How not to turtle

Posted By: Ron Keeler
Date: 12/8/07 2:31p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: Capsize video! (Jay Levy - Indianapolis, IN 5.2 #35)

I made several discoveries yesterday while making my first sail in my recently purchased Harpoon 5.2. (Sail # 255) First, is that if you don't release the ratchet on the main sheet block, you cannot release the main sheet in a gust. Second, the foam filled mast and flotation in the head of the main will keep the mast floating for a few minutes. Third, when the boat is floating on it's side the boat's Centerboard is too far above the water to reach. My next discovery is that the boat will not completely turtle when in only 8 feet of water. So, to prevent turtling, sail in shallow water; the black gooey bottom mud is lots of fun to clean off the sail, mast and halliard (yuck). I also learned that an hour in cold water makes a man's voice an octive higher due to shrinkage. I was very fortunate that my Son-in-law came to my dock to fish and saw the boat capsized at the other end of the cove. He brought the pontoon boat and in a few minutes, I had the boat upright and was bailing it out. I guess this is what happens when you go back to a centerboarder after 35 years of ballasted boats. Has anyone developed a method for one person to right a capsized 5.2 before the mast sinks. I am not too keen on trying this again to develop my own technique. Old wet Ron