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Was any one caught in that storm here in Boston?? We were anchored off of Middle Brewster when the storm hit. We tracked it on radar and felt it safer to stay put. Then it turned to the west and headed toward us. Winds hit 60 to 65 MPH. Our friends on a 42' sail boat, his plow type anchor pulled free. He hit the rocks, Sea Tow pulled him off and towed him back.

We thought if our anchor pulled out too, worst case, grab the portable VHF and swim to the island. (Another reason to have a fixed & portable). I did have the engine running the whole time if it did. The anchor held, it slipped about 100 feet. The storm lasted about 45min and to slip that little, I was happy! It bit so hard, I had a hard time retrieving it.

never never never never never anchor in a big storm!!! That's how boats capsize and people die. Always motor at a 45* angle to the waves. They teach you this in boating 101 safety course. Anchoring is only last resort if your engine dies, and at that point you should have already pressed the distress button on your VHF and/or activated your EPIRB.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

Well you are wrong, I don't know what school you went to. That may apply in 50plus depth, not sure on that one. In fact, as Sea Tow pulled our friend's of the rocks, the U.S.C.G. was there. They said nothing to us, since things were as good as they could get. We were in 11 feet of water off an island. I was not going out in deeper water as you suggest, motoring in a storm. For what, a longer swim in if it came to that. PLUS, IF YOU WERE TO MOTOR 45 TO THE WAVES. You have a better chance of capsizing. Now you are BROAD side to the wind & and the waves, with the wind and more so the WAVES pushing you side ways to roll you over. NO, INTO the wind!! This is also called "Heaving To" I am not saying this to be harsh, I just don't want anyone to think, "That is what you do, 45 into the waves & wind." NO! Thats more for sail boats.

Anchoring a small bow rider in a storm is probably a bad plan. But then so is being out on the water in a boat like that in a storm. How larger boats handle being anchored during a storm differs, quite a lot. These boats are not capsizing due to being anchored in a storm. Nor are they getting swamped, which would perhaps be the more accurate term for how a smaller boat might be affected in a similar bad situation.

Besides, in this case they were ALREADY anchored when the storm came up. One can Monday morning quarterback the situation to suggest whether or not that was the first mistake. But if you're already on the hook when storms come up you're increasing the risks quite a lot to suggest climbing out there, retrieving the anchor, dogging it SECURELY and then getting out of the anchorage area safely. That's really not a good plan.

If anything the safer course of action would be to pay out MORE anchor rode to help keep it secure to the bottom. Anchoring works best by having the load of your boat pulling as horizontal as possible against the anchor. The more line you have out then the flatter the curve will be. When storm waves kick up those start shortening the angle, leading to a much greater chance of the anchor pulling loose. Put out more line and ride it out is FAR better advice. But keep the engines running and be ready to cut that sucker loose should something like another boat start heading your way. Better to lose the anchor than have the rode get wrapped in your props.

I would NEVER get in the water unless the boat was absolutely sinking. Storm waves will drown you. A vest will not prevent you from being overcome by them. I would never assume we could swim to shore because it's "close". You only fire off your EPIRB when you're in a mayday situation. Not just when things are bumpy and everyone's upchucking. That may be terrifying but it's not an emergency. If you're adrift with a loose anchor then have someone onboard get on the VHF to the USCG and report as much of your details as you can. Like type of boat, color, position, name and number of passengers on board. This to let then know what they might have to be dealing with if you can't get things back under control. An EPIRB is for when you've already done that (or couldn't) and you have no other way to let someone know you're in serious trouble.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Bill, you are so right! My V258 did handel it well for that size. I had out, 120' of rode, including 30' of chain. I should put out more, but I did not think the storm was as bad as it was. Swiming would have been a last resort, to swim 300' to shore in 11' of water, not good. But better than motoring out and having a longer swim!

Wow! Sounds like a fierce storm.

I know the thread has been slightly hijacked but I was always taught if a storm comes in, its safer to weather it (anchor) than to try and race the storm or motor through it. We've been in some pretty ugly stuff, remained anchored and never had a problem. Whereas, during these storms you put the VHF on 16 and thats all you hear is people who didnt anchor calling in maydays.

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

There were about 6 ot 7 maydays in that 1 hour, now that you bring it up. Seatow, U.S.C.G. & the State Police were out there. I have to say, all 3 did a great job!

