Capsize - How's the best way to bail out

I'm a fairly new H-20 owner and will sail frequently with my wife and/or daughter and I'm very conservative regarding their safety. Once the boat has reached the point of no return and capsize is inevitable, what's the best way to instruct crew/passengers (and me too) to bail out? On my old 16's I'd leap for a spot in the water aft of the mainsail and never had a problem, although I don't know if that was the best option. My concerns are that I don't want anyone to hit anything that would hurt them like the mast, boom or sail (I hear that landing on the sail is like hitting concrete). I've never jumped off towards my backside for fear of landing on the hull that's in the water. On the 20, I'm concerned that going off towards the backside and landing on a daggerboard or rudder could result in serious injury.

Also, at what point in time should the crew unhook from the trapeze? I've never capsized from the trapeze but it looks like if you don't make it a point to unhook it should disengage on its own as you jump forward. Any suggestions for keeping the hook from getting caught on any of the sheets and rigging would be appreciated.

I look forward to any feedback from you veterans.

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Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28

You shouldn't jump. Best to hold on to something till the boat settles, then quickly climb or slide down. Don't try to jump over the bottom of the hulls as dagger boards and the hull in the water are VERY hard objects to land on from 8 feet up. Trapeze crew should try to squat in and again, hold onto something to keep them from getting pitched into the rig.

Jumping or falling into the sail is like landing on concrete... unless of course... you pop right through a panel! Not good either way.

I say... hold on!.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

mmiller is right, stay with the boat. In high wind it is surprising how fast a boat, even a capsized one can move.

Staying on the high hull as the boat capsizes is not easy at first, but with unintentional practice you may get the hang of it. I can do it pretty well on a 16 since the tramp frame gives me something to hook my butt over and hold on to. It sure beats tangling with the rigging, and you're able to safely jump into the water to begin righting duties. Be prepared for a jolt as the mast hits the water, which may knock you loose.

I've landed on the sail, too, and if you have the mind, try to crumple your body as you hit it so you don't punch a hole in the sail, especially if you land feet first. If you do land in the sail, try to swim quickly and gently off it since you don't want to add to the pressure to turtle it.

True story there. Personal experience at a nationals.

A guy I crewed for on a 20 did a bailout by doing a front flip on to the sail. His logic was by doing the front flip, you would kind of automatically unhook yourself from the trap and by landing on your back on the sail your weight would be spread out and would reduce the risk of going through the sail. Seemed to work for him.

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Ben Wells - Hobie 16

if you slide down DO NOT do it facing the trampoline. Your hook can easily get hooked to the trampoline lacing. It goes turtle fast then. It happened to me, luckily I was at the rear of the trampoline and I was barely able to get my head out of the water to get some air.

Mark, are you that worried about my crewing?

I honestly dont know how I capsize. All I usually remember is A) "Man this rocks, I am going so fast" B) "OH CRAP" and C) "how did I get all wet?" Usually happens too fast to actually plan your escape route. However, I agree with mmiller - stick with the boat.

Scuzzlebutt,

I'm not worried about your crewing, I'm counting on you to help keep me in line. I just want to make sure I'm giving my eleven year old daughter the right advice. I don't want her to be afraid of the boat. Last fall she enjoyed the trapeze and her enthusiasm is high at this point. Last Sunday I was planning to take her out but it was blowing 20-30 so we didn't go.

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Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28

Consider yourself lucky if you have much say in how you 'bail out'. I don't tend to capsize too often, but I can't remember any time where I had the time to "decide" how I would leave the boat...
The last time I capsized, it was on a well powered broad reach (during a race). The hull lifted, and as I began to ease the sheet, I slid down the tramp, and ended up in the water 20 feet behind the boat pulling it over as I went.
Most of the time (for me), it's a pitchpole where the bows drive into the back of a wave, the boat stops, sterns lift up, and we're scrambling to grab the rear crossbar, but just end up getting dumped. I think I'd stay away from leaping if possible and really try to stay connected to the boat until it's settled down. Try to hold onto something. You're more likely to get hurt if you go flying than if you stay put. And for the crew on the trapeze, they're better off keeping hooked in until the boat has stopped. There have been many reports of the crew's recoiling trapeze line injuring the skipper when it snapped back.


sm

exactly, the dog bone will whip back and knock your teeth out.

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Bodhisatfa

Thanks for the replies. It seems that when you climb or slide down the trampoline, you are shooting for the gap between the boom and the trampoline. Have I got the right picture? In my old memories of capsizes it seems like they happened pretty fast. It's hard to imagine having much discretion in how you disembark.

Thanks,

Mark

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Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28

I've been teaching sailing for years and I've found that with new sailors that the fear of capsize is compounded by the fear of the unknown.

Pick a calm day (ideally with warm water), stop the boat, make sure that everyone's life jacket is on properly, and knock the boat down on purpose in a controlled way. That way, everyone gets to see that the boat won't sink. In fact, most young kids love to discover that they can climb up to the hull in the air and that it makes a great diving platform.

The Bob on the top of my Getaway's mast comes in hand here as there is no risk of turtling.

I let everyone play for a bit and then we all pitch in to right the boat. Inevitably everyone asks, "Let's do it again!"

And I agree with everyone else, every time I've dumped the boat is has happened very quickly. My favorite time was when it was blowing 15 - 20 and I was single handing. As I sped along another Getaway on the lake I was getting cocky. In a big gust, as I was sitting on the wing, I moved aft to get the bows up a bit more when I ran out of wing. I had scootched right off of the boat! Fortunately I had a death grip on the main sheet and the boat tipped over without my weight to hold it down. It had to be as spectaular for the spectators as it was embarassing for me.

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JT Cole
Clermont, FL
'03 Getaway
'05 Wave

I wish I'd thought of this last Saturday at the Kick Off Regatta in Santa Cruz. In 25+ knot winds and 6 foot swells my crew member didn't have the strength to pull herself aboard after righting the boat, and I ran out of strength after the first three attempts to lift her aboard. She got back on with some help from the safety boat's bow line - I hooked it around the hook on her harness and lifted her while grabbing the back of her life jacket.

The easiest place to get back on the boat is often - the back of the boat. With the sheets eased, most boats will sit head to wind long enough for you to go to the back (under the tramp) and crawl up that way.

The Tiger is an exception. Because of the self-tacking jib, it will attempt to turn downwind and take off as soon as you get it righted. Somebody has to get onboard and get to the tiller ASAP.