For every wind speed, there are a host of boat noises that go along with it. Below 20 knots, there’s really not a lot happening in the rigging. However, once we get into the mid-20’s we start hearing distinctive wind-whistling noises and certain lines in the rig decide to “wap, wap, wap” against a mast or shroud if they haven’t been properly tightened down or tied away from the masts. As an aside here, I must note that “wap, wap, wap” against a wood mast is quite distinctive and must less grating on the nerves than the “clang, clang, clang” of similar lines against an aluminum mast.
Once the wind is in the 30’s, there’s a whole ‘nuther host of sounds. The wind-whistling turns up and becomes more howling along with some higher pitched whistling just to let you know that things are a bit more “serious” now. The previously well secured lines in the rig will find a way to again “wap, wap, wap” and blocks will fight to bang against anything close by. So, again, things have to be secured more tightly against the rigging pins and sometimes a line tied more stoutly on the main halyard to bring it away from the mainmast. Surprisingly, the throat halyard of the foresail does best set a bit loose. It moves around and about but doesn’t allow the block at the top to hit the mast that way. If that halyard is too tightly set, an oscillation ensures and “bang, bang, bang” the big triple block hits against the mast and we have to loosen up that halyard a bit more. So some things loose and some things tight–it is dynamic.
This morning, we’re hearing 20-something winds with a few excursions up around 30 knots. With the patter and smatter of rain against the windows, it is surely a day to be inside, not out!
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Update… 1:35 pm
Ah, those sounds were getting more and more into the 30-something range, so I checked the NOAA weather. Yup, we’re now having a “Gale Warning” until early tomorrow morning.
"A FAST MOVING COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS
TODAY. GALE FORCE WINDS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT
THE OUTER COASTAL WATERS BY MID DAY AND THE INNER COASTAL WATERS BY
EARLY AFTERNOON. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
NIGHT. WIND GUSTS MAY BE NEAR STORM FORCE...50 KNOTS...THIS
EVENING. COMBINED SEAS OVER 10 FEET ARE LIKELY DUE TO WIND WAVES
AND A NORTHWEST SWELL. ROUGH SEAS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY
MORNING."
