Y
ou know when you’ve been
hit by a rogue wave. The
energy within it is of a different
order of magnitude from an
inconvenient, but ultimately
pretty harmless, wave crest that topples
into the cockpit.
The first such wave I encountered was
more than 20 years ago in the Southern
Ocean while being pummelled by a
secondary low that produced gusts above
60 knots. Those on deck were swept to
the limit of their harnesses. Water
streamed through the closed washboards
as though blasted from a fire hose.
Fortunately we sustained no seriousdamage and were able to continue
towards our next waypoint off Cape Horn.
The second rogue wave was closer to
home – 130 miles west-north-west of La
Coruña in north-west Spain – and
immediately put paid to any plans other
than saving the boat.
We (myself and my partner, Kass) were
sailing two-handed in Zest, her one-off 36ft
Rob Humphreys design, having left
Cowes on 13 October 2015. We were
bound for Lanzarote, with the ultimate aim
of spending the winter in the Caribbean.
Although in long-term voyaging mode,
with Dacron sails and a heavy cruising
inventory, we’d effortlessly made moreFreak encounter
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rupert Holmes
is a freelance
yachting journalist
with 80,000 sailing
miles’ experience
in a wide variety of
cruising and racing
yachts. He has
competed in significant short-handed
sailing adventures including two trips
to the Azores, the Royal Western YC’s
Round Britain and Ireland Race, and
two Rolex Fastnet Races.
54 Practical Boat Owner • http://www.pbo.co.uk
LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE
Rupert Holmes recalls the dismasting of his partner’s yacht when
they were struck by a rogue wave, 130 miles off the Spanish coast