Capsizing fears

[WDS123]

A open keel boat is very different than the typical cruiser.

Green water coming over the rail on a open keel boat and you might swamp quickly.

We started putting positive floatation in the Harbor 20s around hull 145. Even completely swamped a Harbor 20 will still float & support the weight of 2 big adults

[Marcel D]

I have sailed everything from lasers to cats to small and large keel boats. I have owned a Sanjuan 21 to a captiva 240 each boat was very different. The Sanjuan was very stiff with a 1200 lbs displacement and 400 lbs in the keel, the Captiva 240 was very different as well very tender until 20% of heel. She stiffened right up and didnt move much pased that. She had a displacement of 2400lbs with 800 lbs in the keel but she was a keel center board with 2' draft where the Sanjuan was swing keel with a keel 5' draft. I have also owned a Beneteau 285 with a wing keel very tender as well 6500lbs of displacement and 2300lbs of balested. Our newest boat is a Beneteau 34 2009 with a displacement of 12568 lbs and a balested or around 3208 lbs in a 6' deep bulb keel. She has a very wide beam 12 foot for a 34 but it helps with stability. But once she goes she might be gone for good. I am very quick to reef and keep her on her feet she not only sails better this way but is quicker in all regards.

[ImASonOfaSailor]

My 2 cents! If its to windy for ya Reef it! if its still to windy DONT go out! if your sailing and u get caught in it then turn up into irons and reef! the more u heal the less speed u get and u round up! If you dont want to heal dump your air! Hold the main sheet play with it learn your boat! Healing is what they do those boats any mono, on cats we fly a hull, but you have to know when its enough flying and hold what you got! Just learn your boat in what she can handle every boat has a breaking point!

[DivingOtter]

on my Santana 2023 I have had some dicey scenarios singlehanded like burying the rails in a gust, but the rudder size makes her give up authority before it gets too out of hand. She usually just points herself back into the wind after a few seconds. Just make sure you have control of the sails and be ready to douse the main if need be or just point her into the wind if your outside your comfort level.

[peterchech]

As stated, an open keelboat is entirely different from a cabin keelboat. Just youtube "sailboat broach" and you will see what an enclosed keelboat, even with the hatchboards in, can typically withstand.

An open keelboat is different, because at a certain point the coaming will go underwater and at that point you will get downflooding. Make sure you have positive floatation in the boat!

Tha said, I think you are a little over concerned. 10-15 knots isn't alot of wind frankly, and getting the rail under is probably not unusual even in an open keel boat (I race against a shields and they often have the rail just above the water).

Install a clinometer. It's like $10 and worth every penny. You will know exactly how much the boat is heeling, and it will take the fear out of it. One idea as well is to fill up a dinghy with water, and strap some lines under it. Hook up your main halyard to it, and crank it on a winch until the boat starts heeling. Using the clinometer, measure the point at which the water gets just up to the coaming. That will give you an idea of how much heel is your absolute max in flat water.

[MITBeta]

I sail a Rhodes 19 frequently and have been out in 20 knot winds, gusting to 30. You need to know how to "feather" the boat into the wind -- ride the line between close hauled and the no-go zone. You also need to have one hand on the main sheet at all times in gusty conditions so that you can ease if necessary.

The boat WILL swamp if you keep the rail in the water long enough, but the only way to do that is to keep trying to sail it while broached. If you head up and or ease the main sheet, the boat will right itself before there's more water than you can handle in the cockpit.

Better than a clinometer is my 4 year old. She is always able to let me know when the boat is healing too far...

[smurphny]

Originally Posted by Cruiser2B

I am in no way an expert in sailboat design but seriously I doubt you have anything to worry about in 12-15knots, if at all. I have no experience with your boat but have read that they are very seaworthy and forgiving. I am sure other with real experience will chime in. My Alberg is very tender, meaning she will heel to just about 2" from the rail and then stay there even in gusts. It takes over 20kts and a unreefed main to dip the rail. It took a while to convince my wife that the boat wouldn't go over.

So true about Albergs. People tend to get scared because they heel so quickly. It's one of the standard complaints about these old designs, having to spend so much of the time on a severely angled deck.

[smallboatlover]

grow some ball and sail

[souljour2000]

Originally Posted by smallboatlover

grow some ball and sail

"Grow some Ball and Sail"

And that my friend's might be the new motto and bumpersticker of the US Sailing Assoc....only $4.95 + shipping ......hell might look better than that Obama/Biden or Romney/Ryan sticker much less whose lame kid is an honor student...has a nice ring to it...afterall though not exactly " I'd rather be sailing" ...but that's so late 70's anyways... Could even be shortened to: wait...

" Grow ball...sail" or even "Grow some...sail some"

Okay..my work here is done...

[SHNOOL]

Ok, I am looking at your boat with this picture:

I think you'd have to push REALLY hard to get water over that combing. But that being said, once you did, you'd have to get unswamped before she'd right for you. The rhodes is one tough boat, and sails good in a blow, you'd likely be upwards of 25 before you could heel hard enough to swamp, but like you said, rouge wave, or weird gust, it might be slightly less than that.

Does the boat also have positive floatation? not reading that it does.