Storm at Sea with Tom Cunliffe
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- Опубликовано: 15 апр 2020
- Tom recalls the worst storm experience of his life, many years ago in the North Atlantic in a 32ft boat with his wife. This video was suggested by Workfront.com, an enterprise work management company, and was presented originally at their lunchtime lockdown meeting via Zoom. The narrative is followed by a lively Q&A session.
#TomCunliffe, #YachtsandYarns, #Storm
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Welcome on board!
Tom
copyright Tom Cunliffe 2020
They just don’t make them like Tom anymore! What an absolutely inspirational man. I could listen to his adventures and wisdom all day.
One of my late friends, who sailed around the world in the 70’s - also without modern communication equipment (they had a VHF, I guess) - told me, that once he and his friend were sailing in The Atlantic in a 33 foot sailboat and they hadn’t seen a soul for weeks or met any other ship and the VHF of course were silent, cause the range is only a few nautical miles, they were taking shifts and after having steering all night he would wake up his friend to take over and he knocked at the cabin-door, and his friend’s sleepy voice sounded: “Who is it?” !😊
Hahah
A smart ass would’ve answered….. Joshua Slocum.
Wouldn't it be a great world if more people were like Tom and his wife ??
We listen to him tell his stories and for a short time we forget about these troubled times....
Thanks Rick for those kind words. I'm really pleased you're enjoying the tales. Tom
In 1982 I was in the Beaufort Sea in a Class 4 icebreaker and a rogue wave hit us. We were swamped and lost power and had to ride it out all night. Our captain saved our lives by turning into it head on. He was a Dutchman so hats off to him and the Dutch sailors who ply the seas! 👏 I should mention it was in late August we were stationed on the breaker and we dredged the ocean floor to build islands to drill for oil.
Tom is the master is he not?..Current terminolgy - A legend..but also true in the old language. A modest man of courage and humour - language both precise and yet with full, subtle meaning ..."offer it up"..the old phrase...can you imagine lying on the heaving deck....water slashing, up the nose stinging the eyes. rib cage taking a hammering..tired .cold...
scared/anxious... been there in miniature Tom..I be locked down with you and Roz any day..and I'd buy the next few jars for the pleasure of it. Thanks for talking and writing mate - you enrich our lives.
It’s that moment where it becomes clear that the outcome is not a given here. Gosh what a story!
HalleluYAH! Thank you for the beautiful life experiences and wisdom being shared.
Tom, you already know this but you have a wife and a half. To put up with those conditions is amazing and she deserves a medal. Stay safe.
Wow. What a life you have lived. And what a wife. Most excellent. The comment "inspiring" is accurate. Just amazing. Wow!
You are a REAL sailor. I’ve battled in 52 knots for 12 hours a that was a scary and tiring but nothing compared to you in “your” storm.
Warren s/y Legend
What a great tale. You are so right, don’t panic about where you are exactly, what do you know? As in land navigation or sailing, establish what you know and go from there. Good Lord though, what a rough voyage.
A great yarn! " ... And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over."
Cheers to an Absolute Treasure.
What a beautiful human being.
How is this not the #1 sailing channel on youtube?
You survived and lived to tell the tale, and Tom you are a splendid storyteller. Many many thanks for telling us this one!
Was in a full storm in February of 76, heading from Cadiz to Moorhead city North Carolina. Was a crew member on a 600 foot helicopter carrier, roughest I even seen on the Navy. We spotted a sailboat(roughly 35 foot) off the coast of the Carolinas I believe she was lying a hull On the radio they said they were fine, but then responded that our ship look in terrible shape. That spring I learned to sail and been daysailing and occasional big boat sailing ever since. I really enjoy your video’s
What a wealth of valuable information, thank you Tom!
Tom's wife for prime minister.
❤ to you both😉👍⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I sailed my 1965 Columbia 26 Mark 1 from Santa Cruz Island to Ventura, California with a steady 60 Knots with gusts to 70 Knots. 18.5 Nautical miles to the dock and tied up in 2 hours and 20 minutes. Had a tiny jib up and a triple reefed main and was leaving a rooster tail behind the boat. That was 1989 and now I am aboard my 1964 Columbia 40 in Mexico.
What a wonderful story teller is Tom, I could listen to him for hours. Thank you!
