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Capsize Questions

4K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  73mensailed 
#1 ·
I have an old Coronado 15 that we took out for the second time this weekend. We had the opportunity to capsize. I got very concerned. The boat when turtle, loss its rudder and after it was up right, very difficult to get back in the boat. I am assuming that this happened because the mast filled with water. Is there a good way of preventing going turtle? I thought of filling the mast with foam and sealing all the fittings. Is there a good product on the market to assist one getting back in the boat?

Thanks
PaulM
 
#3 ·
Thanks, Good idea I''ll have one ready next time. I was hoping for a more permanent fix. The problem that I realized, after a day or two of reflection, was that the mast being full of water made the boat unstable and was impossible to sail. We got towed back to shore.

PaulM
 
#4 ·
Donald Crowhurst came up with an interesting anti-turtle device that involved quickly deploying floatation bags fixed to the top of the map and a sensor device below that would (in theory) inflate the bags if the boat ever tipped.

Of course, he went insane and jumped off his boat in the middle of the Atlantic before he could ever finish rigging it up.

Maybe the life vest is the way to go.
 
#5 ·
Paul,

I think your initial idea was the best. If you seal all the openings where hardware is attached to the mast, it won''t prevent the boat from turning turtle, but it will slow it down greatly, and give you more time to either right the boat or to attach flotation to the masthead.

When you see that the boat is about to capsize, step on the centerboard as it comes out of the water, and if you are quick, you can prevent the boat from going over, without even getting your feet wet. I thought it sounded improbable when a friend suggested it to me, but I tried it and it is not as difficult as it sounds.

As for re-boarding the boat after a capsize, my suggestion is that the physically stronger person should help the weaker to get aboard, and then the other can reciprocate.

Capsizing is one of the incentives sailors have to move up to a bigger, ballasted boat.
 
#6 ·
No one suggested a preventative measure before one gets into your predicament. By releasing the main sheet immediately, you''ll take the load off the (standing) floating rigging. This could give you a few valuable seconds to get weight on the dagger board to prevent the mast from deep sea diving.
 
#11 ·
a more sensible approach is to explain to the other half why we a. almost b. did capsize and show why a larger displacement boat would not do the same. worked for me she looked at some boats did some homework and then gave me the cash as a birthday gift to buy it she does not like heeling more than 15 degrees so I now let the sheets out a bit on my 35ft boat and we are both happy
 
#15 ·
When I was in a sailing club in South Carolina I saw an old beach catamaran with a large round fender sitting on the tramp and a line tied to it going to the top of the mast like a halyard. Being the smart @$$ I am, I had to make a comment to some friends about it being a tether ball for the kids on days it was too cold to sail. Someone that overheard my comment explained that it was for righting the catamaran when it turtles. The line is run through the mast and dangles under the tramp. When the cat turtles the line can be pulled which pulls the end of the mast up to the floating fender. Its not nearly as good of a solution as buying a new boat but it is a lot cheaper.
 
#16 ·
Excuse me, Denr, and others;

Seems to me, from the discussions about testicular fortitude, the best way to get a new, bigger boat by any wife is to hire a nice male skipper to teach her the ropes for a while. Why not? Let her go out for a few weekends with the skipper, showing her how to sail the new boat. If you want, you can go along on daysails, listening to him tell her she "looks like a natural-born sailor" while he''s standing a whisper behind her. Oh, and I know more than a couple of skippers for you. So, want a new boat? Want to make your wife happy?

What? What''s the matter?

Now why would this not work?

You just let me know when you want the skippers'' names.

:)
MaryBeth
 
#18 ·
15 Degrees of heel........that seems to be a magic number, as 15 degrees is where my wife goes into a panic. At 25 degrees the mainsheet stays in my grip. At 30 degrees I start to back-off as the divorce paper work begins to run through her mind.
She remembers my days of racing Hobie Cats and the Michigan winters when there was no ice for a day or so and I would be out.
Yes if there was wind I was out..if small craft warnings were up I was out faster..didn''t matter what the temp was.
Yes things have changed 6800 lb ballast and I don''t want to think of a turtle. But, 25 degrees of heel and a wave craching over the bow is just as much of a thrill.
 
#19 ·
After reading all the devious and methodical navigating that can be used to get my wife to let me buy the ''92 Mac 26s we have now, I feel so ashamed, she insisted we buy it. Darn no TF here, I agreed with her. Can''t argue when she''s right.
I would much rather not contemplate being "Tooter Turtle", so 10-15 degrees is just fine. Great fun without trouble, you know "cruising". Can''t do that with the mast in the water.
PS Hope all are having a great sailing holiday week-end. Happy 4th of July. God Bless America.
 
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