I think if you had proper rode and chain and were well anchored it would be safer than running through it. My boat sits on a mooring all season, we have had storms where we had 35 mph sustained winds and over 50 mph gusts and it and all the other boats moored there were fine. In fact, during TS Irene last summer, all the boats moored in our harbor were OK, we had max winds of a bit over 50 and a at least 4 foot storm surge if not more. We had pulled out boat out for the storm, but no one had any problems.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Yes we experienced that Storm, nasty. We are from Merrimack River up in Newburyport and brought boat down on thursday staying at Long Wharf. We planned to go back Saturday morning but kids wanted to hang out at spectacle Island. I started seeing reports around 330 but didnt get family together and underway until 430. We watched it the whole way and just beat it into Glouscester Harbor. We holed up there for 1 1/2 hours, heavy rain/wind. At 730 started to cease and decided to go rest of way but when we got out into plum island sound wayves were 4-6 feet quartering. A 40 min ride turned into 1 1/2 hours of rocking and rolling.

We did hear several distress calls, one in particular CG Boston got a Mayday from a boat that never reported again. We were hoping it didnt go down.

Oh well had great time in Boston, Red sox game, Scallop Diving (7lbs of big scallops)! too hot though.

glad you survived it. I know the water you were in and you probably did the right thing anchoring up seeing how shallow it is over there.

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2006 348 Vista
"Cruisin Home"
Hampton NH

Yes, "We did hear several distress calls, one in particular CG Boston got a Mayday from a boat that never reported again. We were hoping it didnt go down."

We heard the same thing! There was another boater that heard him loud & clear. Were the CG had a hard time (I did too), so the CG got the his location hoping to find the mayday. They were asking other boaters if they heard him too. Thats were DSC comes in!!

probably just a guy that got scared for a moment and then had second thoughts. Hope it wasnt just a hoax as it was a tense time.

DSC=good

also we have an EPIRB, also good

also we have dinghy which is our lifeboat!

Best thing= avoid the storm altogether. I kick myself in the ^&% for not getting underway sooner, and for not just staying the night in Gloucester.

We are going back down to Boston next week for the Fourth ou July fireworks in the Charles. last year was awesome (except when the fireworks barge caught on fire, but thats another story).

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2006 348 Vista
"Cruisin Home"
Hampton NH

I've had better luck leaving after a storm, but only after suffering from leaving too soon (at the behest of a passenger's wife). A sudden summer squall really tossed us around pretty badly. Had we stayed put it'd just have been wet. Instead it got bad enough I called the USCG to find out how big the storm was. You'd think that much horsepower would get through it, and you'd be wrong... I was. Even with twin 375hp engines the 60kt gusts were pushing us around like a bath toy. It was a full time job just trying to keep pointed into the wind and not get turned abeam. Meanwhile, I was running out of water deep enough for us because the wind was pushing us that hard toward shore. Thankfully it died down just as we were about a quarter mile from shore. Any closer and I'd have just turned to shore and run the boat up onto the beach. Better to let everyone out on land rather than risk it in the water, at least in that particular situation. I radioed back to let them know we were fine and headed back to port.

I don't know that I'd plan on a dinghy as a life raft, at least not for open ocean travels. For that I'd rent one designed for the job. Better to have one with cover, drogue anchor and some gear already packed. But I'd certainly take a dinghy over nothing, to be sure.

Which reminds me to check the battery on my EPIRB...

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

It can put you a little on edge!!


"Which reminds me to check the battery on my EPIRB..." I just renewed the reg on mine.

If you fellowed the storm on your radar, it turned and quickly at that.

The 4th on the Charles, too crazy for me. I don't mind the locks or the RR bridge. Just too many boaters at one time going to the same place.

I am from Winthrop & the Fleet Capt. at the Winthrop Yacht Club. If your going up the Charles, than you pass by Deer Island Light, thats Winthrop. On the way down, if you like to stop by for lunch or dinner. I can get you a slip for free for an hour or two. Our lounge has good food for a great price. Just let me know!

Thanks a lot Paul. Love to take you up on that offer sometime. I will PM you my contact info.

The Charles is a bit crazy but we get in there early and leave later the next day. Our kids love it though. The fireworks are the best.

Bill, I don't consider our dinghy equivalent to a liferaft, but it is the next best thing in an emergency. We do take it with us when we travel long open ocean cruises.

This storm was a tricky one, caught the weather people a bit by surprise. Supposed to be just late day summer rain storm but turned out to be much more. It was moving at considerable speed.

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2006 348 Vista
"Cruisin Home"
Hampton NH