What size mast head boyancy?

[stu9000]

Last season i capsized my Miracle sailing dinghy.
I was wearing the self inflating yachties style life jacket, which of course inflated. I was a bit slow getting round to the dagger board and could not reach up to grab it because of the inflated jacket.

Could have been dangerous if the reseviours rescue boat had not been around.
Silly.

Anyway, new more appropriate boyancy aid purchased and with a mental note to get to the dagger board quick, im still thinking of ways to stop it going turtle.

I could make a mast head boyancy bag easily.
2 Large 3litre coke bottles with the base cut off and epoxied together would be one possibility.

Or a bag of wine box bladders (I know, not v pretty, but light and strong).

But what volume of boyancy should i be going for.
My Miracle is 12 foot.
Lazers use a 9 litre bag i think.
Anyone know?

[JohnRPollard]

I don't have a calculation handy for the exact amount of buoyancy you'd need, but I suspect it would not be much.

What you see in a lot of junior sailing programs (on similar sized-boas to your Miracle), is a swim-noodle doubled over to form an oval loop and secured at the top of the mast. Not pretty, but functional. If you scroll down a bit at the following link, you'll see some JY15s so-equipped:

CBMM | Education & Outreach | Sailing

[merttan]

Tie up a couple of lifejackets on one side... That's we used to do in Turkey where expensive stuff is more expensive....
Better yet if you have access into the mast slide in some swimming spagetti things in it. That whould help...

[stu9000]

Ive heard sailing schools have used bits of polystyrene in socks too!

My Miracle is only 12ft
Stu lives here

I think around 6 litre volume would probably be enough.

Will test it at the reseviour.