BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide
Storm or Squall Mid-Charter: What to Do When the Weather Turns at Sea
A darkening sky, wind picking up while you're already out: the right response to a storm or squall hitting mid-charter on a rented boat, step by step.
Cancelling a trip over a weather warning before casting off is one thing — watching the sky turn dark once you're already out is another. Our guide to weather guarantees and cancellations covers the first case; this one covers the second: what to do when a storm hits mid-trip.
Spotting the early warning signs
A dark wall of cloud building quickly on the horizon, a sudden drop in air temperature, an unusual stillness followed by a cold gust: these are the classic signatures of a cumulonimbus. Our guide to reading the marine weather forecast before departure remains the best prevention, but a regular check of the horizon at sea usefully backs up a phone app, whose signal can weaken offshore.
The right moves, in order
- Life jackets for the whole crew, before the wind even picks up.
- Reduce sail without delay on a sailboat, or slow down and lower the sun canopy on a RIB or motorboat.
- Stow and secure anything loose on deck, which turns dangerous once the sea builds.
- Head for the nearest shelter — a cove or a harbour to leeward — rather than trying to make it back to the home port if that's further away.
- Monitor VHF channel 16, on which maritime authorities broadcast active storm warnings.
The particular risk of lightning
On open water, with no terrain to take the hit instead, a sailboat's mast or a motorboat's VHF antenna becomes the tallest point on the water. A recent study of lightning mortality in the United States confirms that while deaths have dropped sharply since the 1980s thanks to better warning systems, prolonged outdoor activities such as fishing or boating remain among the most exposed (Marion, Lanning & Brown, Natural Hazards, 2026, see the study on Google Scholar). During a storm, staying low in the cockpit, away from the mast and metal fittings, beats unnecessary exposure.
Afterwards
Reporting the episode to the operator as soon as you're back at the dock is worth doing even without visible damage — a lightning strike can affect onboard electronics without it showing right away. Our guide to VHF and safety at sea covers the right way to call for assistance if needed.
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