How to Navigate in a Squall

A squall is a sudden, violent upsurge of wind that may accompany rain showers and cloud cover to make navigating a boat difficult. The abruptness of the squall is what makes it so dangerous. If you must navigate through one, you should remain alert and in control throughout the event. Follow these steps to safely navigate through a squall.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Be vigilant. The best thing you can do to navigate a squall is prepare for it. Even if you only give yourself a minute or two in advance of the squall's onset, you will have enough time to prepare yourself and the boat for the coming meteorological lashing.
2. Get your crew in order. Make sure your crew knows exactly what's going on and what to do. You should have all hands on deck, wearing safety gear and foul weather gear. Assign at least one crew member as lookout so you can properly navigate away from danger areas and towards safety.
3. Adjust the boat's settings. If you're on a sailboat, do everything you can to reef or lower your sails. Leaving the sails up and in full position can cause injury to the crew and damage the boat. If you don't have that option, make sure that all your hatches are closed and that someone is ready to launch a lifeboat, if necessary.
4. Call it in and ride it out. Once you're in a squall and your crew and boat are fully prepared, call in the squall to local maritime authorities and other boats. Notifying other boats will help them and keep you away from possible collisions. For the rest of the squall, navigate confidently and hope that the sudden storm dies quickly.