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Righting boat when it is windy

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2019 10:09 pm
by stewart
Hi

I found some issues today when righting boat, after it had got fairly windy as I righted boat when it was square on to wind I found I was getting blown back over as I climbed back on between gunwale and wing bar. Normally I don't have a problem with this in a bit less wind.

I got stuck in a loop of getting boat most of way up, then getting blown over before I got back on, many times. It was quite tiring after a bit !!!!!

I am 75kg. Downhaul was full on, initially, kicker was off- I tried pulling it on to see if it helped flatten top of sail - cant say it helped

Just wondered if there were any special techniques like going over wing bar, or getting boat fully upright holding wing then pulling yourself up on it that people use, or somehow getting boat to spin into wind more?

Stewart

Re: Righting boat when it is windy

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 12:00 pm
by avendit
Hi Stewart,

I've had problems with this in the past, also about 75kg.

The one thing to check that I found made it actually impossible to right in much wind was if you have a centering bungee on the rudder. Not sure if its still a thing, but to help us train to keep the steering smooth in maneuvers some of us used to put some bungee on the rudder to keep it centered. This or any other obstruction of the tiller/extension/rudder can stop the boat spinning to windwards as it comes up, so check that first. And check the mainsheet isn't caught on something?

Other than that it should be OK up to ~20-25 knots? More than that and I find it hard to get it past about 45 degrees. If that does happen then I find a vertical lift up the inside of the racks and straight onto sitting on the rack (opposed to the normal through the racks and roll into the boat) is best. Its still not upright, but its halfway there and you are onboard. It can be pretty stable like that while you gather yourself, then take control of the rudder and put some weight on the trapeze to fully right it and start sailing. Something like this has worked a few times for me.

I can't decide if controls on full or off would be better? Lots of down haul should depower, which is good, but I think the kicker needs to be off to let the boom out without hitting the water? Other thing I'm thinking is to try let the down haul off - this should move the center of effort on sail backwards, and help spin you to windwards??? I guess if you are stuck anyway some experimenting might be good?

Andrew
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Re: Righting boat when it is windy

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 6:17 pm
by DanV193
Andrew and Stewart,

Funny how we sometimes do the same thing for different reasons. The reason why I put bungee on the tiller is because without it in the event of a capsize I found that the tiller extension could end up caught between the mainsail and the boom. This could and did snap the tiller extension in two when the boat was righted and the sail flogged. This weird mis-arrangement can only happen if the tiller is rotated to the outer angles of its arc, so the piece of elastic is purely there to stop that. Don't know about others, but on my boat the bungee is never tight enough to affect normal steering.

On recovering from a capsize, I am somewhat heavier so take this advice with as much salt as you like, but I normally right the boat and then clamber up through the boat/ rack gap. This is probably not the quickest technique but it is controllable and helps avoid a mad scramble and puncturing the hull with your trapeze hook. I don't worry about the sail controls, other than ensuring the main is uncleated.

Re: Righting boat when it is windy

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 9:40 pm
by stewart
Thanks Andrew and Dan.

I do have elastic over my tiller and its fairly tight - so that sounds might be the big issue. I kept it on as it came with boat. I think it probably is holding rudder too central while bring boat up - I will loosen it but not remove completely.
Hopefully that sorts issue, if not I will try lifting myself back onto wing bar like Andrew was suggesting. If I still have issues will do as Dan says and get it righted all way then pull myself in the through gap, sounds harder work though ! I think it was windiest I have sailed Skiff in yesterday.
Sounds definitely good to know not to take off elastic completely as well

Thanks

Stewart

Re: Righting boat when it is windy

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 10:02 am
by mark.owens
Hi Stewart,

I had a similar issue when righting my boat.
I found that if the mast was in the water for a long period it would fill up with water... It would then be quite difficult to right the boat the last little bit.
As soon as I brought the boat upright the water would flow out through the holes in the bottom of the mast.

I have recently added some rubber gromits to fill the gaps in the mast around the shrouds and forestay. I know this does not completely stop all the water flow as the main and spinnaker halyard have large holes which cannot be plugged. However I have seen a huge difference in the amount of water escaping after a capsize.

It might be all psychological but it definitely feels like it works.

Thanks
Mark

Re: Righting boat when it is windy

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2019 12:08 am
by stewart
Thanks Mark
Good Point - I think my shroud and forestay holes are reasonably well sealed with RTV. Like you say water will get in from other holes though eventually. Thinking about it think the tiller elastic stopping boat from spinning more into wind is problem. I could get sail clear of water - issues were when boat was up at about 45 degrees.
Thanks
Stewart

Re: Righting boat when it is windy

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 3:26 am
by Bruce
If it is windy then max downhaul and vang to right the boat. The tail of the vang line is also useful to hold onto to help you stand further out on the board. Make sure the main in uncleated and the mainsheet is not tangled. You also need to wait quite late before you climb between the rack of the boat. I only normally get my body over the gunwhale when the angle of the daggerboard is too steep stand on. i.e. boat is nearly all the way up. If it really windy and you are still struggling then you can put one hand on the wing support (foreward one) and the other on the gunwhale, to pull yourself up into the boat (still between the wing bar and the boat). The hand on the wing support gives you more leverage to help keep the boat upright.

Re: Righting boat when it is windy

Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 11:11 pm
by stewart
Thanks, I was out in Skiff last Bank Holiday at Yorkshire Dales in similar conditions, I had loosened the tension on the elastic that centralises the tiller. This time I had no issues with righting boat as it seemed to spin into wind much easier, with the tiller able to move more freely Thanks Stewart