yikes! capsize?

[Guest]

Hey there! I've only recently bought a day sailer... never sailed them before. Only a 17' venture, with cabin.. that wouldn't capsize and I'm wondering... can a single person... "right" a capsized day sailer or will there need to be another sailor with me?

Melody (singsing_40-at-yahoo.com)

[Roger]

Although this boat can technically capsize, you would have to really have to have a number of factors impact you simultaneously to have it go over. (ie combination of heeled well over, big gust, big wave, not letting go the sheets and falling on the wrong side.

I was adjusting the outhaul last summer, hanging over the lee qunwale, with my daughter at the helm. We were well heeled, and my knee was in the way of the tiller, so she had difficulty correcting. No one was on the sheets to release them so about 5 gallons of water came over the aft quarter before we took action. During this time, I had enough time to ask my daughter to correct our course slightly so that we would not heel so much. My daughter had enough time to reply that my &%$#@ knee was in that way and that water was coming in. I still had enough time to move to the high side and release the sheets, which reduced the heel and then I got the bailer and moved the water out. Even sailing alone, I find that this is a relatively stable and upright boat. When it starts to heel, I move my butt up onto the combing and lean out a bit or let the sails out a bit, or head up a bit more to windward. A beam reach seems to be the manner which creates the most heel so I avoid this when alone. I have never had to stand on the centerboard to right it.

The most useful advice however is to sail with both sheets in your hand ready to release them from the cleats, should the need arise.

[Guest]

It is hard to capsize this boat. Once over however I found it impossible to right by one person. With two adults it was possible but difficult. Once up and filled with water it is the devil to empty. But it can be done.

dennis Mallach (denmall-at-aol.com)

[Guest]

Well, i finally did it. I capsized my DS 1. The good news is that I had installed a Hobie Mama Bob flotation thing on top of the mast this spring and it worked. The boat did not turtle and I was able to right it by myself. Plus I had put two of those 40 inch sausage shaped flotation bags under each gunwale so the boat floated high and stable enough after she was upright that I could safely get in and begin to bail. It took me an hour to bail her out but it could have been worse. By the way, leaving the jib cleated in gusty conditions can cause a capsize.

Mike2392 (mikemcdonald-at-mn.rr.com)

[gary l. britton]

I have yet to capsize my DS I (1966), but not for a lack of trying. I use an old clorox bottle tied to the mast head to prevent turning turtle. Much cheaper that a store bought type, but not as attractive. I have a question for Mike who wrote the last reply. Where do you find the 40", sausage type flotation bags you mentioned. I checked on the West Marine web site and could not locate any such item. I am always concerned about capsizing with the gusty winds we have in Oklahoma. Many time the winds are 10-20 and gusty. Anything over those speeds I am on shore.

[Guest]

Having followed similiar threads, I installed one large 6 inch diameter (I think) pool noodle and 1 small noodle between the top of the seats and the gunnel overhangs on my '68 DS1. They just fit, fill about 70% of the space and are kept in place by friction and small wood jams on the end. I Have never capsized so do not know if these would actually keep the boat from turtling or allow the boat to be righted by one person. Plan on testing this out this summer (although Casco Bay is mighty cold). Anyone else out there tried a similiar method?



Doug (dwmacpherson2000-at-yahoo.com)

[Guest]

I purchased the flotation bags from Annapolis Performance Sailing: http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d3000/e2105.asp . The flotation bags helped the boat float higher after righting. Those pool noodles would probably also work (much cheaper as well).
I got the Mast top flotation bob from the local Hobie Cat dealer. They have two sizes; the Baby Bob (30 lbs of flotation), and the Mama Bob (60 lbs of flotation). I have the bigger one. It was definately the mast top bob that kept me from turtling. Clorox bottles would have much less flotation (maybe 10-15 lbs) so I doubt they would work very well.
I hope to never capsize again (the bailing part is a pain) but I at least feel more comfortable knowing I can get the boat back up on my own. I would hate to have my wife or kids or friends in the water waiting for someone to rescue us if I messed up again and then couldn't get the boat back up.

