south on the peninsula were expected to see the most damaging rainfall Friday, meteorologists also warned that the proximity of certain places nearer the Gulf Coast could still face substantial threats of more heavy rain and flooding, especially in areas where the ground is already saturated from earlier storms.

Alex Sundby contributed reporting .

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Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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Lake Michigan death: Woman who died after boat capsized near Winnetka ID'd

Teen boy also died Monday after falling from raft near Montrose Beach

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The woman found dead after a boat capsized Sunday night in Lake Michigan near Winnetka has been identified.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified the woman whose body was recovered Monday morning as 53-year-old Cristen Bolan.

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The office did not immediately provide any additional information about Bolan.

On Sunday, Bolan and another woman sailed from Evanston in a 12-foot sailboat, before it capsized at dusk.

Around 2 a.m. Monday, the other woman swam about 2 miles to the shore of Tower Road Beach, asking for help, according to Winnetka fire officials.

The woman told authorities Bolan was still missing.

The Winnetka Fire Department began a search-and-rescue mission shortly after the first woman was found.

After hours of searching, the Coast Guard found Bolan's body around 7 a.m., about a mile off shore, north of Winnetka. She was taken into Chicago's Montrose Harbor.

The sailboat was found about 2 to 3 miles off shore, according to the fire department.

This comes as crews have not yet found a man, who reportedly fell off a boat on Saturday afternoon near the enclosed boating area, also known as the "Playpen," close to downtown Chicago.

A teen boy also died Monday, after falling off a raft near Montrose Beach on Chicago's North Side.

Later Monday, a couple was rescued by a passerby after struggling to swim near Montrose Harbor .

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Mars Got Cooked by a Recent Solar Storm

Days after light shows filled Earth’s skies with wonder, the red planet was hit by another powerful outburst of the sun.

By Robin George Andrews

The sun fired off a volley of radiation-riddled outbursts in May. When they slammed into Earth’s magnetic bubble, the world was treated to iridescent displays of the northern and southern lights. But our planet wasn’t the only one in the solar firing line.

A few days after Earth’s light show, another series of eruptions screamed out of the sun. This time, on May 20, Mars was blitzed by a beast of a storm.

Observed from Mars, “this was the strongest solar energetic particle event we’ve seen to date,” said Shannon Curry , the principal investigator of NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution orbiter, or MAVEN, at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

When the barrage arrived, it set off an aurora that enveloped Mars from pole to pole in a shimmering glow. If they were standing on the Martian surface, “astronauts could see these auroras,” Dr. Curry said. Based on scientific knowledge of atmospheric chemistry, she and other scientists say, observers on Mars would have seen a jade-green light show, although no color cameras picked it up on the surface.

But it’s very fortunate that no astronauts were there. Mars’s thin atmosphere and the absence of a global magnetic shield meant that its surface, as registered by NASA’s Curiosity rover, was showered by a radiation dose equivalent to 30 chest X-rays — not a lethal dose, but certainly not pleasant to the human constitution.

While last month’s auroras were bewitching, they served as a reminder that Mars can be a dangerous, radiation-smothered place and that future astronaut visitors will have to beware. “These solar storms pack a punch,” Dr. Curry said.

Lava tubes — lengthy caves forged by volcanic activity — can provide Martian voyagers with hardy refuge from solar storms. But with the sun’s deleterious particles sometimes reaching Mars in minutes, earthlings will have to be light on their feet.

In other words, if you’re a Martian astronaut, “you’d better keep up to date on your space weather forecasts,” said James O’Donoghue , a planetary astronomer at the University of Reading in England.

When the May 20 mega-eruption emerged, it was immediately obvious that it was formidable. A powerful solar flare reached Mars first, bathing it in X-rays and gamma rays. Hot on its heels was a potent coronal mass ejection — a buckshot of charged particles from the sun. “They looked pretty fast to me,” said Mathew Owens , a space physicist at the University of Reading.

