62 Knot Squall Hits Spirit of the Winds | 2024 Rolex Middle Sea Race.

On Day 1 of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, Spirit of the Winds encountered a powerful squall with winds reaching 62 knots, accompanied by thunder and lightning nearby. Thankfully, the crew are all safe and well. They have retired from the race and returned safely to Malta.

#RolexMiddleSeaRace #RMSR #RMYC #Sailing #Yachting #Storm #Thunder

[ProfessorAV]

It's instructive, and I am grateful they made it safely to port and shared this footage.

[PaulieB-wimx]

Master Class in incompetence:

Main Trimmer, sitting like a bump on a log.
Driver not paying attention to wind direction.
Rest of crew attempting the impossible (reefing a main under full load)
Companion way hatch wide open with wind and seas from behind.

This video should be required watching for all new crews thinking of participating in ocean sailing as a what not to do.

[jlb]

Happy to see your film, it mean that you survive

[PPD]

This would have been my action plan:
1. revalue my abilities and my crew's (clearly not great)
2. at 50 knots, go head to wind.
3. pull down the main.
4. securely tie down the mainsail
5. securely centralise the boom
6. tidy the deck.
7. send as many crew as possible into the cabin given the lightning
8. turn on engine and head for the closest port given the wind directions and strength.

There is nothing embarrassing about abandoning a race and avoiding injury and boat damage.

[hummesse]

Hey everyone. This happened in a matter of a few seconds. You literally see the wind pick up a huge amount in two seconds. Don't judge. Most of us would be screwed as well, and make a lot of mistakes. Just learn, as they probably did.

[peterheiberg]

Besides not gybing might have been a good idea to close the companionway

[SimonChampa]

What is with the sloppy main reef setup ?

[simonmoore]

Usually by the time you think: "i should reef", its already too late!

[PerryQuinn-kedm]

Incredible seamanship the sail trim and heading are a credit to you hiding down below deck level must aid windage verry experienced heavy weather sailors, great to see you must be english

[ronkluwe]

Crew was lucky. Obviously in way over their heads for this level of weather. Interesting to see the helmsman only decided to clip on his safety harness after the snap gybe. Glad to see that all got back to port safe.

[verbatim]

Jeez.. not sure I'd want to sail Offshore with that Crew.. 😵‍💫

[bizeigel]

Big Dude was lucky the mainsail telegraphed it's gibe

[CCloudyR]

Oh my God! What a nightmare. Glad that you arrived finally save in the harbour!

[peterbryttne]

Scary enough. Sure some things could have been done differently. Not that many sailors have encountered squalls as powerful and as unpredictable as this. Apart from extremely experienced sailors I guess fear plays in too making rational decision making quite tricky. Good to hear that you made it home.

[matsohlsson]

Scary, no doubt, but not a lot of sea. Experienced the same thing between Bermuda and the Azores. The jibe was not due to a helmsman error, the wind swirls around and you can't really protect your self from it unless tightly sheeted.

[MotorpsychoGER]

The helmsman turns right without noticing it. You can see the other sailing vessel in front getting out of sight. With these waves letting the boat roll you always need some extra safety angle to not let the wind get behind the sail and do an unwanted jibe.

At 1:47 the guy looked to the stern and was only a second away from being dead. Some people have second lifes.

[kailaniandi]

Those lines look deadly. So does that technique.

[shanebouslough]

ITT classic sailor comments: "You're doing it wrong"

[aukword]

Wow, real juicy 'cf' there! A greater power smiled on the incompetent on THAT day!

[zackworrell]

Damn and I thought I needed more sailing experience