Oops...hang on!

[Paul Grecay]

On saturday I took my CD 28 out from Lewes, DE...located at the mouth of Delaware Bay. North wind about 20-25 kts....moderate chop, cold and clear. I sailed out of the inlet with a buddy who while experienced as a sailor had never been on my boat. We beat into the wind with the first reef in the main and the self-tending working jib both sheeted in tight. After about 10 min. the wind seemed to be about 20 so I suggested shaking out the reef as we made slow progress to windward. When I wen forward and made ready to undo the reefing lines and halyard the wind suddenly increased .... by this time we were sheeted in tight and broadside with virtually no forward motion. She slowly heeled and keep heeling over ... I'm standing just inboard the shrouds and the rail goes under...then my feet...then the water is up to my knees. For a minute I didn't know how far we would go...but then she slowly righted...water ran off the deck all was fine. The helmsman should have eased the sheets right away, but I should not have made the assumption that he would know what to do...in any case, neither of us were expecting the gust since the wind seemed to be dropping (actually, we later went to the second reef). Anyone else ever have this happen? Was this a "broach"? What is the best way to handle the situation? When all was said and done, the heavy full keel was a very comforting thing to have down there.

Paul



rfurman@dmv.com

[Neil Gordon]

Paul,

>>... the wind seemed to be about 20 so I suggested shaking out the reef as we made slow progress to windward.<<

LIQUIDITY would do better to windward *with* a reef than without in those conditions. The key is not progress to windward, but whether the boat is sailing on her feet, without significant weather helm.

>>... by this time we were sheeted in tight and broadside with virtually no forward motion.<<

Sheeted in tight is the problem. You should have eased the sheets before you went forward. A good trick is to heave to by backing the jib, then easing the main sheet. The boat will be stable while you tie in or shake off a reef.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



103355.34@compuserve.com

[Catherine Monaghan]

Neil,

That wasn't a broach, but a near knockdown. A true knockdown occurs when the spreaders touch the water. Did that happen?

The harder the wind blows, the more you should want to depower the rig. When you're not using the yankee and only using the staysail, put two reefs in the main. Your boat should be balanced with this configuration. Also, don't forget to let the traveller out all the way to leeward. Don't try to sail too close hauled, that's only for light to moderate conditions. The harder the wind blows, the more you should fall off and adjust the sheets for that sailing angle. Remember, in a real blow, you cannot sail to windward at all, but must either halt all forward progress by heaving to, setting a storm anchor or by running before the storm.

Don't forget, when sailing with the wind on your beam (broadside) the end of the boom should be located just over the rail. (Cannot tell from the post if that was the case or not.) The boom shouldn't be sheeted in tight over the boat or she'll definitely sail on her ear.

Heaving to in order to reef is a good idea as mentioned in the other post.

Aren't you glad you weren't out there on a J-24?

catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization
Raritan Bay

On saturday I took my CD 28 out from Lewes, DE...located at the mouth of Delaware Bay. North wind about 20-25 kts....moderate chop, cold and clear. I sailed out of the inlet with a buddy who while experienced as a sailor had never been on my boat. We beat into the wind with the first reef in the main and the self-tending working jib both sheeted in tight. After about 10 min. the wind seemed to be about 20 so I suggested shaking out the reef as we made slow progress to windward. When I wen forward and made ready to undo the reefing lines and halyard the wind suddenly increased .... by this time we were sheeted in tight and broadside with virtually no forward motion. She slowly heeled and keep heeling over ... I'm standing just inboard the shrouds and the rail goes under...then my feet...then the water is up to my knees. For a minute I didn't know how far we would go...but then she slowly righted...water ran off the deck all was fine. The helmsman should have eased the sheets right away, but I should not have made the assumption that he would know what to do...in any case, neither of us were expecting the gust since the wind seemed to be dropping (actually, we later went to the second reef). Anyone else ever have this happen? Was this a "broach"? What is the best way to handle the situation? When all was said and done, the heavy full keel was a very comforting thing to have down there.

Paul

catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[Tom Coons]

On saturday I took my CD 28 out from Lewes, DE...located at the mouth of Delaware Bay. North wind about 20-25 kts....moderate chop, cold and clear. I sailed out of the inlet with a buddy who while experienced as a sailor had never been on my boat. We beat into the wind with the first reef in the main and the self-tending working jib both sheeted in tight. After about 10 min. the wind seemed to be about 20 so I suggested shaking out the reef as we made slow progress to windward. When I wen forward and made ready to undo the reefing lines and halyard the wind suddenly increased .... by this time we were sheeted in tight and broadside with virtually no forward motion. She slowly heeled and keep heeling over ... I'm standing just inboard the shrouds and the rail goes under...then my feet...then the water is up to my knees. For a minute I didn't know how far we would go...but then she slowly righted...water ran off the deck all was fine. The helmsman should have eased the sheets right away, but I should not have made the assumption that he would know what to do...in any case, neither of us were expecting the gust since the wind seemed to be dropping (actually, we later went to the second reef). Anyone else ever have this happen? Was this a "broach"? What is the best way to handle the situation? When all was said and done, the heavy full keel was a very comforting thing to have down there.

Paul

I'll throw my two cents in just because nobody before mentioned it. A broach usually occurs when you are sailing before the wind and have failed to dowse the main in time so are overpowered. You can't ease the mainsheet much because it's already out there pretty far. As you come over the crest of a big roller the boat accelerates forward and the apparent wind sort of backwinds the main and causes an accidental gybe. When the main fills on the other tack and the boom slams up against the end of the mainsheet or the shrouds, it throws the bow around and you don't have enough rudder to control it. The boat shoulders down into the wave and swings broadside to the wind and the waves. Suddenly you're on beam ends with the rudder out of the water, the deck and cabin underwater and the mainsail buried and filling with water and the next wave about to break over you. You can't ease the mainsheet, you can't steer, your cockpit may be full of water, the water in the main is trying to prevent the keel from righting you, the next wave is about to break over you, and you're about to find out how good the architect who designed your boat really is. If anything it's even more scary than the knockdown you experienced.



TacCambria@thegrid.net