Self Rescue of Day Sailer

Moderator: GreenLake

Postby Guest » Wed Feb 04, 1998 1:00 am

Someone in this thread asked the meaning of "turtle". Yes, it is the condition of having the mast go straight down and the keel up, as opposed to the boat lying on its side. It is greatly to be avoided.

Steve Max (75264.153-at-compuserve.com)
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Thu Feb 12, 1998 1:00 am

in reply to eric pementier, I too own a daysailer II. There is air space between the back rests and hull, but no breach in the flotation tanks as a result of the openings for the centerboard lanyards. So you needn't worry about water getting into the flotation tanks through the lanyard openings if the boat goes over. The lanyard openings go directly into the centerboard trunk. They don't pass through the flotation tanks and won't let in any water.

john castellucci (caliban002-at-aol.com)
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Fri Feb 13, 1998 1:00 am

Hello All!

What a great discussion list this is!
Has anyone ever heard of Logan Daysailers?
I have a 17' daysailer, DS2?, self-bailing, double-hull construction, mast mounts on top of the deck (not through to below). I was wondering if it really is a Logan, or what? The benches and backrests are all one smooth fiberglass sheet. Do you suppose there are air tanks under them, or is all floatation due to the sealed double-hull?

Thanks!

Eric

Eric Bryant (erix-at-cybertours.com)
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Wed Jun 03, 1998 12:00 am

Eric,

I have an AMF Sunbird. It seems to be pretty close the a DSII and it also fits your general description (solid fiberglass, air under seats, cockpit floor, and bottom of cuddy cabin). Mine is an 81, 16'9" boat. On the bottom of the transom there is a screw plug that allows you to drain water from the hull.

As for turning turtle and such. I did it when I first got the boat. I'm glad I did. I never want to do it again. The cuddy cabin filled with water and turtled the boat. Even then, the boat floated very high in the water (thanks to all the air in the hull). However, this prompted me to do two things. Create a hatch cover that would slow down the process of the cuddy cabin from filling with water. Finding ways to keep the mast from sinking.

The boat was very exhausting to right. Luckily we were in shallow water. It made it easier to right the boat after dragging it to shore (by hand). However, I had to fix the mast step as a result.

Ideas for the mast included tying a life preserver to the top on gusty days, or and air filled gallon jug. Another neat thing I found was a gadget from Hobie called a "Baby Bob" that can be mounted on the top of your mast. It keeps your mast from going under - unless there is enough force to break the mast step (unlikely?).

But, it is does seem to be pretty hard to capsize Daysailers.

That said... Has anybody in this group ever heard of an AMF Sunbird? Has one ever been measured to see if it fits in the class? I've only eyeballed the measurements, but they seem very close. The only difference I see concerns the shape of the centerboard. My centerboard is the correct length, but the bottom of mine is square vs. the round bottom I've seen in the DS specs.

Sam Watters (watters-at-sgi.com)
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Tue Sep 15, 1998 12:00 am

This is to Sam Walters. Does any one know were to get a baby bob?Thanks

Nathan (Natedog710-at-aol.com)
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Mon Jan 18, 1999 1:00 am

I just purchased a '84 Spindrift DS1 and was wondering if anyone knows anything about this boat's capsizing recovery characteristics? It looks very similar to the O'Day DS1's in that the cuddy is completely open, but unlike the O'Day, the seat flotation compartments continue into the seatbacks and rails which are open in an O'Day. I also read in the original sales literature that the mast is foam filled to help prevent turtling... Any insight is appreciated!

Kevin Clark
Dallas, Texas

Kevin Clark (clarkr-at-aud.alcatel.com)
Guest
 

Postby Bob Hunkins » Mon Mar 29, 1999 1:00 am

I had a capsize in my Spindrift Day Sailer a week or so ago, and I have a few questions. According to everything I've read on this web site and other Day Sailer sites, I should have been able to right the boat, and bail her out. When I got the boat righted, the bow was pointing down in the water. I climbed up onto the stern and couldn't bail because the gunwales were awash. I had to have a power boat tow me back to the dock.
I noticed afterwards that the small plug located in the keelson or stringer that the mast compression post is secured to was missing. I think that if this hole lead to the bow tank and to the seat tanks that this would explain why the boat was so low in the water. Does anyone with a Spindrift or Rebel know about this?
Thanks
Bob Hunkins
Site Admin
 
