reverse pitchpole!

Had a blast recently where I had lots of eager crew to come out with me. One session I had crew who was out on the trapeze and I decided to go out too (This was my first day of having crew & skipper on trapeze so I was new at this). As I went out I slipped the mainsheet and lost some wind. As the boat came back down we didn't come in fast enough, both the crew and my butts hit the water and we were swept off the back of the boat!

We held on to the trapeze handle as the boat continued to try and sail along with us out the back. It didn't trake too long before the boat ended up going over backwards and we were able to then right the boat (another first for me!).

I know that we should have come in earlier off the trapeze, but if something like this happened again should we do what we did then? I imagined if we let go the trapeze handles the boat could sail for some time before slowing which could me a big swim! I've read Matt Millers post on how to trapeze and I'll try his suggestions on skippers getting out on the wire next time I go out.

I also wondered if in times when we needed between one and two people on the trapeze (but not two all the time), should the skipper be out full time and the crew come in and out, or should the crew be out all the time and the skipper go in and out. In my mind it was easier for the crew to go in and out so they should do that rather than the skipper. It seemed more difficult for the skipper to go out, what with holding the tiller extension and the mainsheet as well as getting out without letting go the mainsheet or changing the direction we're saling. Or is it just down to practice, and really easy to get out on the trapeze when you're a skipper?

The biggest issue is simply getting more experience out on the wire. As you get more comfortable sailing from the trapeze, you will be able to spend more time watching the wind so that you can anticipate changes in wind strength before they happen. Adjust your sailing angle or sail trim or have one or both crew go in as the lull hits.

Good sailors constantly make subtle adjustments smoothly to keep the boat in optimum trim- that's what makes them good sailors.

I would not recommend disconnecting from the trapeze, even if you are swept off the boat. It is always safer to stay with the boat because once it gets away from you, you may not be able to get back to it.

sm

That is a good question that I am looking for the answer to also, who goes out and comes in first? Lets here this from some of the big names?

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Nacra 5.2 "Elsies"
Hobie 14T, "Blazin" I guess I am keeping her!

I think everyone will do it different, this is how I do it.
I personally sail the boat best when I am on the wire, I can just feel it better. I let my crew go in and out, however if they are having to go in and out all the time I just leave them in and steer up and down, this also helps to gain on the upwind mark I think. Now if its iffy on if one or none is needed on the wire I let me crew go out and test it first.

BTW you got tea bagged, welcome to the group!

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Brad Stephens
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You'll get a variety of answers based on experiance of skipper and crew. When I take out someone new, I have them practice getting out on the water on shore first. I send them out on the wire and may have them work the jib. I steer & work the main and join them out if the wind is up. I like to put a smile on newbies by putting them on the wire and sticking them high in the air and keeping them there based on the tone of their scream. This way I can control everything and there are less variables. The reverse turtle has happened to the most experianced. The 16 is a very weight sensitive boat as far as crew placement, especially on a puffy day. I use the adage: Keep it Simple Stupid!......and I'm speaking of myself.

I guess I should tell what I prefer.

I prefer to get out on the wire last since it can be a little tougher with the tiller. But also I like to be the last to come back in during a lull. I think that the man on the tiller should be the last one to move.

THe whole going over backwards thing sucks. I managed to do that alot on the 14, if you think the 16 is sensitive take a 14 out with 2 guys on it. That is weight sensitive!! The Nacra isn't near as bad, actually i think it is pretty close to a 16 when it comes to weight handling ability.

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Nacra 5.2 "Elsies"
Hobie 14T, "Blazin" I guess I am keeping her!

Practice and personal preference. I have about 60 lbs on my crew so that also can make a difference - as wind speed goes up, my crew goes out, or I go out if we need more, then she goes partially out, then full out (both of us "sitting" in the trap), then we start leaning full out and lower the traps...then we start thinking about more downhaul or travelling out, etc.

Some tips that I found helpful for getting out on the trap as a skipper (I have really good balance which hels, but I'm not sure you can learn that).

* Hold the tiller extension overhand instead of underhand - this gives you a lot more control even as you slide your hand up and down it as you go in or out.

