Then, of course, there is the ocean. The sound of the ocean rushing along and slapping against the hulls is constant and unremitting. It s comparable to sitting on a beach and listening to waves consistently breaking on shore. There s the occasional thunder of the bows snapping smartly as they rise to meet a wave and the sharp smack as a wave breaking against the cockpits. The winches occasionally settle with a powerful grunt.
Footsteps pound on the deck and echo through the hull.
There is all this noise, and more, occurring while the boat is simply cruising along. Whenever the boat needs to maneuver or turn and sail in another direction, the noise intensifies. Most of the crew is on deck, fully occupied with the task of sailing the boat. With six or seven people grinding at the growling winches, the noise level rises as the sails are pulled from one side of the boat to the other. Because turning the boat or raising a sail is such a noisy maneuver, no one can count upon hearing oral directions shouted from the other side of the boat.