Heavy Weather Sailing 7th edition

Product Information

Mid-ocean wavelengths will be longer but watch out for cross seas that can throw your boat sideways.

If the windspeed increases some other tactic such as deploying a sea anchor may be more appropriate. If you have been keeping your eyes on the sky, as all good sailors should, you will have seen the squall coming and have already made the necessary preparations discussed above. If you do plan to use a drogue, deploy it before the bad weather hits. Amongst drogues the Jordan Series Drogue receives a lot of praise from long-distance sailors. A more conventional and solid drogue should do it as well (e.g. Seabrake Drogue). Storm drogue vs Sea anchor

Real world experience

Learn to read GRIBs and understand how to route away from the worst weather. Photo: 59 North Sailing

Or use our wind forecast to find the wind speed today in Solent MRSC or to have a look at the wind direction tomorrow at Solent MRSC.We spoke to several shorthanded or solo offshore sailors with experience of weathering storms in waters most of us avoid. If the boat is still being over powered, it is time to reduce sail area. You do this by reefing your main sail and if you have a roller furling system for your headsail, pull in some of your headsail.