* Pass the mainsheet to your tiller hand as you come in or out if you need the extra stabilization.

Especially if I am going out on the wire after a tack, I take a good hold on the mainsheet, tiller in the other hand, get my feet on the rail, and get out on the trap and pull in the mainsheet at the same time - took a bit of practice but it's fast and avoids 'teabagging' as you experienced.

The funniest 'teabag' that happened to me was when I was soloing my 16 without the jib. The area I was in has tall, close waves (the strong river current opposes the wind). At one point as the boat crested the top of the wave, both rudders were out of the water and the boat immediately came head-to-wind. I still had some forward momentum and I went down the other side of the wave. I was almost in the water already, but the next wave smacked me full on and I was soon being towed behind the boat. Thankfully with only my weight, it didn't pull it over backwards onto me as you experienced.

Another fun capsize happened as I was racing a 17. As I tacked, I was rushing across to the windward side (it's a long way from one wing to the other) I got my trap hook caught on a shroud. I dropped the mainsheet, which was still cleated, and shoved the tiller over. as a result, I was on the wrong side of the boat, with a tight main, watching it come over on top of me.

On the plus side, I can solo-right a 17!

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Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
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Can you explain more just what you mean by holding the tiller overhand? I saw a video clip recently of Team Velocity skipper holding the hiking stick with what I would call overhand (hand on top of the stick, stick resting on his shoulder). Is this what you mean by holding overhand? Or do you just mean tiller between your hand and the water?



I like the idea of tiller in one hand, mainsheet in other hand, get out and pull in the mainsheet as you go out. Will try that next time.

"Overhand"

As I heard it explained in a youth clinic, which I think is a good description of this technique. In monohulls you hear the instructors teach the kids to hold the tiller extension like they are talking into a mic. In the case of a cat, hold it like you would hold a frying pan.

Thanks for that - that's a good description. Now I know what overhand means!

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Anthony
88 H16 "Moonshine"

The exact same thing happened to me on my first trap as skipper, except that I was lucky enough that my crew did not get swept off. In addition to other things, the first thing I did was shorten my trap rope using the rope lock adjustment. That way, even if the boat falls hard, I won't teabag and get swept off. As I get more experience, I'll adjust out the rope again to get full extension on the trap.

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2005 Hobie 16 - Ventura Nationals Boat #21
http://www.JackieandAlan.com

I personally am in the habit of going out on the wire first myself. I always skipper, and I think that my habit is partially due to the fact that I bring a lot of friends out on the boat with me during the summer, most of which have zero sailing experience let alone trapezing experience. So usually, it is me who is on the wire first, then when my crew gets more comfortable on the boat, they give the wire a try and I can come back in. Sailing with crew who have more experience than I do makes my job as skipper much easier. They are out on the wire instantly and have jib sheet and main sheet in hand, so I only have to deal with steering the boat and the main traveler.

In regards to teabagging, I have had that happen before also, but it was while coming down a wave in Barnegat Bay. My butt skimmed the water at first, and I didnt think much of it, but then all of a sudden, the wind left, we came down the wave, and next thing i knew, i was behind the boat in the water, still with tiller, and trav in hand watching her flip backwards on me. A suggestion would be to try to adjust you're trap heigh by moving the little rope lock. You (skipper) should be a little higher on the wire than your crew.

Hope this helps.

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~vinny

It's always an interesting experience being towed behind your boat with not much way of getting back on!
You raise an interesting point that I have experienced once. You say the crew has control of the gib AND main sheets, and you just control the tiller and the traveller. How many other people do it this way? When I'm skipper I usually look after the tiller, traveller and main sheet. But when I was out sailing once my crew (who I had never sailed with but had lots of experience sailing mono's) automatically grabbed the gib and main sheets. This would make it easier for the skipper to get out on the wire but I'd imagine the crew would need a bit of experience to control the main. I'd feel a bit lame at first being skipper with only control of the steering and not the accelerator, but that's how they do it in the offshore powerboats - one controls the steering, the other cotrols the throttle.

What does everyone else do?

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Anthony
88 H16 "Moonshine"