{"id":11316,"date":"2010-05-12T20:36:21","date_gmt":"2010-05-13T01:36:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/setsail.com\/?p=11316"},"modified":"2010-05-12T20:36:23","modified_gmt":"2010-05-13T01:36:23","slug":"heavy-weather-better-in-sail-or-an-fpb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/setsail.com\/heavy-weather-better-in-sail-or-an-fpb\/","title":{"rendered":"Heavy Weather – Better in Sail Or An FPB?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the last few days the question of heavy weather has come up a couple of times. Would we rather get caught in a Sundeer 64 or an FPB 64 in a really bad blow? Lets put this in the context of a passage across Drake Channel, between Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica which we were just discussing.<\/p>\n

\"Tierra<\/p>\n

By those who voyage this is considered the worst stretch of water on planet earth. So which boat would we prefer in an ultimate storm?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Lets start by saying that careful planning, combined with not cruising on a fixed schedule, and the addition of a good turn of speed, minimize the risk of really awful weather. Take the example to Antarctica. We’re talking just 2.5 days to cover the 600 miles.<\/p>\n

But what if we do get caught?<\/p>\n

When we were researching Surviving the Storm<\/em> we heard the same thing over and over. Once conditions became truly dangerous, the best tactic was sailing or motorsailing into the wind and waves. This was true in the Queen’s Birthday Storm, the 1998 Sydney Hobart blow, as well as other examples from different parts of the world.<\/p>\n

Lets put the question this way. If you are faced with sailing or powering slowly into breaking seas would you rather be in a low windage relatively high powered FPB, or a high windage (mast, roller furled sails, rigging) low powered Sundeer? That’s easy to answer, the FPB is faster, more maneuverable, and protects its crew better. Mind you, the Sundeer 64 is considered a marvelous boat in heavy going, but in our opinion it is no match for the FPB. And with the FPB there is no worry about the rig or roller furled sails coming adrift.<\/p>\n

There are other issues as well. Take the stability curve and capsize resistance of the two designs. Both are designed to skid off with a breaking crest. Our guess is that the lighter displacement of the Sundeer, and advantage in skidding this brings, would be offset by the difference in keel\/rudder where the FPB has the advantage.<\/p>\n

In terms of being able to absorb wave impact the FPB has two things going for it: first is the heavier displacement, at least a 40% more. Second is a stability curve which is almost as high at 90 degrees as it is at the 60 degree peak (the Sundeer 64 has a more conventional curve which maxes out around 60 degrees, then falls of sharply to its limit of around 125 degrees.<\/p>\n

Part of this discussion was triggered by the comment of a professional sailor who frequents the Drake Channel, that you would be crazy crossing in a 65 foot\/20m power boat. We agree, in a conventional trawler, with a limit of heel of at best 65 to 70 degrees before capsize, we would not want to chance it either. But compared to conventional motor yachts, and sailboats the FPB has:<\/p>\n