I have no words. Thanks Tom
He is such a pleasure to listen to. He describes things so vividly.
Great humour too.
Hello Tom, hope you are well. Thank you for having us aboard for the trip home.
You didn't mention this but having a VHF was a luxury few pleasure boats in the mid 70's could afford. It was quite frustrating to see another boat but not be able to speak them under most conditions. We did, however have the Zenith T.O. receiver for time ticks and other HSS broadcasts, and were always grateful that we were living in such modern times that we didn't have to guess what time it was or that we could plot a low so conveniently. I always envied the boats I saw in Europe with the Sailor sets, they were light years ahead of what American boats had.
We didn't need downloads showing where the jet stream was because tapping the glass with your pencil eraser or fingernail would tell you all you needed to know in the here and now. Turning your back to the wind would further pinpoint where the low was, without electronic assistance. Tom certainly wasn't living a deprived existence just because he didn't have a huge chartplotter touchscreen planted on the binnacle destroying his night vision.
Anyway, just in case people start to pity Tom for having to live through such dark times, one thing that he Did have was a comfortable boat. A vessel like that will simply keep going when you would imagine she would just wallow. So when he says she wasn't slow, that's not relative to just other olden boats of yore. He says 100 miles per day worst case because you can pretty much count on (with that waterline length) making better than 5 knots day in and day out. In Comfort. You could read, cook, sleep and everything without getting thrown about the cabin or off into the drink. These boats were the result of a long evolution towards comfort safety and speed. Without the gaff rig, or the just-so fullness in the quarters, or any number of things they featured, they wouldn't have worked as well or even at all.
Of course those lifeboat hull pilot cutters didn't sleep 8 in four double staterooms. No, most pilot cutters slept 16 to 24 actually and everyone had their own little curtained bunkroom to boot.
A lot has changed. Now it's like if you didn't average 17.667 knots for the passage how are you going to live it down around the ones who just gunboatted themselves some deerfeet in the race to paradise. Not sure, hopefully they'll be on a plane home by the time we anchor.
Thanks Marty for your eloquent appraisal. Really interesting stuff. How right you are. Just one thing, sailing pilot cutters were often worked with just a pilot, a man in the boat and a lad. They went out seeking. The French ones, like Jolie Brise, had more pilots because they were built to go out on station. You can read more about these in my book, 'Pilot Cutters under Sail'. A paperback version will be out in May. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns I shall, thank you Tom. Yes i pulled that number out of thin air, but I was thinking about Harold and Anna Sommers' Wander Bird. They would graciously would provide a bunk for anyone passing through Sausalito and might need a place to spend the night. I don't remember how many bunks she had lining her interior, but it was quite a few.
Bob and Ann Fewtrell gave me a berth once on Outlaw in much the same way, Open Arms to wayward sailors.
All of us sailors like to hear about storms but of course we never want to be in one. But hearing Tom’s tale of him and his wonderful wife crossing the Atlantic in that storm is absolutely fascinating. Tom is a great story teller and I don’t think anyone could tell it better. Wow
My type of sailor ! Thanks Tom followed your exploits in YM / PBO etc, for the last 25/30 yrs . Our old westerly 33 was full of spares , bits of wood ply etc huge tool box bags of nuts bolts everything you might need.
Sadly now had to stop due to health issues , just re read your article in YM 2014 .👍
Thanks Eliazabeth for following me all these years. I haven't written for YM for 4 or 5 years. Now I'm with Sailing Today, Classic Boat, Yachting World and SAIL (US). I'm also upgrading my website www.tomcunliffe.com. There's now a members area where you can read a load of my articles, watch vids, listen to my audiobook, join in a regular Q&A session etc etc. I hope you'll come on board for a breath of salty air. Tom
"A pair of dividers wound up stuck in the bulkhead over my head"...whether true or not, this is proper storytelling; conveying a sense of what it was like to ride out a storm under bare poles in a small sailboat in the North Atlantic.
Very useful presentation dear Tom. For me the key take-aways for bluewater sailing:
Do carry a set of handtools and simple materials such as nails and plywood.
Dont go out in the ocean in a 70 year old boat
Dont cross the ocean at high latitude post-autumn equinox
🙏 It is a pleasure to sit in the albeit digital comfort of your boats cabin and hear of your adventures.
best survival story ever
Nothing like a good yarn from an old salt to put the day right.
