Decision Made, Drogue Out
May 24, 2019
Day 231
Noon Position: 36 45N 60 57W
Course(t)/Speed(kts): NW 6 – 7
Wind(t/tws): SSW 20+
Sea(t/ft): SW 8 – 10
Sky: Low cumulus; frontal clouds
10ths Cloud Cover: 10
Bar(mb): 1014+, falling 2mb per 2 hours
Sail: Triple reefed #2, triple reefed main, reaching on port
Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good (nm): 89
4pm. Wind is increasing. The sky grows darker under scudding cloud. Seas are stacking up. And the barometer is still falling 2mb every two hours. I recall what David Burch says in Modern Marine Weather, that a drop of 2mb over three hours implies a strong blow coming.
I’ve made as much precious northing as I dare on the low’s SW winds, and as the day wears on, the scene becomes more intense than my read of the weather suggested.
I could try to sail the coming NW winds, due to be 35 knots by forecast, out and down, but unless I can take them on the beam, I’ll be headed back to the S for two days. And into a head sea of unknown size.
So, I decide to stop the boat and stream the drogue before nightfall. The boat should be plenty safe on the Jordan Series Drogue and I’ll preserve hard won northing.
The JSD is a marvel; it’s also a monster to handle; thus the desire to drop it while there’s light. And by 5pm it’s out; Mo is stern to the seas and tugging powerfully at the bridle.
There is some risk in this strategy. Strong winds will go from SW to NW over about twelve hours. How will Mo handle the confused seas that will produce? And the wild card is current. The Pilot Charts suggest there’s not much of any Gulf Stream action here. But the seas are big and have a somewhat “unnatural” appearance. Mo is also making 4 knots to the NW on drogue when 2 knots is more the expected.
Stay safe
Praying for your safety. Your skills and knowledge are a blessing!
Randall. Have you tried the Fiorintino Shark Drogue? I wonder if it would be easier to deploy and retrieve and still do the same job?? I think I saw it in a photo you sent so I believe you have one aboard.
All the best in this storm. You made the right call.
Hi Randall, best of luck with that blow. I am curious to learn how you attach the JSD to the boat. Do you have designed chainplates for that purpose? Maybe a picture clarifies your setup. Thanks and best regards from Amsterdam! René
Randall: I too would like to see the drogue attachment setup. Best of luck with the upcoming weather.
It was such a good decision – but the pilot charts are not really helpful when it comes to actual flow of the Gulf Stream and especially the powerful eddies – you were lucky to be sitting for 3 days mostly in one heading back north towards the stream itself. Wonder if you have been logging water temp, that is the best local indicator, although it does not tell you the direction of the current. The Tracker “Currents” view is an excellent real time assessment of the Stream, from NOAA data. Looking this morning you definitely have strong current under you in a good direction, and you are almost in the main Stream. Hopefully you will get across the Stream before the winds start to come from the north, which will quickly build up the “condominium” waves again! Cheering you on!