spartonboat1
Legendary Member
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2005
- Messages
- 2,494
- Hatteras Model
- 43' DOUBLE CABIN (1970 - 1984)
I earlier posted about getting caught in bad seas, in the Straits of Mackinac, between the bridge and Round Island Passage on Oct 10,2009- 55 mph gusts, steady 30+mph winds, high seas (8.5' avg). Well. the same conditions and winds came up two weeks later, on Oct 23- probably worse!!
Here are the official results: three commercial ferries damaged or affected. The newspaper reported many sea-sick passengers and passengers knocked around, during the ride.
The official report was 17 foot seas, steady 35 knot winds, gusts to 60mph. Three commercial ferries took a beating! A big catamaran lost his computer controls and was stranded mid-channel, until the on-shore staff talked the pilot on board through re-booting. Reported to have take 10-15 minutes.
One ferry lost an engine and limped in on the other. Some have tri-engines, but I don't know if that vessel was a twin or tri boat.
A third ferry suffered ",...blown out windows...", primarily in the form of large cracks. I am told she turned around and headed back in.
The owner of one ferry line told me that his pilot would not go out, which irritated the owner. He said he had made the run himself earlier.
My wife, the Admiral, noted that one of the ferries, went from Mack City, through the St. Ignace to Mack Isle passage, north around the Island, heading due east to the East End of the island, around to the south side, then back due west, south of the Island to reach Mack Isle Harbor. I verified this with the ferry owner. He said sometimes they need to do this, if conditions warrant.
And I was out in the same/similar conditions. My Admiral now admits she was praying, during our run. My brother notes that when I buried the starboard bow (water was even with the lee rail forward, although none came over the deck), that the starboard gunnel (spell check does not like gunnel) was only two feet off the surface of the wave surface.
I am going to modify my idea of weather forecasts and when I can run! I think 20mph is my future cutoff...25mph, if I get caught.
Here are the official results: three commercial ferries damaged or affected. The newspaper reported many sea-sick passengers and passengers knocked around, during the ride.
The official report was 17 foot seas, steady 35 knot winds, gusts to 60mph. Three commercial ferries took a beating! A big catamaran lost his computer controls and was stranded mid-channel, until the on-shore staff talked the pilot on board through re-booting. Reported to have take 10-15 minutes.
One ferry lost an engine and limped in on the other. Some have tri-engines, but I don't know if that vessel was a twin or tri boat.
A third ferry suffered ",...blown out windows...", primarily in the form of large cracks. I am told she turned around and headed back in.
The owner of one ferry line told me that his pilot would not go out, which irritated the owner. He said he had made the run himself earlier.
My wife, the Admiral, noted that one of the ferries, went from Mack City, through the St. Ignace to Mack Isle passage, north around the Island, heading due east to the East End of the island, around to the south side, then back due west, south of the Island to reach Mack Isle Harbor. I verified this with the ferry owner. He said sometimes they need to do this, if conditions warrant.
And I was out in the same/similar conditions. My Admiral now admits she was praying, during our run. My brother notes that when I buried the starboard bow (water was even with the lee rail forward, although none came over the deck), that the starboard gunnel (spell check does not like gunnel) was only two feet off the surface of the wave surface.
I am going to modify my idea of weather forecasts and when I can run! I think 20mph is my future cutoff...25mph, if I get caught.
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