What fantastic story telling.
I could listen to you for hours…and hours….
I haven't got a boat or a yacht but I do love listening to Tom .
Tom, lol 😆 this fella is hilarious!!! 🤣 my wife and I love! Absolutely love his way / manner of story-telling!! What a riot!! Lol 😆
Fantastic tale....thx for sharing!!!
12:3 What a terrific photo!
I could hear Tom speak of old tales all day long, now, where’s my tea by the fire?
Thanks again for your legendary story's Tom ,who needs a TV when you have this channel !
Many thanks Adam for your kind words. Keep watching, there's more vids in the pipeline and a very special Christmas one. Tom
Fantastic. Video, what a legend..
Wow, what a story!
I was thinking of getting another sailboat , the question of full keel or smaller keels was just settled here , thanks Tom !
I'm pleased I've answered your doubts. Tom
Respect Mr Cunliffe.Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Awesome I love it. Just having my cheap boat rerigged and I cannot wait to get out sailing after watching this.
Thanks Jack. Have a grand sail. Tom
oh! Another Yachts and Yarns video!
Quick! Block all notifications on the computer. Block the phone. Grab an English scone and a cup of tea, and enjoy the story! Tom Cunliffe, our sanity savior in this lockdown!
Two of us arrived after 60 1/2 days at sea. We arrived with nearly 50 gallons of water of the 100 gallons we carried. Well fed and fresh as a daisy I might add.
This was the most beautiful and fabulous RUclips video I have seen in memory. So interesting to hear the link between life at sea and our experiences during this lock down period. There are without doubt lessons to be learned from these old masters of adversity who truly understood how their life was at the mercy of the next short but priceless moment. I wish you all fair winds.
If I ever had to meet this gentleman, I'd gladly spend hours just listening to him tell stories and share his wisdom about all things sailing. :)
I feel that way about a lot of our elders. So many good stories.
I love your story telling! You are a true treasure Tom. So glad you have chosen this venue and others for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
Very kind of you to say so Daniel, but it's a two-way thing. I couldn't do without you. Tom
Christ! What a freaking story! You are a great story teller.
Thanks for that. It's the sort of experience you don't forget. Tom
26:25"the rest is rather a long story" We've got all the time in the world, So go right ahead. A thousand likes from Maui. Aloha (we can fish in the lock down so I'm gonna throw a line off my lightning dingy tomorrow)
I do like listening to Tom's experiences. Enjoyed this vid, keep on keeping on.
So much to learn! Love this man and his words of wisdom.
Hi Dale, I’ve just found this fellow, this evening! What a treat
Wow to have an adventure like that... no gps no weather modeling no gps or epirb. you are just out there with your wits. Awesome thanks for sharing your stores.
Thanks Ken. I'm very happy to share my experiences. I'm just pleased that folks seem to like to hear them. Tom
"Looking pretty grizzly" haha... understatement of the century. My goodness I cant imagne it. I can saunter up and down the Solent but this is something else. . Wonderful story telling...that rudder fix, the deck......brilliant.
Chk out Robert Swans account of his Atlantic nightmare...its all good.
You are an extraordinary man. I have heard many fantastic stories in my life and lived some.butyou stand out with the galant modest way in which you describe that storm. It has taught me much about how to be in behaving and telling a extraordinary tale. Thank you.
Thank you Pierrick for those kind remarks. I really appreciate them. Tom
Can't beat a proper seafaring yarn: "the boat disappeared completely, the only thing sticking out was my head and the mast". Wonderful Tom.
Glad you like the ripping yarn! Thanks Tom
I really enjoyed it Tom, recounted in the true spirit of seafaring adventures. Reminiscent of Tristan Jones and his salty adventures. I've just discovered and subscribed to your channel. Thanks for making this material available. Fair winds.
Great video. Good chat. It’s what sailing is all about. I sail an old Robert Clarke built in 1951, commissioned by the Royal Engineers. Her name naturally enough named Right Royal. I am currently in Valencia. I sailed through the Med from Corfu to Valencia last year. Pottering rather than long passages. A few overnight passages. I find you meet the best people. Fair winds to everyone.
