what was the highest wind speed

I didn't realise that there were so many bosun sailors on
here - how else can you go sailing in a F9/10!!

I had beans for breakfast once... I think that was my highest recorded wind speed.

Originally posted by desteve1 Originally posted by USMIKE1 what was the highest wind speed youve ever sailed in slightly off topic mike and that so wasn't 1 knots, more like 25 mate

lol i put 27lol

My best recorded wind speed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6dm9rN6oTs

45 knots 20-ish years ago in a Sigma/33 in the Solent during a Winter Series. We only had the no 1 reef reeved because the forecast was not more than 20 knots. Forecasts have got a great deal better since then. The bottom six feet of the atmosphere was visibly full of spray, an effect I've never seen before or since. A J24 capsized in the same event and one crew drowned.

I've also skippered a Hunter 707 in what built to a steady 35 knots in Cowes Week. Crew said I was cool, calm and collected and I'm glad they thought that because actually I was pretty worried. It took a long time to come up from the single broach we did and getting the boat upwind to the finish was only possible by easing the jib sheets to a close-reaching setting. We finished the race and then took the knackered main to the sail-maker. They had plenty of work that night but we were sailing again next day.

In a dinghy - 30 knots in a Europe at Grafham. It looked completely innocuous from the clubhouse. Too much for me and the one time in my life I've needed the rescue boat to tow me home. Another sailor became separated from the boat, which ended up damaged on the shore - she was picked up OK.


Edited by Stefan Lloyd