Capsize weekend

[jonno]

How about a weekend meet, on a reservoir or lake, which includes some capsize practice?

Thus far, Matthew is positive.  He has some interesting ideas:

A "capsize weekend" could be informative and fun.  We would need a venue, a boat (Ella?), a competent rescue boat and and crew (not me then) and a knowledgeable and preferably a well qualified instructor.  I'd be willing to pay a modest amount (not hundreds) if these could be provided.  Perhaps someone knows a sailing school who would host a capsize symposium at reasonable cost?

I'd originally assumed that people would want to capsize their own boats: what happens to it? what goes wrong? do the locker lids fall open? does the centreboard disappear irretrievably into the hull? etc.

Apart from Matthew and me, is anyone interested?  What ideas do you have for such an event?

John

[Michael Rogers]

The RNLI don't host this sort of thing at their 'college' in Poole, do they?

[jonno]

I've just had a word with the RNLI who tell me they don't run courses.

There are RYA courses.  Their Dinghy Level 2 'Basic Skills' includes capsize recovery.

But I'm not sure this is what we want.  For myself, I've had some dinghy capsize tuition and an abundance of practice at it.

So, does this subject divide into two topics? - learning sailing dinghy capsize recovery and practising dealing with capsize in our own craft - Trouper, BR, whatever.  I'm interested in the latter, dealing with a BR20 capsize, Ella specifically.

What do you think?

[Anthony Huggett]

We'd be interested, potentially. As noted on the Mylor Raid, if your mast/gunter spar goes into the mud (or even stiff weeds) you've got virtually no chance of getting the boat upright without a rescue boat tow. Therefore it needs to be somewhere with enough depth for full inversions.
 
  Might it also be worth practicing boat to boat rescue assistance? Most of our events don't have rescue RIBs. 




 

[steve jones]

On total inversion, a method of recovery that I've been involved with, requires another vessel to tow the inverted boat in a circle, which brings the capsized boat upright, it worked every time . The boats  were a GP14, towed with an inflatable powered by a SEAGULL O/B  and an RNSA 14' dinghy, with a slightly  larger rescue launch.
   I have never tried this method with a 90 degree capsize, but the method requires a tow from the bow, and obviously the tow line needs to be secured through the bow fairlead, to the sampson post or deck cleats on the  boat, all boats should have sufficient tow points.
  So sailing in company , at least one  outboard  on the other boat, probably not an electric ,would be no good for lone sailors, thats why I use full ballast and a cut down main in the sea since I mostly sail alone and with the 'extras' Ive built into the boat  and my overnight gear the boat is well down on it's marks but very stable (Matt is appalled at the weight) I could never race .



Steve Jones BR17 Nona Me