First Pitchpole

Long Beach was howling yesterday, what a blast.

I was flying a hull, riding as far back and out as I could squish/stretch, winds were in the 20 mph range, I was passing everyone in sight (even the kite surfers). The waves got larger, the seas got chopier, BAM.

The bow of the lower hull dug under a wave and kept going. I noticed and quickly yanked the mainsheet free, too late.

My WAVE just jerked to a stop, I went flying forward, bounced off the tramp and wound up by the mast. I expected to be in the drink, but the mast stopped me and she didn't summersault, fortunately.

Moral of the story: Yes, the WAVE will pitchpole, so watch out.

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"HOBIE....
Say it LOUD and there's music playing...
Say it SOFT and it's almost like praying.....
I just sailed my WAVE out the Marina !"
West Coast Story

Interesting story. Here in the north we're gettin' the fever and it ain't swine flu....

I came close a few times last summer as well, but, like you, never summersaulted. In gusting winds, my Wave would ocassionally dig in a lower bow, even on relatively flat water, plunge to a stop, pivot on the lower bow for a few seconds, right itself, and carry on as if nothing had happened. You're right, it happens so fast there's not much you can do other than enjoy the adrenaline rush.

Last summer, as a newbie, I had unknowingly rigged my mast max forward for ease of stepping. I hope to experiment with more aft mast rake this summer. Others have said this helps.

Tell us more about the conditions that led up to your experience:

- mast rake?
- wind pointing?
- wind steady or gusting?
- wave size?

It happened to me 2 years ago as a newbie. I had read about it but I didn't process what was happening until I was going forward. I summersaulted and even with a bob the boat turtled! No problem getting the boat back up though. It hasn't happened again, I know what to look for now and I rake the mast as far back as possible on really gusty days.
It's finally warmer up here in the north so I hope to get out this weekend.

I experimented with raking my mast last summer, but I sail out on the ocean with lots of waves, sometimes in the 7-8 foot range. Coming about, a wave, coupled with a raked mast, stalls my turns, so Mast is only slightly raked. I may try a little more rake if I have a reoccurance.

Waves were in the 4-6 foot range, water VERY choppy. Winds strong, about 20 mph, with 15 - 30 second gusts of 25 I am guessing.

I was on a reach, with the sail lufted slightly for full power. Telltails were straight back both upper and lower.

The wave (probably 5 foot), tag-teaming with a wind gust, pushing hard on the mast, dug me in.

_________________

"HOBIE....
Say it LOUD and there's music playing...
Say it SOFT and it's almost like praying.....
I just sailed my WAVE out the Marina !"
West Coast Story

Incredible.

I'm thinking you need to seriously consider investing in a GoPro Surf HERO digital video camera so you can share your experiences with the rest of us.

(I may even chip in the first ten bucks.)

Yeah, Muddy. I'll tell you, after a couple of hours of flying a hull, my butt is SORE! I feel like I've been riding a mechanical bull!

I'm out way past where the waves break so they're more like swells than waves, but good wind chops them up.

_________________

"HOBIE....
Say it LOUD and there's music playing...
Say it SOFT and it's almost like praying.....
I just sailed my WAVE out the Marina !"
West Coast Story

Sounds like the times I have pitch poled myself. My sailing is on the great lakes, both Michigan and Erie. Last summer in Erie off Kelleys Island wind was 20 and past the point waves were building to the 4-6 foot range, no break just rolling, and reaching across the waves I would bury the lee bow from time to time, once when I did that a gust was hitting and there was no stopping her, over she went. As I righted her the wind came back under the tramp from the stern as we crested a wave and over she went again, the bob brought her back to her side, righted and went in for a break.

Later last summer off a beach on Lake Michigan it was tough getting past the breakers out into the big rollers. almost got pushed off by walls of water coming over the Wave as I crashed through some nasty steep surf. My wife was a bit nervous because the boat and half the mast would "disappear" as I went into the troughs of the waves. A 16 was out that day as well and dumped a little further out, but coming down those waves on my Wave was awesome, scary and amazing. This little boat can scream in the right conditions. I could really feel the difference in the wind as I would dip into the wave trough.

Waiting for a chance to hit the lake this summer still. Hoping in the next couple weeks it will happen.

Happy sailing.

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There's no motor?