Great boats those Robert Clarke's and I love the name, Tim. Have a good potter. I'm intending to do that in Denmark in a few weeks. Tom
Tom Cunliffe - Yachts and Yarns .Tom, thanks for the reply. The original spec for the deck on Right Royal was canvas on pitch. It has been replaced with fibreglass. I am considering reverting to canvas on pitch as the western red cedar t&g deck is in remarkable condition. Have you any experience of canvas on pitch. I was thinking that the pitch would allow and take up movement? Best wishes, Tim
Fantastic story.
Tom, I want to thank you for helping me make a decision that I have be wrestling with since last Fall.
As a professional mariner for 40 years and now retired, you would think that this decision would be rather easy.
After being land bound for 6 years I got it in my head to undertake one more adventure on my own terms, to singlehand engineless to Greenland in 2021.
So off I went and bought an old Bob Perry designed double ender...Tom, here in the States we are desperately short of real Pilot Cutters don't you know. Well, about 6 months into the refit and mods to simplify ( out with the AC unit, hot and cold water, refrigeration, and useless modern conveniences) my head was turned by a past love that I sailed to the Maritimes in 76. This old love was a C&C 25....a complete 180 in the spectrum most would agree.
Now,a man should never own two boats particularly when one was a past love as this can cause quite a bit of friction both in the mind and on the home front. My wife had been most understanding but not being a wealthy man, reduction of the fleet is mandatory at this point.
It has been an agonizing few months as you can imagine....olds loves and glorious memories of my youth vs common sense, stability, tonnage, and good seamanship.
As I watched your video, memories of being in a storm in 1991 now famous as "The Perfect Storm" came flooding into my decision process. The Ron Holland 85 that I was Captaining that year did everything it could to sink as we limped into Bermuda.
So thank you again for helping me to sharpen my focus.
Tom Waite
" Beyond All Things Is The Sea"
Seneca
That's a tough choice to have to make. Hopefully she will meet someone as wonderful as you.
@@martyspargur5281 lol...Marty....thanks for the good laugh!
What a story! My tea's gone cold, I've run out of biscuits and I haven't so much as moved a hair for 30 minutes straight, just enthralling. Thank you for sharing Tom!
My pleasure Ruaraidh, but I'm troubled you've run out of provisions. Best get stocked up for the video I've just made about Jolie Brise (will be up soon). Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Restocking as we speak!!Looking forward to it. In the meantime, RUclips has popped up a story about your ancient anchor weight! Many thanks! Ruaraidh
Tom, you have the ATF (around the fire) gene active. This is what makes us human, tell stories, pass knowledge and share feelings. May the force be with you!
Thank you Tom, for sharing your experiences with us. Listening to you is like a great classic novel, that you cannot stop reading.
Keep on keeping on.
Cheers!
Totally enthralling and completely transfixed with this epic tale. Respect to you Sir and of course your Minister of Home Affairs.
Mr. Cunliffe you really are a legend! You really are locked down in Uk we in Malta are restricted to emergency errands only [those who are considered vulnerable ar 65 plus yers of age] here are others who are under mandatory quarantine. You keep safe! I donnot have your extended sailing experience but i had accidents and I always made tremendous effort to keep in control and avoid panic at all costs.
Great video. What a story!
I had to come back and hear your voice again Tom. Keep telling stories!
Thanks John. Really glad you enjoy my stuff. Cheers. Tom
My heart's pumping just listening to that yarn. It must have been terrifying. Still, you can't simply give up, you've got to keep going.
Sr. Tom, es mejor tener una quilla larga sin una tormenta, que no tenerla y tener la tormenta, me gusto mucho el relato de tu experiencia, y los que construyeron tu barco aplicaron en el lo que la naturaleza aplica en los animales , una selección natural y dura lo que mas aguanta y en su construcción no hay fallas de los anteriores porque ellos no existen actualmente.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Wonderful, WONDERFUL presentation! Mr. Cunliffe was fascinating in his story and so very well spoken one would have thought him a veteran of the stage! Great stuff, riveting, and so, so, so very informative.
Thank God for such men with wisdom as he!
Joe Keck, S/V Jenna Simone
Mr. Tom, it is better to have a long keel without a storm, than not to have it and have the storm, I really liked the story of your experience, and those who built your boat applied what nature applies to animals, a Natural selection lasts as long as it lasts and in its construction there are no failures of the previous ones because they do not currently exist.
