How to Sail a Yacht in a Storm

Publication date: 20.06.2025

Modern weather forecasting methods allow avoiding unexpected situations at open sea with strengthening winds or approaching hurricanes. Careful monitoring of conditions makes it possible to wait out a storm in a marina. However, there are cases when movement during storm conditions becomes necessary, so a true captain must be able to handle a yacht in any unforeseen circumstances.

During a storm, it is extremely important for the crew to act in a coordinated and precise manner, working as a single organism. The captain's orders must be followed unquestioningly. Each person must know their task and have confidence in other team members.

The captain bears the primary responsibility for the safety of the sailing vessel during the storm, as well as for the safety of the crew and passengers. The calm and confident demeanor of the skipper is transmitted to everyone on board, boosts morale, and plays a crucial role in successfully weathering the storm.

Before the arrival of large waves, it is necessary to prepare the vessel for storm conditions.

Thorough preliminary actions will significantly ease crew coordination and the yacht's movement during the storm.

When a storm approaches, the captain has three options: evade the bad weather, heave to, or continue on course. The decision must prioritize crew safety above all else. In heavy seas, the chances of recovering a person overboard are extremely low—especially at night. Maintaining stability and preserving the yacht's structural integrity allows for continued vessel control even with damage.

All skills for sail and yacht control must be worked out by the crew to automaticity. Surviving stormy weather without losses will be helped by time-tested tactics, clearly executed on the captain's order.

Depowering the sails is done to reduce the vessel's speed or when navigating in confined areas. During a storm, the headsail area should be reduced and the mainsail reefed to minimize the impact of strong winds.

The yacht's movement can be altered by changing its position relative to wind direction. This is achieved by turning the bow or shifting the sails to the opposite side. Turning the sails or the boat's hull so the wind hits the sail's side edge improves maneuverability in rough weather. The sails won't fill as with direct wind but will instead hang loosely along the mast. The correct depowering angle must be chosen to prevent the sailcloth from striking parts of the yacht or flapping excessively. Proper alignment of the yacht to the wind ensures optimal depowering and stable movement.

A popular method of riding out a storm is to heave to, where there is no active movement, and the yacht drifts under the influence of wind and waves.

When planning this passive approach, it is essential to realistically assess the surrounding conditions, taking into account current directions and distance from shore. During high tide, it is necessary to move parallel to the coastline, while during low tide, the force of the water should be used to move away from the shore. Sudden changes in depth can lead to high waves, and it is advisable to stay clear of them. It is dangerous to remain in areas where waves and currents collide, as this creates particularly steep crests and troughs.

When drifting, the sails should be positioned so that the yacht remains in place without needing to anchor. Some sails are set as when sailing close-hauled, while others are positioned against the wind. This causes the yacht to alternately move forward and backward.

Windward drifting involves setting the mainsail parallel to the vessel's axis, which pushes the yacht forward. The hull's rotation is counteracted by setting the rudder in a position to reduce turning and locking it in place. In this case, the steering system self-regulates.

When drifting downwind, both sails—the mainsail and headsail—are used, set to a minimum and positioned to direct the yacht in opposite directions relative to the mast.

Drifting under bare poles is performed with sails stowed and the helm secured, positioning the yacht at a right angle to the wind. This method is used at the onset of a storm when there are no large waves and sufficient open space around, though it may result in heavy rolling. It is also employed when drifting under sails is not feasible. The yacht surrenders to the force of waves and wind.

Drifting under bare poles is typically used by solo sailors or captains whose crew, due to unforeseen circumstances, cannot operate the vessel. All hatches must be battened down, and all items securely fastened. An uncontrolled yacht tends to align parallel to the waves under water movement. The boat's displacement will be minimal, as wind pressure on the bare rigging is significantly weaker than in the conventional setup with mainsail and headsail. The reduced speed mitigates turbulence, but without sails or rudder control, the skipper must rely solely on the yacht's structural integrity.

A sea anchor is an elongated parachute that reduces the yacht's speed and aligns the bow with the waves. To prevent the device from being pulled out of the water by wave action, it's recommended to use a cluster of several small parachutes. Visually, a sea anchor resembles a kite with various weights attached to its tail.

If standard equipment is unavailable, all available ropes and lines with attached weights can be used as braking elements. Remember to batten down hatches and close cabin entrances to prevent waves from flooding interior spaces when washing over the deck.

To balance the yacht's position, a single headsail or just the rigging can be used instead of storm sails.

Dropping anchor from the bow is dangerous in strong winds - the yacht won't maintain a head-to-wind position, with the hull prone to yawing and jerking. The load forces during drift act at different points: hydrodynamic force is directed closer to the stern, while drag is applied to the bow. Meanwhile, the sea anchor pulls the yacht sideways. Drifting stern-first may endanger the rudder. In storm conditions, it's better to deploy the sea anchor system from the stern along with tow lines.

For a drifting yacht, breaking waves with collapsing crests are particularly dangerous, as their massive weight can crash onto the deck, sweeping away everything in their path. In such cases, the wave damping method using the yacht itself by creating a turbulence zone proves effective.

During sideways drift, the yacht's hull smoothes the water surface and creates a calm area behind it. Approaching waves break against this turbulence zone several meters from the vessel, while simultaneously pushing it forward and creating a new safe area. To achieve this effect, the yacht must drift at an angle to the waves, using a sea anchor to maintain direction.

Anchoring a yacht during a storm is only possible in a marina protected from waves and wind. The windward shore should be avoided to prevent the yacht from being washed ashore, as even the strongest anchor chains may break under large waves.

The choice of storm tactics should ensure maximum safety for both crew and yacht. Measures must be taken to reduce dynamic loads on the hull and rigging, prevent water ingress on deck and interior spaces, and minimize rolling and pitching.

Long-keeled boats with deep draft demonstrate better stability in storms. Small sailboats may weather rough conditions more easily than larger motor vessels.

The primary responsibility for overcoming storm conditions lies with the captain, whose professionalism and coordinated leadership of the crew determine the successful outcome in challenging situations.