how bout you position the main sheet so you can grab it as soon as you are righted? If the cat takes off ... you sheet the main in and let her capsize
Either a parked boat or a quick gybe and another splash. Either way, little risk of toad's wild ride.
Looking back over the thread thus far, I see a few suggestions to help prevent the wild ride
1) Make sure the wind angle is forward of 90° during righting.
2) Grab dolphin striker immediately on low/windward side. (didn't work for me)
3) Possibly use bungee to lock rudder at angle (rudder angled down on the capsized boat assuming #1 is done)
The focus on getting back on the boat as quickly as possible is legitimate. Frankly, I'm not sure I can reach the trap handles from the water if the boat is moving. Too much freeboard and no ability to
swim
up to it. I've tried the crew trap, and its too high. Maybe skipper trap is easier. I guess its time to practice...
If its too late for the above and the boat is already really moving, I still kinda like the idea of dragging back hand-over-hand to the back of the boat on the righting line and then using the rudder, cross-bar, or tiller extension to steer the boat up (keeping the load on the righting line).
That doesn't work in reality. You have no leverage to sheet the main, the angle to the mainsheet can be coming down over your rudder system = bent rudder parts, all the while you are being dragged behind the boat and can possibly get tangled up in the mainsheet.
OK, I'm a big guy, so maybe that helps my boats pivot. Haven't had to do this on an F18, but it works for me on H16s and Waves.
Having the wind forward before righting is critical in big wind, as it sets the boat heads-up into the wind as it's righted. Shouldn't matter which boat you have for this to work.
I try to avoid lines at all costs when the boat is over. Don't want to get pulled down if it turtles. Being dragged behind the boat by a sheet is no fun, either, especially if it won't head up.
Currently, my biggest problem is that there isn't a great way to get back onto a Wave once you're in the water. I made Hunter try to figure it out when he was swimming off the boat between races at Barnegat, and he used the rudder arm to get himself aboard. Only problem is that I outweigh him by about 200 pounds, and my rudder system would be a pretzel, with me still in the water, if I tried that... <img src="<>/frown.gif" alt="frown" title="frown" height="15" width="15" />
Mike
With the way F18s are carrying hull rocker, the helm changes depending on amount of weight aboard and placement. I sail with some weather helm (I think it helps me feel it better) but it still wants to round down when nobody is on the boat. I think the drag chute (drift sock) is good insurance while distance racing.
works in my reality
I have gone over the back or side 2 times in my 14 sailing cats. both times i was able to hold on to the main, and when the boat took up all the slack, the boat flew a hull and capsized with no one on board
Lol, well clearly I live in an alternate universe...Jake's post above about covers the differences on a F18. Drag chute seems like the best idea in these 4 pages of reading.
If the jib not sheeting out enough is part of the problem, would it help to disconnect from the clew?
My experience with the drift sock off the bow, ala Jake's set up, is that it does an excellent job of orienting the bows into the wind for righting, prevents drifting into possible hazards, and operates as a great brake if the boat starts to sail off.
If it is windy...as in enough that capsizing is a real problem...unpinning the jib will flog it to death and it would be tough to get it back on the sheet.
For me as a single-handed sailor it means taking some measures while the cat is still on its side. For making it more easy for me to climb fast on board.
Here's a simple climbing ladder (have one on each side) which I can unfold in a few seconds when the cat is on its side.
So, I take the ladder near the lower hull in the water ending up automatically near the windward hull. I can grab the ladder ropes for holding the cat down after uprighting
Next the trick is to swing my leg over the centre rope which goes to the front, so under my crotch. When standing up on the wooden bar, grabbing the rope ladder, I am practically on board.
![[Linked Image]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/9737441800_f8804ccbb7_c.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7405/9737443216_d20f260856_c.jpg)
With this procedure I hold my cat automatically in the wind (I'm the brake)
Hobie Cat needs to make something like that for the Wave!
Mike
Ronald, I use a similar device but found that kneeling gives a little lower center or gravity. Once my knees are on the bar my waist is above the cross beam. So, you might try shortening the ropes, that worked a little better for me.
None of these things is of help if you get separated from the Boat, whick is my biggest concern.
Yes Pete, y're quite right with the little lower center of gravity.
But I found out that searching the bar with my feet is easier in rough wave conditions. When I swing my leg over the center-line, my feets are already close to the bar.
Moreover my feet feel more stable on the bar then my knees and standing gives me a sort of mental boost in the tricky situation of the capseize.
When I arrive in the standing position, I know its done, I'm out of trouble.
Finally I was looking for a method which could also be used when I was hurt (maybe twisted something or even broke something). I hope that this trick will give me the best chances in bad unforeseen circumstances.