Storm at Sea with Tom Cunliffe 

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?” !😊

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....

You survived and lived to tell the tale, and Tom you are a splendid storyteller. Many many thanks for telling us this one!

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.

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.

Nothing like a good yarn from an old salt to put the day right.

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

Cheers to an Absolute Treasure. What a beautiful human being.

He is such a pleasure to listen to. He describes things so vividly.

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.

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.

HalleluYAH! Thank you for the beautiful life experiences and wisdom being shared.

Oh good lord man, that sounds just brutal. I have goosebumps.

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

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 .👍

This was the most beautiful and fabulous RU-vid 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.

I haven't got a boat or a yacht but I do love listening to Tom .

I do like listening to Tom's experiences. Enjoyed this vid, keep on keeping on.

Wow. What a life you have lived. And what a wife. Most excellent. The comment "inspiring" is accurate. Just amazing. Wow!

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

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.

What a wonderful story teller is Tom, I could listen to him for hours. Thank you!

🙏 It is a pleasure to sit in the albeit digital comfort of your boats cabin and hear of your adventures.

I have no words. Thanks Tom

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."

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.

I was thinking of getting another sailboat , the question of full keel or smaller keels was just settled here , thanks Tom !

Tom, you are such an inspiration - thank you.

Christ! What a freaking story! You are a great story teller.

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!

Fantastic. Video, what a legend..

Wow, what a story!

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.

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.

Awesome I love it. Just having my cheap boat rerigged and I cannot wait to get out sailing after watching this.

I could hear Tom speak of old tales all day long, now, where’s my tea by the fire?

Well Tom, what a story. I could feel it all from the comfort of my office at home!!

How is this not the #1 sailing channel on youtube?

12:3 What a terrific photo!

Respect Mr Cunliffe.Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Thanks Tom for a wonderful story and sage advice.

Tom, you are amazing! Very inspiring! Thank you!

Totally enthralling and completely transfixed with this epic tale. Respect to you Sir and of course your Minister of Home Affairs.

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

Tom, lol 😆 this fella is hilarious!!! 🤣 my wife and I love! Absolutely love his way / manner of story-telling!! What a riot!! Lol 😆

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.

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

Thanks again for your legendary story's Tom ,who needs a TV when you have this channel !

So awesome that his knowledge can be shared with us.

It’s that moment where it becomes clear that the outcome is not a given here. Gosh what a story!

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)

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.

Amazing I could listen for hours

What a great time you had Tom! I just had a few minutes away from this strange time, thank you for that! Stay safe.

Fantastic story.

so much wisdom and common sense! thanks for great episode, again!

What a wealth of valuable information, thank you Tom!

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

Fantastic tale Sir !

Just what I needed before I turn in ..... thank Tom

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

thanks Tom, loved it

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

Formidable. Enjoyed every second. Thank you.

Great conversation, thank u for sharing your experience with us Tom

Thank You Tom, I really enjoyed listing to story.

It's been a true delight to hear Tom relate his experiences and his enthusiasm for life and sailing.

Truly inspiring and what a fantastic character too!

Thank you again for continuing to educate and inspire Tom!

Another great story. I enjoy these so much. Thank you for taking the time to share.

Just amazing! thank you so much for sharing these story, very much appreciated.

Tom, Many thanks for the inspiration you give the rest of us out sailing..... Stuart & Nicola

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

I could listen to you for hours…and hours….

Fantastic tale....thx for sharing!!!

Awesome Tom. Terrific.

"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.

Thank you so much for this wonderful vid.

Your tales are certainly awe inspiring. It shows what can be done with the simplest of technology and basic grit.

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!

Thanks for this Tom! Excellent information and a entering tale as well. The more I hear of storms at sea the more hopeful I feel to never experience one.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Q and A ! Good questions. Utterly compelling answers from Tom ! So pleasurable to watch this you tube video. Thank you so much.

best survival story ever

Tom, I’m loving these videos you are posting. Inspiring to say the least! Thank you!

I do be I could listen to every story you had to tell. Such an amazing story to tell!

Great story Tom. I did a crossing of Bay of Biscain in Force 10 in 2012 in a Swan 48, feelt safe and all Wass good. Love your RU-vid videos 👍

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! 👍🏼👍🏼💥🍻☺️

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".

"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.

Thanks Tom. I'm new to you but loving you more and more each time i see you. I came to know of your existence when i bought your book The Complete Day Skipper two months ago. Old school but with feet firmly in the present and a sense of humour. Thanks for your inspiration

Brilliant. Great attitude. Even more important today to throw the dock lines and escape. No fridge or water creation... a lesson there in resilience ....

Great story and great story telling! Thank you for posting.

Another great video Tom, the next best thing to being out there

Thanks for another great anecdote Tom. Very few sailers experience real storms as they have better forecasting today plus they never venture off shore. My worst storm was in Turkey of all paces. It was the first sail of the season. We were checking out of Turkey and I'd arranged to collect some new sails in Fethiye. I decided to take advantage of the 35kn expected and have a good run from Finike, past the seven capes. I had a couple of options as ports of refuge before the last stretch but at 1pm, everything was OK so we decided to press on. 35kn wind is OK from the stern in a 42 foot ketch but what I failed to allow for was the doubling in wind speed as we were now sailing one mile off the mountains that fringe this part of the coast. As you say, house sized, breaking waves and rigging that literally screams at you. Our little Walker Bay was on the davitts but the wind was trying to blow the thing up and over the boat! A massive wave broke over the stern and filled the dinghy making is so heavy it bent the davitts down. This was a blessing as it was one less problem. Even on bare poles we hit 12.5kn surfing off the mountain waves, our boat never goes more than 7kn, it was 13 ton! I had to hand steer for the next ten hours and can honestly say I was scared. If we had been broached we'd have been a gonner and even with EPIRB's, you would never have been recovered. The wife and I have been in some gastly weather in the Med over the years but this was an exception. Many lessons were learnt. Stay safe Tom and crew.

I absolutely enjoyed this video! It was both entertaining and inspiring. In aviation we might call this “hangar flying” but we always take something away from these discussions that are useful and could be handy on a dark night. Thank you again for such great content!

Great video. What a story!

Wonderful discussion. Enjoyed it with an afternoon coffee, sitting before my fireplace in Canada. Cheers, Tom, and keep safe all.

That was excellent. Inspirational stuff :)