# Capsizing fears



## Largo (Nov 15, 2011)

Even after many years of sailing, I've never truly gotten over my fear of knocking down the boat. This my Rhodes 19 with a 440lb keel -- and a sail area of 175s.f. // I know the boat is underpowered, but still when she heels in the gusts it feels like it's going to tip, rather than right itself. My question is, what exactly does it take to knock over a keel boat of this size? Wave action aside, can I bury the rail knowing the wind will spill? Thanks, as usual, for the great advice. I realize that I can reef or take down the jib, but that's not really my point. I'm trying to figure if I can ride out gusts in the 12 to 15 knot range; and even just push it a little in 8 to 10. P.S. Main is on a barney block, so there is no traveler. Thanks again.


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## Cruiser2B (Jan 6, 2011)

I am in no way an expert in sailboat design but seriously I doubt you have anything to worry about in 12-15knots, if at all. I have no experience with your boat but have read that they are very seaworthy and forgiving. I am sure other with real experience will chime in. My Alberg is very tender, meaning she will heel to just about 2" from the rail and then stay there even in gusts. It takes over 20kts and a unreefed main to dip the rail. It took a while to convince my wife that the boat wouldn't go over.


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## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

You have to really work hard at it in most keelboats and generally need a Spinaker gone bad*










2011 Manhasset Bay fall gusting 30 knots nobody fell over going upwind*


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## garyguss (Oct 9, 2007)

Thanks for posting this guys


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## klem (Oct 16, 2009)

In a boat like a rhodes 19, you want to prevent putting the cockpit coaming under water as you can ship a large amount of water very quickly once this happens. Once it goes under, it does not want to come back up as much and you risk swamping.

Most larger keel boats can heel much farther than a boat like a rhodes before downflooding becomes an issue. This is because the boat is closed and provided that the hatch boards are in, flooding is unlikely to be a huge issue in the occasional gust.

You will never find the limit of your righting moment, you will swamp long before it.


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## c_witch (Sep 25, 2011)

Hiee,

I don't know if this will help or not but here it goes. A bit about our boat. Its a 22 foot yankee condor. Classed as an ultra light cruiser. Its a swing keel. Its current rigging is that of a fractional rig. There is a 1 foot deep steel box below the boat keel that the swing keel lifts into. Its ~ 250#s or so. The swing keel itself is ~ 250#s or so. Inside the hull and on each side of the keel are lead pucks glued and glassed onto the hull for an additional ~230#s. Keel down she draws about 5 feet of water.

Ok on our first sail with this boat, we were in the atlantic ocean and just offshore and sailing under jib along. Basically trying to get a feel for the boat.
Winds at the time 10 to 15 knots. The wind began to pick up and under jib alone we could make no head way so decided to hoist the main. We pointed into the wind. Just as I got the main hoisted and cleated we were hit with a 20 knot gust pushing us abeam to the wind. The main sheet was midship and locked in the cam cleats at the time and we were basically dead in the water. Well she heeled 'Way' over not quite to the rails before I was able to release the main and spill the wind and she poped right back up again. Needless to say it was somewhat scary for a second as I thought for sure we were going to go over. Seas were maybe a foot at the time.

Second time I was sailing downwind and began coming about to sail upwind again. As I began my turn I was bringing the main sheet to gain speed for my turn. I did not notice that again the main sheet had worked its way into the cam cleats and was locked. When I came beam onto the wind I could not release the main and spill the wind and she heeled 'way' over again,but not the rails. This was all of a fraction of a second before I was back into the wind and into and windward tack. On both occasions I think she was 30+ degree's heeled, although it certainly felt like twice that at the time. Again the wind was 15 and gusting to 20 knots. She seems to sail happiest at about a 10 to 15 degree heel.

c_witch


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## Largo (Nov 15, 2011)

That's great advice, Klem. It's a definitive way of looking at it, rather than reefing at a particular wind speed, or whatever. I think then if I keep my eye on the rail, I can know when to head up the boat or ease the main. Actually, the way the boat is designed, it would take a lot to put the cockpit coaming under. Thank you very much. And thanks to the others, too, for posting replies.