Posts: 378
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 7:37 pm
Location: Fleet 25, Houston, Texas

Postby Guest » Tue May 16, 2000 12:00 am

On the subject of capsizes. I am a Rebel sailor "Ray Greene's Rebel class boat". It is very similar to the O'day and I am in the process of changing classes.
Most of what you are referring to as capsizes are in fact swampings. It has been my experience that the Day Sailor like the Rebel carrys so much main that it will always round up before capsizing. However, it will capsize immediately in heavy air if you back the jib. I.E., when tacking the jib does not get uncleated, or during a sudden wind shift the main is forced onto the new tack but the jib is still set for the old tack.
If you have experienced a capsize in some other fashion I would be interested in hearing about it.

Dick Grigsby (grigsby1-at-airmail.net)
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Wed May 17, 2000 12:00 am

Dick,

Day Sailers can and do capsize. At our Spring Regatta, we had 3 of 12 DS's capsize and I mean completely turtle on all three. At least 3 more boats took on so much water that they had to abort the race.

Of the boats that went over, one was a Uffa Fox 1st gen boat w/ plank seats. The guys righted the boat by standing on the centerboard, bailed the water, and sailed on w/ no help from the rescue boat other than the 5 gallon bail bucket. They never even lowered their sails.

The next capsize happened right next to me and it was a tremendous gust (35+ mph) which nearly knocked us over too. We took on 4-6" of water, but released the sails just in time to stay upright. I later talked to the skipper who went over, and he said that his crew couldn't release the jib quickly enough and the boat was basically knocked down on jib alone! Big gust, eh? Anyway, this was a Gen II boat w/ airtank seats. They had to be towed to shore. No bailing these boats as the water comes in as fast as you can bail it out.

The final capsize also happened close to me (no, I'm not bad luck) and this boat was backwinded on a quick tack that the crew wasn't ready for. It was a McGlaughlin boat and it was righted by the crew, but also had to be towed in. I'm not sure if they could have bailed it or not, but it was at the end of a long, scary, survival type race and I think they would have passed on bailing even if they could.

As to the nature of DS capsizes, I suspect in coastal winds where it is less gusty that the boat is easier to keep upright. Here in Texas, though, a high wind day will typically be 18-22 MPH w/ sudden gusts to 30+ MPH. If you don't see the wind coming and don't release the sails quickly, you're up on edge in less than a second and most likely past the point of no return.

Earlier this spring I crewed w/ a friend and we were knocked over when a gust hit us as we rounded the leeward mark of the course. We righted the boat w/o turtling, but my skipper jumped in too soon before we could ensure that the boat would stay pointed into the wind. The bow came around and the boat (w/ main still cleated) backwinded and came over the other direction and w/ us on the inside there was no way to keep it from going turtle. Unfortunately, the lake was only about 18' deep and his tapered Proctor mast ended up getting stuck in the mud and the top 3' bent about 20 degrees aft. He was able to get it repaired, but it's not pretty anymore!

Kevin Clark


Kevin Clark (clarkr-at-aud.alcatel.com)
Guest
 

DS I self rescue -- not!

Postby RandR » Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:11 am

I came across this old thread by accident and wanted to pile on. Many years back my folks had a DS-I and I was out sailing with a friend who was used to slow turning keel boats. He let go of the tiller during a tack, which went hard a-lee and the boat turned waaaay around to a wind-abeam position and got knocked down. He fell to leeward, which put the rail under, while I managed to get over the windward side and onto the centerboard. The boat came back up but it was completely full, the water having poured over the stern rail as others have described and it was so low in the water and wallowing that we could not clear enough to sail again and had to accept a tow which got us up onto an unstable plane and allowed us to bail effectively. No damage, other than egos, but it was instructive. That said, I have single handed without concern on windy days as long as it wasn't too gusty. I found the boat pretty predictable. I wouldn't want to be out in very hot and fluky winds with the kids on board, however....
RandR
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:47 pm

Postby Salty Dog » Wed Nov 14, 2012 1:22 pm

Some 15+ years ago I was sailing my DSII with my Girlfriend on a small lake. the wind was prob. 12 mph we were reaching and rounded a small point and a wind shift at the point caused a jibe and we went over both to the new leeward.

the mast started to go down and I went around to grab the CB. but it went into the well. the other boaters on the lake headed our way. to rescue us. I guess most had never been around sailboats because they were acting like they wittnested a maritime deaster.

