First Blooper of the Season

Ok, time for everyone to have a good chuckle at my expense (warning - this might be a rather long post - sorry)

I finally got my fix-'er-upper H18 finished up and in the water earlier this week and took her out for a few short trips Tues. and Wed. Things went pretty well besides a few silly mistakes on my part (I was definitely surprised by how fast the boat was in very light winds though). Wasn't hard to handle by myself at all. It's been in the high 50's to low 70's this past week so it was a bit chilly but not unreasonable. The lake is still pretty cold though - I'd guess around 50 degrees, maybe a bit less (cold enough to be a problem if the boat went over and I fell in)

Today was another story. The winds were *I thought* a bit stronger so I was looking forward to possibly popping a hull out of the water, etc. (you can all see where this story is going). Because of the direction it was blowing, both my house and my parents place where the boat is kept were relatively sheltered - the wind was actually much stronger than I thought.

I rigged the boat and shoved out without any trouble. It was 75 F or so so I didn't bother with a sweatshirt or anything - just trunks and a t-shirt with a lifejacket. Because I thought the wind was lighter I threw a trap harness on the tramp but didn't bother putting it on.

Well, I cleared the point and the winds picked up. I popped the hull out soon after and had a blast for about 45 seconds. A gust hit and the pontoon rose up some more.

Now, I grew up sailing with my Dad on the H14. On that boat, all that's necessary to bring a pontoon back down is to head up slightly. Sheeting out does the trick too, but I generally just head up slightly and it comes crashing back down. Also, it's generally not the windward pontoon I'm worried about so much as the leeward bow stuffing in. I'm also 35 pounds lighter than I was last summer.

Anyway, I started heading up to bring the H18's windward pontoon back down (I didn't have on the trap harness, but I was hiking out a bit as well), but it only made things worse. Now that I think about it, I do know that a higher course will cause more lift, and turning in that direction will cause the boat to heal more as well, but that's what I'd always done on the H14.

Needless to say the boat went over. I think I would probably have been able to save it had I just sheeted out the main. In fact, I was actually thrilled to have a hull out of the water, so I was probably pushing things way too far the for conditions (cold water, me being solo, still unfamiliar with a new boat, no ability to trap in a hurry).

VERY fortunately, it went over slowly and I didn't have much trouble staying on the boat and climbing around to stand on the (formerly) leedward pontoon without entering the cold water (had I gone in, this might be a very different story. I also lost that trap harness and my glasses at about this point).

I knew it was hopless for me (just under 195 lbs) to try and right an 18 on my own, but I went ahead and tried for a while. I at least know now that my mast is relatively well sealed, as the boat never threatened to go turtle. I finally gave up and admitted I'd have to wait for the wind to blow me in to shore (Conesus Lake is only about 1 mile wide, 7 miles long, and the wind was blowing me diagonally towards the closer shore, so it didn't take long).

The home owners where I "washed up" ran out to help (fortunately, he was a Prindle 16 owner and knew his way around a cat). I jumped overboard about waste deep and held the mast tip up while he hauled on the righting line from the dock. We had the boat back up in 10 minutes or so.

Meantime, apparently someone had called 911 after seeing a tipped-over sailboat floating along in cold water (with stupid ol' me sitting on it), so there were about 2 dozen volunteer fire fighters and a handful of sheriff's deputies standing around to rush me to an ambulance and check me out for hypothermia (I admit, I was pretty darn cold by then. But I was fine, told them as much, and they agreed after checking me out). BOY did I feel stupid. I'm sure they all thought I was too.

It was just too windy by then for me to tack to my parents place (practically straight upwind a mile away). I did give it a try with a furled jib, but just couldn't tack without it. So I headed back in. We beached my boat on their beach and tied things down securely for the night. I'll go bring it back sometime this weekend when weather permits.

So, what did I do wrong? Let's see... I severely underestimated the weather, I went out alone on a 2 person boat I was still very unfamiliar with, in water too cold to be messing around in, without bringing proper attire for said cold water, didn't prepare for having to go out on the trapeze, didn't back off when the pontoon popped out (knowing full well what could happen if I flipped the boat), and didn't sheet out to keep the boat from going over, and didn't secure all my stuff to the tramp, and almost caused my 7 month old daughter to grow up without her father. Did I miss anything?

So, feel free to mock, laugh, lecture, chastise, offer advice - whatever your heart desires. Also, can anyone confirm for me that just heading up generally won't save me from going over? Not really something I want to try repeatedly to find out (at least not until the water warms up, and not by myself). Sheeting out will work better? I'm also not used to a 7:1 mainsheet system - I can release the main a lot faster on my H14's 4:1. Will the additional turns make a lot of difference in how fast it releases?

I guess I'm just a bit shaken up still (funny, it doesn't get to you until everything's over). I just don't want to be afraid of my new (much more powerful) boat because of this. Nor do I want it to get me killed. Guess I know now why there's 2 trap wires on the thing. Again, any advise, reassurance, and yes even chastisement would be greatly appreciated. If you got this far, thanks for reading

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-Bill

Conesus Lake, NY
1976 Hobie 14

well sounds like an adventure, at least your ok.

luke

Glad to hear you are ok Harriw
I have never turned over my h18 yet...and have no writting system installed...I will add it this summer ...I read the simplest way is to tie a line arround the striker post...and if you turn over...pas the line over the hull that is out of the water...any thoughts?