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## chris_gee (May 31, 2006)

I don't know the boat but see there is an active class association. Probably they can best advise you.
I would not expect it to flip at the wind speeds you mention.
In general terms the keel becomes more effective as the boat heels, and you have a righting effect from the bouyancy of the immersed hull depending on shape.
Against that you have the force on the sails. Whatever windspeed the sails are designed for will involve an angle of heel. Generally one wants to keep the boat flat or under 20 deg anyway. If the wind incresaes by about 6 knots the force on the sails doubles as it is proportional to the square, but the effective sail area needs to half to match this which requires you to double the heel angle from 20. At that point most would be pretty uncomfortable and concerned. At that stage a lot of boats are designed to round up.
I think if it were me I would assume it could go over unless I sailed it even though it would be unlikely in those winds without a strong gust. You could get used to dipping a rail, but then easing the sheet or better turning upwind in the gusts or both. I see most of those boats have travellers and backstay tensioners both of which help in flattening the sails. If your sails are old they may be baggy and overfull.


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## PaulinVictoria (Aug 23, 2009)

This was me a few weeks ago, got knocked by a very sudden gust, wasn't quick enough on the sheet/traveller so over we went. Boat rounded up and popped upright again in a couple of seconds. Safe as long as you are holding on, I think we were a little past the optimum amount of heel for my boat


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Years ago I sailed in a friends Mariner 19 center board sailboat (close relative of your boat) on the Rappahonac River, lower Chesapeake.
The strongest winds we encountered were around 20 knots which made for a bit of a hairy ride. We never capsized but did get rounded up a bit. Pretty sure we did not reef the main or jib.


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## WDS123 (Apr 2, 2011)

A open keel boat is very different than the typical cruiser. 

Green water coming over the rail on a open keel boat and you might swamp quickly. 

We started putting positive floatation in the Harbor 20s around hull 145. Even completely swamped a Harbor 20 will still float & support the weight of 2 big adults


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## Marcel D (Apr 15, 2012)

I have sailed everything from lasers to cats to small and large keel boats. I have owned a Sanjuan 21 to a captiva 240 each boat was very different. The Sanjuan was very stiff with a 1200 lbs displacement and 400 lbs in the keel, the Captiva 240 was very different as well very tender until 20% of heel. She stiffened right up and didnt move much pased that. She had a displacement of 2400lbs with 800 lbs in the keel but she was a keel center board with 2' draft where the Sanjuan was swing keel with a keel 5' draft. I have also owned a Beneteau 285 with a wing keel very tender as well 6500lbs of displacement and 2300lbs of balested. Our newest boat is a Beneteau 34 2009 with a displacement of 12568 lbs and a balested or around 3208 lbs in a 6' deep bulb keel. She has a very wide beam 12 foot for a 34 but it helps with stability. But once she goes she might be gone for good. I am very quick to reef and keep her on her feet she not only sails better this way but is quicker in all regards.


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## ImASonOfaSailor (Jun 26, 2007)

My 2 cents! If its to windy for ya Reef it! if its still to windy DONT go out! if your sailing and u get caught in it then turn up into irons and reef! the more u heal the less speed u get and u round up! If you dont want to heal dump your air! Hold the main sheet play with it learn your boat! Healing is what they do those boats any mono, on cats we fly a hull, but you have to know when its enough flying and hold what you got! Just learn your boat in what she can handle every boat has a breaking point!


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## DivingOtter (May 5, 2012)

on my Santana 2023 I have had some dicey scenarios singlehanded like burying the rails in a gust, but the rudder size makes her give up authority before it gets too out of hand. She usually just points herself back into the wind after a few seconds. Just make sure you have control of the sails and be ready to douse the main if need be or just point her into the wind if your outside your comfort level.


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## peterchech (Sep 2, 2011)

As stated, an open keelboat is entirely different from a cabin keelboat. Just youtube "sailboat broach" and you will see what an enclosed keelboat, even with the hatchboards in, can typically withstand.

An open keelboat is different, because at a certain point the coaming will go underwater and at that point you will get downflooding. Make sure you have positive floatation in the boat! 

Tha said, I think you are a little over concerned. 10-15 knots isn't alot of wind frankly, and getting the rail under is probably not unusual even in an open keel boat (I race against a shields and they often have the rail just above the water). 

Install a clinometer. It's like $10 and worth every penny. You will know exactly how much the boat is heeling, and it will take the fear out of it. One idea as well is to fill up a dinghy with water, and strap some lines under it. Hook up your main halyard to it, and crank it on a winch until the boat starts heeling. Using the clinometer, measure the point at which the water gets just up to the coaming. That will give you an idea of how much heel is your absolute max in flat water.


