Bomb Cyclone Damage as Another Winter Storm Arrives

It ain’t over till it’s over. With another storm coming, it feels as if this winter will never end. And just as we prepare for the next wave of wind and rain to pass through, a few more photos have arrived, chronicling damage from last week’s storm.

There are things you can do to help prevent problems, such as wrapping a spinnaker halyard around your roller-furling jib to help prevent it from opening up and flogging itself to death in a blow. We heard of a good number of jibs blown open and destroyed in the last breeze. Double up on dock lines, use all your fenders, and make sure your bilge pump is working.

Then again, the fickle finger of fate sometimes puts things beyond your control. The wind angle and fetch can just work against your marina, cleats can pull out of docks, and a whole dock system can break up. The forecast for tonight and tomorrow again calls for rain and wind with southerly gusts up to 40 knots.

The spring equinox has passed, but continuing freeze warnings and winter storms make it feel that we’ll have to wait a little longer before we can fully enjoy the spring sailing season. And while we wait, check out this Storm Prep list compiled by Mary SwiftSwan of Afterguard Sailing Academy.