This summer when 2 of us are sailing the H18 I will turn it over to experience the writing process

Yup, for now I just have a knotted line tied to the dolphin striker post that I can toss over either hull. It has a knot every foot and a half or so to make it easier to hold on to. I'm planning on rigging a sort of Hawaiin system this summer, but it will need some adjusting to get the bungees just right, etc., and the water's still too cold to do that just yet.

_________________
-Bill

Conesus Lake, NY
1976 Hobie 14

Heading up reduces the lift produced by the sail by reducing the angle of attack. Initially it seems like it causes you to heel more, but it is one of the right things to do.

When I transitioned form my H16 to my H18 I noticed that the H18 doesn't "settle on the step" when flying a hull. It felt, on the 16, that at a certain heel angle it would stay there and be very forgiving. Not so on the 18. IT will keep going. I still haven't gotten used to this and am a bit skittish when hull flying.

Jsut stick with it and you will get a much better feel for it.

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Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO

Welcome to the Club. The 'Capsize Club', the "Why did I do it Club?". or 'The Learning Club'. I belong to all three.

The good news is that you know you can sail a H18 on your own. The better news is that you have learnt what you should know, and essentially, no harm was done. So you'll buy some folks some oat sodas, and have a chuckle with your family in the years to come. That's what we do.

From our experiences, we have learnt NEVER to cleat the main sheet. Leave that to the racers.

We have also learnt to 'read' the wind. Generally, up here in Eastern Canada, (which is similar to your weather,) there is a 'lull' before there is a 'puff' of wind. Look for the flattened out pattern on the surface of the water, followed by the patch of ripples/chop as the wind picks up. Head up into the lull, and be prepared to head off in the puff. (Some people refer to this as 'headers' and 'lifters') If the puff turns out to be a blast, head off more AND sheet out.

If you head into the wind with a raised hull when a puff hits, you are rotating the vessel, and the resulting mechanics will generally result in a capsize. Especially as the wind gets underneath the trampoline and 'blows' the H18 over. Dont' ask how I know. I do not agree with Hobie Nick. (Let's debate this guys.) Sure, you can head up under milder conditions OR if you have more weight/more than than one person on board.

If we have equipment on the boat, it is worn or fatbagged or tied down. Score: Me = Zero, Ottawa River = four hats, countless beers and pop, 16 apples, three windbreakers etc.

Unless there is chop, it is almost impossible for a solo recovery from capsize. A Hobie Bob helps, as it keeps the tip of the mast off the water, and lots of weight and muscles help. These days, I have more of the former and less of the latter, so I try and sail with company.

I'd love to trailer down sometime and check out your lake - it sounds great, good sailing and good folks. You are welcome to visit with us here anytime.

Good story.

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2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

I went and retrieved my boat today - it appears none the worse for wear (well, a rudder pin broke in the storm last night as I couldn't lash down the rudders the way it was beached. At least I know the fiberglass pin did what it was supposed to and sheared off before damaging the boat.). Looks like I have to seal the upper daggerboard trunk seams too, as the pontoon that was in the water had some water in it (no water after normal sailing so the lower seams are ok).

So John says fall off to bring down a pontoon, Nick says head up. Falling off makes sense, but I always thought heading up was the thing to do. Again, my experience is H14 where I'm usually trying to avoid a pitchpole, not going over sideways. And the heading up is basically to turn into the wind to lose speed quickly. I'd love to see a debate on this issue - that would definitely save me from a swim or two.

I'll start keeping the main uncleated too. Now that you mention it, I guess I usually do that on the 14 too in heavy winds. I wasn't expecting the H18 to heal that much in moderate winds. And most importantly, I'll wait for warmer water and a buddy (and maybe a big righting bag) to explore hull flying again.

Thanks for all the help and advice guys!

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-Bill

Conesus Lake, NY
1976 Hobie 14

Don't turn, sheet out!!!

Turning into the wind is the right move, unless you are flying a spinnaker. The spinnaker is a is the exception because you want the spinnaker to pull the boat forward and up, if you head up (into the wind) the sail is pulling the mast from the tip straight sideways. This is a sure way to capsize, but even here, sheeting out (letting the sail out) is the right thing to do to avoid a capsize.

On your leak, before you go to the hassle of pressure testing the hull and sealing the upper daggerboard trunk, there are three other easier potential leaks. The hatch cover rope handle, the seal around the hatch (gasket), and the silicone that this hatch cover ring is bedded in. If you are resealing the hatch cover ring, pull out the drain plug housing as well as the sealant there is probably also bad. The drain plug housing is most boats number one leak area.

Hey there,

Yup, I replaced and re-sealed the drain plug housings and access port covers this winter (got rid of the old style rope handle port covers and installed the screw-in types). I actually don't have a rubber seal there, but I do have fatbags there that were quite dry on the inside, so I'm pretty sure it was the upper daggerboard trunk seam. Could also be the upper gudgeon I suppose (I didn't re-seal the gudgeons, but I would have noticed before if the lower one was leaking).

I know there was a post recently on the proper way to seal leaks in this area, but when I did the bottom seam I just used regular silicone sealer (RTV) to seal the cracks. I know this isn't nearly as durrable as using the proper resin, but it seems to be holding the water out so far, and I wouldn't mind having taking 1/2 an hour each spring to redo the seal.

_________________
-Bill

Conesus Lake, NY
1976 Hobie 14