80 knots = 41.1 m/s (148 km/u) = is windforce 14, hurricane = Peterson scale :air fully filled with white foam, watersurface completely white, no vision. Meteological describtion : serious destruction to property; Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale calls this category 1 hurricane.

100 knots = 51.4 m/s (185 km/u) = is past windforce 17, hurricane = Peterson scale : same as above but worse, Meteological describtion : total destruction. Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale calls this category 3 hurricane.

Hurricane Ivan in 2004 was a category 3 hurricane upon landfall and I think so too Katherina in 2005

The windforce is 16 times (80 knot) or 25 times (100 knots) stronger than when sailing at 20 knots wind. Even with only a mast (no sails) a crew (say 80 kg per person) would not be able to prevent a capsize even when fully trapezing/hiking on a H16 or laser 1, no matter what course except maybe directly into the wind

50 knots is right on the threshold of being able to lift a man of the ground and transport him quite some distance through the air. It is about the wind speed they use to simulate skydiving in one of those propeller towers.

And here we have two youths sailing happily along at 25 knots like on a summers day; all the while the RC in the rescue boat can't even erect themselfs for risk being sucked out of the boat. Mind you 100 knots of wind will put a sucking force of 60 kg (150 lbs) on your upperbody alone.

If anybody want to know how 100 knots of wind feels like then ask a friend with a flat back truck or large pick-up truck to do 115 miles/hours and then try standing up. The car must have some large engine to even get up to this speed.

The claims don't get alot more extravagant then this. Anybody bit 150 knots ?!

I say your windindicator was probably broken or the speed was measured in some ventury situation like on the outside of a building with the wind being forced to speed up to pass the building.

There is no way that I believe anybody sailed a dinghy in these winds and stayed upright. Sorry mate.

Wouter