I just read about a fellow who was caught in some 15 –20 foot close period waves, 30 knot winds with gusts up to 50+, while some 40 miles (or so) off shore.

He dropped his headsail and under main only, pinched hard into the wind and rode it out. Being solo, he stayed at the helm, taking it on the nose for 20 plus hours, before getting to a safe bailout place. The waves grew to the height of his spreaders.

Though NOT getting caught in an unexpected blow is perferrable, my questions are for those who sail and cruise on a multihull....(you know, forewarned is forearmed...and all.):

(I sail a Stiletto 27.)

What are some progressive tactics one should be mindful of in a worsening storm for a multihull that's under 30 feet???

If it all hits the fan, what is the last resort survival sailing configuration for the boat and what tactic works the best on this boat?

Is it possible to get a multihull to heave-to? How did that work?

Do any of you carry a storm jib and/or stays’l? Is this handy in a real blow?

Though I don’t think I like the idea…has anyone tried lying-a’hull, with boards and rudders up as a storm tactic? How did that work???

Does the boat handle better in strong storm winds and heavy seas, by running or taking it on the nose?

Has anyone barepoled it and how did the boat handle?

Has anyone used a parachute sea anchor to park and ride it out, taking it on the nose? How did that work? and how were your rudders and centerboard positioned?

Has anyone used a drogue to park and ride it out, taking it on the stern? How did that work? and how were your rudders and centerboard positioned?

Thanks for your comments and Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Tom H.

Replying to Tom House comments:

I received this from long-time Stiletto sailor, Don Carlson, and thought others might find his added information interesting:

Tom ... Remember when people talk about wave sizes it is a lot like the size of a fish.

When your boat is being tossed around it can appear that the wave is as high as your spreader.

I sailed into San Carlos (Mexico) a few days ahead of the hurricane when it went through there last year, and the next morning I took my dingy out to the entrance and the waves were 12 foot and that's as big as I've ever seen sailing.

The day of the hurricane they were 26 foot, but that was after days of building and hurricane winds.

The worst I ever been in was in a Stiletto, probably 5 years ago this coming April. (During that expereince we encountered) recorded (winds of) 70 knots, sailing back from Refusio to Lobos.

The waves might have got over 12 that night but we we're anchored by the time the worst of it hit us... so we were below.

(It was) real noisy and we would get just slammed every 15 minutes or so until after 3 hours of that (we began) dragging our anchor and ended up 7 miles north. (Eventually)our briddle broke and we wound up on the beach.

(The lesson learned is) for a Stiletto, make your bridle out of 1/2", good quality, 3-strand nylon rode... (and) going through braking waves is not something you would or should do by choice. But a Stiletto can take it! Provided you don't get rolled over.

One thing you will come to realize in time is that the shore is the enemy.

We always sailed with a 12-foot diameter Para anchor and still do.

I should have stayed out and put it out off the bow that night; tie the centerboard down on the deck and lift the rudders out of the water; put all but the main away. In that mode, I, personally would prefer being on a Stiletto as well as any boat made. They’re tough and even full of water they float.

If you haven't been through any good storms yet, just remember, they are very, very loud and seem to go on forever.

(In a storm, never leave your boat, in favor of a dingy.)

A great rule of thumb is that you only step up into your dingy. Stay on your boat.

Read all you want about heavy weather sailing and the boats always out last the people unless they hit the rocks.

Get and read DDDB Drag Device Data Base by Victor Shane.

Once you build confidence in your boat and yourself, Sailing in storms is very exhilarating.

I love it!

I have a CD I put in and crank it up.

That's life at it's fullest!

I think I'm heading down next week to do a little maintenance (on a trimaran I bought after I sold my Stiletto) and try out my new prop.

A guy I know told me about a place on the Baja, where, in January, he has seen 4-5 acres of yellowtail on the surface. I've got to check it out, just in case it's true.

Good luck and keep sailing, Don

Replying to Tom House comments:
I'll second what Guy says about motoring straight into the wind and waves. We started out on a day that didn't seem too bad in the Intracoastal Waterway on Florida's east coast and ran straight into 3 to 4 foot waves at just the wrong period for the length of the boat. I don't think the winds were close to 20 knots but I was shocked at how high the bows went up over the waves and could see the wind billowing the tramp pushing the boat even higher. We had the main up but not pulling yet so it wasn't much of a factor. I quickly moved everyone forward and retreated back into the harbor. If I could have bore off slightly it would have been much easier but the lightness of the boat made it easy for the waves to pitch it up too high into the wind for comfort and safety.

I had a similar experience leaving the inlet at Port Everglades where more than half the boat was airborne over the steep waves coming in against the tide. Any more wind than we had would have probably blown it over backwards. I've certainly sailed in higher winds on many occasions (actually look forward to it) but am more careful about heading into certain seas under windy conditions. If you go offshore often or sail where conditions change rapidly, an open weave tramp is probably better suited to that type of sailing.

Altho I never hope to get caught in severe conditions, my plan of action would be to run off with bare poles trailing warps. I don't think using the motor on a stock 27 in heavy seas is a viable option as the prop will be lifted out. If I had a parachute than I would consider bows into the wind but otherwise no way.

Replying to Tom House comments:

Well Tom, I sail on a lake, so waves are not a problem, but we do get very high downbursts from thunderheads here. I had my Stiletto in a 10 Minute sustained 40+ knots one afternoon. I had dowsed the sails as I saw it coming across the lake. So I was just Motoring. I was trying to get into the lee of some land when it hit. Trying to motor straight into the wind, the Stiletto wanted to try to fly by lifting the front of the hulls up and getting under the tramp. It was very scary.

After talking to some other Owners and my own experience. I learned a few things. Having the center board down even just a little is always a good idea. It keeps the boat from getting blown off course and makes it much easyer to steer. NEVER try to power striaght into the wind with a standard tramp. I have since learned the boat handles very well motorpowering backwards into heavy wind. This of course takes one hand on the tiller and the other on the motor, which can sometime get awkward.

I have gone out in heavy wind to see how the boat handles under bare poles. I will say it does a pretty good job with the centerboard down. I have only done this in 30+ knots of wind.

I will also say the boat with no headsail and a full reef can handle a lot of wind and is pretty stable. The full battens make feathering
the main an easy job.

Every senario is different and these are just my findings. And I'm sure large waves will play into the situation.

I' am always looking and planning for what I call a "Bail Out" plan. I always have a plan in my head for what I would do if a storm or strong wind came up at that moment. Reef early and know mine and the boats limits. Have a plan for if you capsize. Put a phone or handheld VHF in a water tight bag you can get to if the boat goes over. Have everyone wear a life jacket if you think things might get a little hairy. And always have the will to say "It looks a little rough today, I think I'll stay in."

As someone posted, every situation is different.
Unlike another poster, however, I would NEVER play a CD in a storm: I feel I need to use all of my senses to figure out what's going on, and "going deaf" robs of of needed info to maintain my vessel's safety.
Having done 6 transAtlantics and one trans Pacific, along with dozens of trips to/from the Caribbean to/from NOrth America, in a variety of vessels from a 33' mono to a 68' three-master square-rigged engineless ship, to various high-performace cats and tris, I will NEVER go offshore in a multihull for more than the duration of a weather forecast without a good sea anchor. (I wrote the article in the Multihull data book on using a storm anchor in a Farrier tri). I don't tug on Superman's cape, I don't piss into the wind, and I don't go offshore without a parachute.
-Steve