When particles from a solar salvo reach humanity’s home, they are caught in Earth’s magnetic field and spiral down into the north and south magnetic poles. There, they bounce off different gas molecules in the atmosphere, temporarily energizing them and unleashing bursts of myriad, visible colors.

Mars lost its magnetic field eons ago when its iron-rich innards stopped churning , so May’s solar bombardment was not intercepted. “There’s nothing to stop these particles plowing right into the atmosphere,” said Nick Schneider , the lead scientist working on the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph on MAVEN at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Subjected to a global pummeling, auroras ignited across the entire planet. The MAVEN orbiter documented a thunderous ultraviolet glow , while a light green hue would have been visible on the surface as it emanated from the atmosphere’s agitated oxygen atoms .

Some of Mars’s robotic residents encountered the more unpleasant effects of the storm. Charged particles hit Curiosity’s navigation cameras and the star tracker camera for the Mars Odyssey orbiter, inundating them all with static like “snow.”

Solar storms can also degrade a spacecraft’s solar panels. May’s maelstrom was no exception. “Everybody’s solar panels took a hit,” Dr. Curry said. She added that one solar storm like that of May 20 “causes about the same amount of degradation that we typically see over a year.”

None of the spacecraft were deeply damaged — and the scientific data they recorded has been warmly received. But these orbiters may not always emerge unscathed in the face of the sun’s fury. “The science team is thrilled every time we see these events,” Dr. Curry said. “The spacecraft ops team, less so.”

Using information from a scientist, an earlier version of this spacecraft misstated which orbiters around Mars were affected by a solar storm. It was the Mars Odyssey orbiter only, not that satellite and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

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Never miss an eclipse, a meteor shower, a rocket launch or any other 2024 event  that’s out of this world with  our space and astronomy calendar .

The company SpaceX achieved a key set of ambitious goals  on the fourth test flight of a vehicle that is central to Elon Musk’s vision of sending people to Mars.

Euclid, a European Space Agency telescope launched into space last summer, finally showed off what it’s capable of with a batch of breathtaking images  and early science results.

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Is Pluto a planet? And what is a planet, anyway? Test your knowledge here .

Xi calls for all-out flood rescue effort as storms pound southern China

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US soldier sentenced to nearly four years in Russia's penal colony, Russian agencies report

A U.S. soldier detained in the Russian city of Vladivostok on charges of theft and threats to kill his girlfriend was found guilty on Wednesday and sentenced to three years and nine months in a Russian penal colony, Russian agencies reported.

Why was Trump talking about sharks at a campaign event?

Trouble with his teleprompter forced former President Donald Trump to go off script on Sunday, leading to a rant about his active dislike for sharks during a campaign event in sweltering heat that sent six to the hospital in Nevada.

In a wide-ranging speech to 6,900 Silver State voters two days before the primary election, the presumptive Republican nominee announced a new plan to end taxes on tips . Trump criticized the company hired to help organize the event as he struggled with his teleprompter and brought up allegations he hasn't paid those who worked for him in the past, saying, "I don't pay contractors that do a s--- job."

While his teleprompter was down, Trump, who frequently rails against renewable energy , described meeting with a boat manufacturer in South Carolina. His concern that electric boats' weight could make them prone to sinking led him to several tangents, including one about sharks.

More: Shark attacks in Florida, Hawaii lead to closed beaches, hospitalizations: What to know

"It must be because of M.I.T., my relationship with M.I.T., very smart. I say, 'What would happen if the boat sank from its weight and you're in the boat and you have this tremendously powerful battery, and the battery is now underwater, and there's a shark that's approximately 10 yards over there?" Trump said. "By the way, lot of shark attacks lately. Did you notice that?"

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

He described asking the boat manufacturer if, in the hypothetical scenario, he should get electrocuted or jump near the shark.

"I'll take electrocution every single time," Trump said. "I'm not getting near the shark."

The former president's fear of sharks is well documented, and he went on a similar rant about them at a campaign stop in Iowa in October 2023.

Prep for the polls:   See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Trump's comments on Sunday went viral, leading to widespread online ridicule and raising questions about his fitness for the Oval Office.

Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, as @rachelbarber_