![\"AVATAR_173.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/setsail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/AVATAR_173.jpg\" "\\"AVATAR_173.jpg\\""){kind=avatar}
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Steve Suters, John Gowing’s FPB 64-4 captain, has been kind enough to fill us in on some of the details of their recent brush with storm force winds (55 to 65 knots), steep seas, and a breaking entrance bar crossing. We have included the photo above of FPB64-1, Avatar<\/em>, as a reminder of boat scale versus the waves about which you will shortly read. A the end of the blog are two short videos.<\/p>\n As you go through the following keep in mind one key fact: this was taking place in an area of south flowing current, opposing the wind driven waves, steepening them and causing them to break<\/span>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n To give this context, here is a screen capture of video shot onboard before it really started to blow (35\/40 knots in this image). Note the shape of the approaching wave face.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n In the question and answers which follow our questions are underlined<\/span>. Occasionally we make comments after an answer within parentheses(). <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1-Can you tell us something about the conditions as you approached the coast and the wind started to build?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/p>\n 14.00hrs 85 miles to Coffs Harbor HDG-284T<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/p>\n Wind- W-SW 16-20.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/span><\/li>\n Bar 998 and just starting to rise.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/span><\/li>\n Outside the conditions were good. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/span><\/li>\n Signs of a few large squalls. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/span><\/li>\n Sea was about 4-6ft from the SW and nicely set up.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/span><\/li>\n![\"Osprey](\"https:\/\/setsail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Osprey-video-4.jpg\" "\\"Osprey-video-4.jpg\\"")
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