Dealing with the Weather

The best way to handle rough weather is to avoid it all together. This may not be practical on extended cruises, and in any case every captain should be prepared.

As boats vary in design and size, the precautions a captain needs to perform to protect his boat and his crew when the weather gets severe depends on the boat and it’s condition as well as who’s operating it.  Before you set out, you make your crew/ passengers know what to do, and what not to do, when encountering extreme weather.

For the casual, recreational boater, the best plan is to head to port and wait until the weather is better; but even then, you still might get caught in a squall before you get there.  In any case, there’s no excuse to be caught unprepared. Good captains will make sure the weather is right for a cruise before they debark, but even then, there’s no guarantee the weather won’t change once you’re underway. Making sure your crew/passengers are prepared and know what to do as you head to port and schedule another day to sail.

If you do get caught, make sure everyone knows what to do, and what not to do. Make sure everyone is keeping low in the boat, not moving around unnecessarily and that everyone is wearing a PFD. Don’t assume that a small a quall won’t turn into a major storm. Head to port; the water will still be there next time, so make sure everyone on board is to.

Don’t assume your boat can handle bad weather. Make sure your boat is well maintained and also protected with high quality Canvas Coverings from CMC Canvas LLC.