Mike2392 (mikemcdonald-at-mn.rr.com)

[gary l. britton]

Mike:

Thanks for the tip on the flotation. I'll check with Hobie. The nearest dealer is either in Wichita, KS or Dallas, TX. Surprising that OKC does not have a dealer, at least according to the Hobie web site. I'll also check the good old Yellow Pages. I chose the Clorox bottle for simplicity sake. I have read in some DS manual online, I think from this website, that you are to place a life preserver under the head of the mast on capsizing, to prevent turtle of the boat. Therefore, I figured the bottle might provide about the same amount of buoyancy as a life jacket. But, thankfully, I have not had the pleasure of capsizing my DS, yet.

Thanks again for the tip.

Gary

[psness]

I did a search for the mama bob's and they're over $100. That's a bit salty for me. I like the idea of a clorox bottle, but maybe not permanently mounted - rathed two lashed together and placed there after capsizing in a cradling manner. I have never had the pleasure of capsizing and certainly don't even want to think about turning turtle.

[gary l. britton]

Paul:

Thanks for the information about the mam bob. Like you I think it is a little salty for me price wise also. I do like the idea of 2 clorox bottles tied togther then cradle them after the capsize. That is a real cheap remedy for preventing turtle.

Good luck and fair winds and keep the mast pointed to the sky.

Gary

[Dave Misunas]

I am curious... if you are sailing solo how would you prevent the boat from going upside down... while you where gathering the bottles and then swimming to the mast tip to place the bottles.

[gary l. britton]

I almost always sail single handed. Luckily I have not capsized but have come close. I have my "clorox bottle" tied to the top of my mast so I do not have to swim around. As for either the life jacket or the two bottles mentioned in a previous reply, I do not think that would be a real problem getting to the mast head before turning turtle since if one does go over, you as the sailor will probably be on the leeward side, in the water anyway, therefore only a few feet from the mast head. The all your gear will be with you also. I assume that turning turtle will happen fairly slowly. My previous boat was a 16' Sidewinder and I went swimming several times. Before tying a clorox bottle to the mast head I did turn turtle once, and the other time was no problem getting to the mast head to keep it from turtling since it turtled fairly slowly. Hope that this helps.

Fair winds and keep the sunny side up !!!

Gary

[Peter McMinn]

You mention you don't "think that would be a real problem getting to the mast head before turning turtle since if one does go over, you as the sailor will probably be on the leeward side, in the water anyway..."

Having capsized too many times to count in other boats, the only reason I would be on the lee side is if I fell there. Good hiking straps that allow you to hang your backside over the gunnel help a great deal, and most of the time serve to prevent a capsize. However, if the boat looks like it's going over, immeditely scramble over the windward side and stand on the centerboard. On a Daysailer, your counterweight should at least keep the mast head from going under, and eventually right the boat. That said, I've never laid my DS down, and don't plan on it because I hate bailing when I should be sailing!

[gary l. britton]

Peter:

I have not capsized my Daysailer as of yet. But on my previous boat (Sidewinder) I went swimming several times. I have never had hicking straps so do not know much about them. Looks like fun but also looks like work too. With the Sidewinder I always ended in the water on the leeward side of the boat and had to swim around to the centerboard. Actually no problem to do. I also used a Clorox bottle on the Sidewinder to prevent turning turtle.

Finally was able to get the Daysailer (Dancing Girls II) out on the lake today. What a great day to sail. Winds around 10-15 mph and at one point gusts to 24mph for a short period. Quite a thrill. I have not been able to get out as much as I have wanted to this summer and hope that this is the start of regular sailing for me and the "Dancing Girls II".

Fair winds

Gary

[amazingsailordudes]

I hear stories of people capsizing their DS fairly often....in the two regattas i've been to this year a boat has capsized at each one. I don't have any experience at righting the DS but i think it definately depends on what make of boat you have as to how hard it is to right.The original DS I are really hard to right (so i've heard) many people i know have installed extra flotation under the seats and the transom. I imagine it would be near impossible to right an original DS I by yourself. However, the way the Mclaughlin DS boats are made, righting the boat is supposed to be pretty easy. If you ahve a Precision DS, the water caught in between the hulls might make it very hard to right.