Heeling

[jho11381]

What is the maximum heeling of a Catalina 22 with a swing keel before it capsizes?

[nolatom]

According to a Googled comment, the truth of which I know not, around 95 to 100 degrees:

Google

[bobperry]

JH:
If I were to guess I'd say 105 to 107 degrees. I think you should call Catalina to get an accurate answer. They will know.

[peterchech]

More important may be at what angle of heel does righting moment start to drop off. On many keelboats, after about 60 degrees the righting moment quickly disappears. Fortunately, so does the effectiveness of the heeled sails, but a spinnaker not so much...

[CapnBilll]

Unless the swing keel is locked in place once you get past 90 it will retract, thats one of the many reasons why it is better to have a fixed keel on the open ocean.

The boat may still have positive righting arm, but whatever force brought you to 90 will still be there minus the righting arm of the swing keel. Because of friction it may take a few degrees past 90 to make it retract fully, but that depends on whatever inertial forces are in play.

[bobperry]

Peter:
Generally the loads on the rig fall of once you heel past 30 degrees. But you are correct. A spinnaker can continue to stay filled well past 30 degrees. I think it is prudent on any boat to operate it at heel angles less than 30 degrees. It's safer and faster that way.

[RichH]

Originally Posted by CapnBilll

Unless the swing keel is locked in place once you get past 90 it will retract, thats one of the many reasons why it is better to have a fixed keel on the open ocean.

The boat may still have positive righting arm, but whatever force brought you to 90 will still be there minus the righting arm of the swing keel. Because of friction it may take a few degrees past 90 to make it retract fully, but that depends on whatever inertial forces are in play.

VERY good advice for keeping the swing keel LOCKED on a C22. Once the boat goes beyond 90° the keel 'can' self-retract, and the boat can then 'invert', eventually with the mast 'straight down in the water'.
I did a rescue on a C22 a long time ago, with the sailor still inside the inverted hull. Needless to say the rescue was 'interesting' as the sailor was a non-swimmer and had his PFD on .... and was thoroughly 'terrified'.

[peterchech]

Originally Posted by RichH

VERY good advice for keeping the wing keel LOCKED on a C22. Once the boat goes beyond 90° the keel 'can' self-retract, and the boat can then 'invert', eventually with the mast 'straight down in the water'.
I did a rescue on a C22 a long time ago, with the sailor still inside the inverted hull. Needless to say the rescue was 'interesting' as the sailor was a non-swimmer and had his PFD on .... and was thoroughly 'terrified'.

Does a C-22 have positive flotation?

[peterchech]

Originally Posted by bobperry

Peter:
Generally the loads on the rig fall of once you heel past 30 degrees. But you are correct. A spinnaker can continue to stay filled well past 30 degrees. I think it is prudent on any boat to operate it at heel angles less than 30 degrees. It's safer and faster that way.

Not to mention if the momentum of the heeling force causes a knockdown, filling the sails with water...

Bob, I never understood why righting moment drops off before 90 degrees of heel. Shouldn't it get higher and higher up to 90 degrees? Essentially, the keel is acting as a fulcrum, with the center of buoyancy of the hull acting as the pivot point. This should mean righting moment increases up to 90 degrees, no less than that... right?

[Barquito]

Does a C-22 have positive flotation?

No. Keelboat sailors get in trouble on the C22 if they are not prepared to ease sheets in a puff. In strong winds the C22 behaves more like a dinghy. In a knock-down water could enter quickly through the ventilation ports on the stern quarters, unlatched lockers, and open hatch boards. OTOH, they tend to round-up quickly when heeled. So, the most likely scenario is you get hit with a sudden puff, heel quickly, fall to the cockpit floor, get up to find you are sitting pretty, head-to-wind. (don't ask me how I know)