Surviving a Force 11 storm with a series drogue
Tony Curphey, 74, completed the 2018 Longue Route in his Nicholson 32, Nicola Deux, sailing around the world in 308 days
There is no textbook procedure to follow when, in a small boat, you are faced with seas and winds which are a threat to the survival of you and your boat. Every storm is different and so is every boat and circumstance. I’m writing from my own experience of Southern Ocean sailing and about 16 deployments of my Jordan Series Drogue, four of which were on my last voyage as a participant in the Longue Route 2018. My boats in the Southern Ocean have been 27ft, 32ft and 41ft overall length in the past 17 years.
It is good practice to heave to by whatever means your boat will do that, even if just for a rest from gale conditions. It’s a huge relief to have the sudden calm. If weather conditions worsen, some sailors
