Righting an 18SX with SX Wings

My crew and I weigh in at 330#...have a water bag...and this season can't right without help. We didn't install the Hobie Bob...but I think the wing in the water makes it more difficult to right.

Do SX users have a more difficult time right their SX's than other Hobies? If so, are the any SX specific helps other than pointing the mast into the wind and leaning like all hell?

The wings have no effect on righting momentum. It must be technique or water in the mast or sails. Do you release the sheets on both main and jib? What type of righting system do you use?

ncmdm - with all due respect to you...how did you draw the conclusion that the wings don't make righting the SX a lot more difficult. Ours are mesh...but still??? The mast is dry and tight....we uncleat the main sheet and traveler and jib sheet so there is little water to lift.

Our righting system is the Hawaiian...I think...the line is tied off near of the tramp...goes forward to the front of the tramp where blocks send the line back most of the way to the rear of the tramp. It's connected to a bungee to keep it tight when not in use.

The crew and I grab the line near the front of the tramp and pull like hell with our a**** way out there. Sometimes, we are better off throwing a second line around the hull up in the air...and pulling separately on it.

We plan to go out today and purposely flip the boat w/o the sails...and see what we can do...and then add the sails and see what we can do. I'll report on what results we get. Thanks.

Are the wings watertight? I could definitely see that having the wing in the water would cause added resistance. I'm not sure that it would require you to have more weight to right the boat, but I think it could easily make the boat slower in comming up.

Regarding where your righting line is connected to the boat, from a physics standpoint, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you can get your weight as close to horizontal (without being in the water) and as far out to the side. Stand on the dagger board if you need extra leverage. Where you connect the line to the boat simply determines how much load you feel in your arms and thus your comfort level. When I right the boat, I throw the line over the top hull. Then I wrap the line (not tie) around my harness hook and hand hold it, so the harness takes my weight. The crew can lean against my body.

I would be careful capsizing the boat without the mainsail up. I suspect it will want to turtle right away.

sm

I have no problem at all righting my H18 Magnum with two people even from a turtled position. Admittedly, the mast is approximately a foot shorter and the wings are shorter as well but I can't see this making that much difference. I also had a Hawaiian sling righting system which I recently discarded for a plain old righting line tied to the dolphin striker and a water ski handle tied to the end to give us a good "hang on" point. I found that the Hawaiian sling easily hung up on the wing support tabs and didn't give me quite enough length to hang out as much as I wanted to.

Are you sure your mast is water tight? Have you removed it from the boat and submerged it underwater looking for bubbles? Technigue is a majority of the battle as well. The bows should be pointed into the wind so that wind can get under the sails to assist in righting.

John,
I have wings for my boat and I also have the hawaiian system. Plus, have crewed on several SX's with the wings on. IMO the hawaiian system works poorly on the H18. My preference is the bungee style that goes around the outside of the boat. The hawaiian system doesn't pull from the outer most of the hull and as such creates less pull. A simple line tied to the mast and thrown over the hull works better. I doubt the wings holding water is the problem. Bubble testing the mast is a good idea but again not the problem unless you raised it full of water, it takes several minutes to get enough in it to effect righting. I suggest trying a single line, tie a loop in it to get you low to the water and hook you harness in. Have your crew lean back on you, seems odd but works. I found that the weight of 2 people spread out on the line doesn't work as well as both pulling from the exact same spot.

My opinion is that the hawaiian system is the problem. Change it and your golden.

My crew and I flipped the SX w/o sails 4 times...tied a line around the mast above the boom... and threw the line over the top hull...and one tied off to the trapeze hook.

Each time we brought it up and over w/o any real problem. One grabbed the Hawaiin line near the line attached to the mast.

Next time we will try it with sails...and a thicker diameter line than we had...and tie it off below the boom.

Thanks for all the good words. Have a blast this weekend.

Whoa there, what are you tieing (Tyeing?) to the mast?

Tie a line to the dolphin striker, that vertical stainless steel post BELOW the mast. Lead the line up, then over a hull, lean out with STRAIGHT arms and use your quads (the big thigh muscles) by bending then straightening the knees. Time your knee bends to the waves. Stand on the daggerboard if you have to. Lean far back if you have to. Use two of you on one line if you have to. Sing a sea shanty if you have to.

Check your sheets are uncleated. Furl the jib if you have to.

Make sure the bows are pointed at 45 - 30 degrees to the wind. Once you have broken the surface tension of the water on the sails, add three to four seconds of leaning back, and she should come up - slowly at first, and as you are falling in the water, with a rush. Remember to grab the dolphin bar to prevent a capsize the other way.

Climb on board from forward of the FRONT cross bar. Enjoy sailing. Have another oat soda.

Just back from a trip out west, Vancouver's Jericho Sailing Facility has a Getaway for rent, very reasonable pricing at CAD$50 an hour. Marine Drive, on English Bay. Incredible scenery, with good winds too. Just look out for the sandbar at low tide.

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Thanks for the tip on tying to the dolphin striker...we're more confident we can right it in any conditions.