I learned something yesterday

Learned a valuable lesson today about checking the drain plugs!! Left hull took 10 full minutes to drain after finally making it back to the beach. Was out in a good wind, performed a tack, then the boat sank backwards and flipped on its' side..What a nightmare getting that sucker righted (righted 3 times followed by more upsets) and sailed home. Good times!!!!!

If you have the plugs with you jump into the water and put them in. Pronto.

Except by the time you discover it, it may be too late!

I've been told there are those that have and those that will. Last year it was my turn.

There is nothing you can do when you reach aft to throw the tiller over and the water runs to the back of the hull.

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Alan
'86 H16, Sail #89057

That picture sums up the operation I was running yesterday, 'cept I was about 2 km's off shore with a 20kt wind pushing me further away! Learned a lot though!

I've been sailing my baby for 2 years without flipping her.....make that 2 years and 1 day.

In gusting and shifty winds today, I tacked her to head back in. Just as she passed head-to-wind, the wind shifted while the jib was still backwinded and cleated. I must have accidently also cleated the main as I reached to flip the tiller. Next thing I know, she's heeling up in slow-mo, and over I go - muttering "NO, NO, NO", and uttering obscenities the entire time . I figured that at 190+ lbs with years of windsurfer up-hauling experience, righting the cat should be a breeze. NOT! Even with spinning her around, standing on the lower hull, and putting all my weight into the righting line, I got nothing. She originally went turtle, but I got the mast to the surface, then that was as far as I could get it. Both jib and main sheets were free.

She came with the Solo Upright installed, but I just didn't feel confident enough in that system to give it a try. I do think that maybe my righting line is a bit short? It's a continuous loop from one pylon to the other, but when I flipped it over the upper hull, I only had a loop about 8" long to try to grab on to. Since I'm short and have short arms, I just couldn't get any leverage.

Fortunately, a family in a power boat saw me flip and hung out to make sure I was OK. The father maneouvered their boat around until one of the daughters could grab the tip of the mast and lift it out of the water. Once she got it up about 6", the cat came right up. Then they were worried about me getting my fat a&& back on board. Many, many enthusiastic and grateful Thank Yous later, we both went our merry ways.

Not exactly what I had in mind for today, but not as bad an experience as I had anticipated. I WILL be doing it again on purpose (on a warmer and slightly calmer day) very soon. Looks like a longer righting line and a bag may be in order.

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1973 H16 #5153 "Hopefully Upright"
Replacing/refurbishing as needed.

aschaffter:
Did you ever make righting bags?

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CP

Yup, the guy is selling them on EBay now under seller name Colorado Bag Company. He also sells a variety of nice and reasonably-priced tramp and sail/boom bags. I need to try to contact him again, because I want him to make a stowage/deployment bag for the righting bag and line.

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Alan
'86 H16, Sail #89057