Tom, you are such an inspiration - thank you.
Thanks Francis for your kind words. Much appreciated. Tom
Great story Tom. It just shows how times have changed. I can't imagine most modern sailors managing without GPS integrated computerised charts, sat phones, AIS, radar, powerful (reliable) diesels, fridges and freezers, watermakers, and daily hot showers. Not that any of those are bad. After all, it is supposed to be enjoyable. The only constant is the weather. 1 question on the storm. Did you not have, or consider using a sea anchor?
you mean there are (reliable) diesel engines out there? :-)
@@iainlyall6475 when I started, most small boat auxiliaries were 2 stroke outboards. As this usually required a position more usually adopted in prayer, you usually said one while you were there. It often didn't work. Sacrifices were usually the next tactic, followed by promises of love and care. The final tactic of cursing the thing did no good either. Learning to sail into an anchorage was not because we were good sailors, but bad mechanics. ;-()
@@barrydavies2977 did you try hitting it with a hammer? :-))
p.s. i like the entering harbour as a good sailor idea better :-)
Splendid stuff.
fantastic, such a cool guy.....many thanks
Thanks John for listening. Tom
So awesome that his knowledge can be shared with us.
Mr Cunliffe I could listen to you for ages , Sometimes I laugh but I devour every word, you say, I would say you having that confidence in your boat in your seamanship, and the fact you are never not doing something in those conditions
Fantastic tale Sir !
Thank you kindly Peter. Tom
I remember reaching across the River Tay in an autumn gale in a Cherub dingy with the kite up. Now I've been on the back of a pal's motorbike at 150mph but I have never experienced a sensation of speed like that Cherub.
Tom, you are amazing! Very inspiring! Thank you!
Thanks. You'll make me blush. Tom
Thanks for sharing the stories
My pleasure Rick. Tom
Very Good chat Tom
Thanks for watching Michael. Tom
Great tales of some amazing adventures at sea with your life partner, and you are both still here to tell us all about them, and what is to be learned from them. Wonderful stuff indeed Mr Cunliffe, thanks for sharing all that with us, very enjoyable indeed, cheers! 👍🏼👍🏼💥🍻☺️
How amazing ❤ you made all my years learning English well worthed 😅❤ I love this stories 🙏🙌 fascinating to hear and to learn.⛵❤️
Tom you have such a fantastic way of explaining everything and tell stories. Thank you!
It’s so good to hear stories like this about the gales and problems at sea. New sailors here but under no illusions of what’s to come. Thanks
It's been a true delight to hear Tom relate his experiences and his enthusiasm for life and sailing.
Wonderful storytelling to a great story, thanks.
It brings to mind the line in GORDEN LIGHTFOOT'S song "The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" .
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when waves turn minutes to hours".
so much wisdom and common sense! thanks for great episode, again!
Excellent stuff
Great stuff. Lovely to hear interesting stories first hand from such a friendly and experienced seafarer. We could listen to your yarns and tales all day. Many thanks indeed. Keep up the good work! William.
Keep telling stories. I could listen all day.
I can give you no higher praise than that you remind me of Jack Hargreaves, a fine countryman, broadcaster and told a story in gentle and compelling manner. Fantastic channel, many thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
Thanks Richard for your very kind remarks. Tom
When Tom talks of fear I think I heard the best example of how a person feels in those conditions.it was on a film about the last of the cape horners he says you are hypnotized you do it for the ship nothing else matters other than what the ship nedds
If t keeps tabs on these comments is this what you mean
Tom makes a very good point, that these days we seem to lack an appreciation for our ability to cope. We've become so used to technological assistive devices that we believe we can't manage without them and the utility they provide. Tom reminds us that we are far more capable and resilient than we give ourselves credit for.
Nicely put Jock. Thanks. Tom
I think you said it at the beginning...we left to late in the season....
I'm glad you lived to talk about it!
What a story I was so captivated by your narration of that storm I felt I was in that yacht with you thank you for sharing your experience Mr Cunliffe
Tom, I’m loving these videos you are posting. Inspiring to say the least! Thank you!
Really pleased you like them Carl. Tom
Great conversation, thank u for sharing your experience with us Tom
My pleasure! Tom
Another great story. I enjoy these so much. Thank you for taking the time to share.
That was excellent. Inspirational stuff :)
Fantastic :)