I swam around to the cockpit and pulled on the CB down haul and cleated it while my girlfriend tried to hold the shroud up.

I went back around to the CB and by this time the mast had stuck in the mud water 10'+ deep.
all this time the rescuers were circling like indians around a wagon train. We were having to dodge floatation devises being flung at us by the indians I mean the rescuers.

A kid about 15 years old or so swam over from one of the boats and ask if he could help. I said help me pull this CB down. We both pulled and with great effort we worked the mast out of the mud.

I told my G.F. to get ready to roll into the cockpit and make sure the sheets were uncleated. The mast came up slowly due to sails thru the water. as the mast cleared the water and wind got under the sail it came up faster. She rolled in and the cock pit was full of water.

I climbed onboard and we sheeted in the main and started moving slowly
I bailed w/ a bucket that was still in the cubby, and as soon as we were moving good I pulled the self bailer. We waved good by and thanks to all the rescuers. We made it back to the family reunion looking like drownded rats.

I think if the water had been deeper we would have turtled. and I do not know if we would have recovered as well. only thing damaged was the wind indicater up top.

After that people have told me to hang a empty plastic gallon milk jug at the top of my mast but I never did. I guess I'm too vain.

I was very new at daysailing at that time but had a general idea what to do if we got knocked down. But not near as knowedgable as I led my girl friend to believe before she got in the boat with me.
Salty Dog
 
Posts: 173
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 11:38 pm
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas

Postby swiftsail » Wed Nov 14, 2012 2:16 pm

Hi All,
I've been racing the DS for now, 20 years and have seen plenty of capsizes and have done a 3 myself. Every time that I ever see any problem self rescuing a DS I is from poor maintenance. Open holes in the floatation tanks or the plugs not secure. If the boat does go completely "Turtle" it does take two to get her upright and depending on your physical ability it takes two hanging on the centerboard or one standing on the centerboard to get her upright when she is floating on her side. This is of course assuming that the main and jib sheets are released. If they are not you will likely damage her getting her upright with a powerboat. Once she is upright she should float with water up to the seats and bailing hard with a 5 gallon bucket with two people to trade off it can be dry enough to make the next start(1/2 hour to an hour) This is not an easy task, we are talking about a 575lb boat and somewhere about 500 gallons of water to bail.

Steve
DS 307 "Security Risk"
DS 14024 "Flight Risk"
Live Slow, Sail Fast
swiftsail
 
Posts: 122
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2005 2:47 am
Location: Santa Rosa, CA

Postby Baysailer » Wed Nov 14, 2012 7:33 pm

I've only had to rescue a capsize on my DS once and under very controlled circumstances but have had to right my buccaneer a few times (all my fault). But salty dogs description was spot on and made me laugh. Especially liked the hapless bystanders that want to assist from 20'. I think your standard power boater would tie a line to the top of your mast if it's still above water and tow you to shore from that.
Baysailer
 
Posts: 193
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:18 pm
Location: Pillar Point, NY

Postby jeadstx » Thu Nov 15, 2012 1:25 pm

My cousin and I capsized my DS2 on the Texas 200 back in June. An account of it is at http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4087 Second pageof the post shows pictures of my boat capsized, the blue thing by the CB is me. When this capsized occured the boat was heavily loaded with supplies/gear.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
jeadstx
 
Posts: 1216
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:10 am
Location: Dripping Springs, Tx

Postby jeadstx » Thu Nov 15, 2012 6:29 pm

I know Kerry (Kleanbore) would like to get a DS fleet started out of LCYC for racing. I'd race if we could get a fleet started. It takes 3 boats to start a fleet as I recall.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
jeadstx
 
Posts: 1216
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:10 am
Location: Dripping Springs, Tx

PreviousNext

Return to Seamanship and boat handling

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests

cron