Like I mentioned in my previous post, I am pleased for anyone who finds sailing the H14 with a jib more pleasurable or satisfying! As long as we keep the 14 on the water!
In recent posts, I read about two common 'concerns' of the H14: that it is not easy to tack, and not easy to right once capsized. Let me try to deal with both topics. I hope I am still in the right thread for this.
Righting first. In a next post I will deal with tacking.
Righting (like tacking, btw) a H14 quickly and without difficulty requires implementation of some basic techniques and some practice. In the end it is technique and not weight that does the trick. Anyone within a reasonable weight range for sailing the 14 - say between 45 and 90 kilograms - can right a H14 in a matter of (two) minutes - regardless of the circumstances (wind, waves). First of all, the boat should be in a seaworthy condition. That means among other things: the hulls should be drained (empty of water) before sailing, stays and trampoline snug. Rudders without play. The mast should not leak. If you suspect it leaks, test it. If it does, fix it. It is not difficult. No H14 mast should and needs to leak. Do not use a flotation device bungling at the top of your mast. It does not really help against going 'turtle' (180 degree capsize), but the added weight does make it a lot more difficult to right the boat. Also, a proper (length and thickness) righting line should be tied to the base of the mast at all times. Wearing gloves helps when sailing and certainly also when hanging on the righting line. Wearing rubber shoes prevents slipping off the hull but is not 'required'. Okay, so assume you have just capsized. [Even if the boat goes turtle, no real worries - except when the mast top hits the bottom. But when you are quick enough, going turtle does not necessarily need to happen]. Anyway: climb on the hull (about in the middle) that is lying in the water. Move about slowly and carefully. Get to the mast base and throw the righting line up and over the hull up in the air. VERY important: make sure the traveller is free to slide all the way down; and that you have sheeted out entirely!! Unless you do this the sail will act as a bag holding water, making righting a lot more difficult, and the boat is then also more likely to race away from you or capsize again after righting! So, once you are standing on the lower hull, ready to pull your weight on the righting line that is dangling down, make sure that the bows of the boat point towards the wind (to do so, move your weight fore or aft along the hull and wait for the boat to position in the right direction). So that the wind comes from the front, blowing under the length of the mast, pushing up the sail from underneath, helping you to right in a jiffy. If the boat is thus positioned properly vis a vis the wind, and fully sheeted out, you normally only need to hang on the righting line for a brief moment, and up she comes. If there are any waves/swell, make use of that too: start hanging the moment the top of the swell passes under the mast top. The moment the boat rights and is at about a 45 degree angle, bend your knees and start hanging on the dolphin striker (or, lacking one, the lacing of the trampoline) and hold firm. This avoids the boat from either accelerating away from you, or worse, capsizing again (usually to the other side). Once you have stabilized and pacified the boat, climb back on, haul the righting line in, take a deep breath or two and you are ready to go again! Righting a H14 is normally really very doable. It is recommended to practice it first under controlled circumstances - in other words, try it out a couple of times under safe circumstances and conditions if you are not sure how to do it. Then later, when a moment comes the boat does unintentionally (nose dive and) capsize, and you need to get it back on its paws really quickly (like when you are racing, or near a rocky shore) you will be ready and confident to deal with it. Happy H14 sailing!
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