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## MITBeta (May 13, 2011)

I sail a Rhodes 19 frequently and have been out in 20 knot winds, gusting to 30. You need to know how to "feather" the boat into the wind -- ride the line between close hauled and the no-go zone. You also need to have one hand on the main sheet at all times in gusty conditions so that you can ease if necessary. 

The boat WILL swamp if you keep the rail in the water long enough, but the only way to do that is to keep trying to sail it while broached. If you head up and or ease the main sheet, the boat will right itself before there's more water than you can handle in the cockpit.

Better than a clinometer is my 4 year old. She is always able to let me know when the boat is healing too far...


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## smurphny (Feb 20, 2009)

Cruiser2B said:


> I am in no way an expert in sailboat design but seriously I doubt you have anything to worry about in 12-15knots, if at all. I have no experience with your boat but have read that they are very seaworthy and forgiving. I am sure other with real experience will chime in. My Alberg is very tender, meaning she will heel to just about 2" from the rail and then stay there even in gusts. It takes over 20kts and a unreefed main to dip the rail. It took a while to convince my wife that the boat wouldn't go over.


So true about Albergs. People tend to get scared because they heel so quickly. It's one of the standard complaints about these old designs, having to spend so much of the time on a severely angled deck.


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## smallboatlover (May 11, 2011)

grow some ball and sail


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## souljour2000 (Jul 8, 2008)

smallboatlover said:


> grow some ball and sail


"Grow some Ball and Sail"

And that my friend's might be the new motto and bumpersticker of the US Sailing Assoc....only $4.95 + shipping ......hell might look better than that Obama/Biden or Romney/Ryan sticker much less whose lame kid is an honor student...has a nice ring to it...afterall though not exactly " I'd rather be sailing" ...but that's so late 70's anyways... Could even be shortened to: wait...

" Grow ball...sail" or even "Grow some...sail some"

Okay..my work here is done...


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

Ok, I am looking at your boat with this picture:









I think you'd have to push REALLY hard to get water over that combing. But that being said, once you did, you'd have to get unswamped before she'd right for you. The rhodes is one tough boat, and sails good in a blow, you'd likely be upwards of 25 before you could heel hard enough to swamp, but like you said, rouge wave, or weird gust, it might be slightly less than that.

Does the boat also have positive floatation? not reading that it does.


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## ImASonOfaSailor (Jun 26, 2007)

tommays said:


> You have to really work hard at it in most keelboats and generally need a Spinaker gone bad*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


WELL this isnt 15 knots of wind! this more like 20 + every boat has its limits! My brothers hunter 27 could take a good blow so i wouldn't take it out with him! You have to know your limit take sails down or do what SMALL BOAT said! Grow some Balls! my brother boat was tender your 19 i am sure wouldn't be any better! I would stay on land if i were you if its blowing over 15!


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## Geoff54 (Oct 30, 2011)

smallboatlover said:


> grow some ball and sail


So says the voice of inexperience. Yeah, I saw the smiley but wow, it's hard to believe that you could be so wrong in only four words. I don't think you're going to like what I've got to say.

The OP posted a serious concern and asked for help - who are you to trivialize his concerns and effectively say that they don't matter? You questioned his masculinity and implied that he has no balls - that's plain insulting. You demonstrated a sexist attitude and implied that it's necessary to have balls to sail - if my partner grows balls I'll be very unhappy and she's a damn good sailor without any.

Most importantly, you are perpetuating the kind of attitude that leads to a lack of respect for the conditions, the boat that you are sailing and the fears of others. That's one way people get into difficulties. That's one way people get hurt. That's one way that people die. And in case you think I'm scare mongering, many years ago I had a good friend, a great sailor but who had that kind of attitude. I got to go to his funeral. The ocean doesn't care about bravado.

I hope that it was just a glib, smart ass comment that you didn't really mean. A little less machismo and a little more thought would be a good thing. And yeah, I used to be young and reckless and now I'm just an old fart with no balls.


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## ImASonOfaSailor (Jun 26, 2007)

@Geoff54??? Really? You need to take a chil pill sorry about your friend but really the guy is asking what to do! I sail a 21 foot CATAMARAN it weighs 1000 pounds maybe i know what i am talking about here! because there is no Heal with me, my HULL comes out of the water! So you better know what the HELL your doing because 1000 ponds on its side and everything in my hulls isn't something you want to play with while your swimming! SO yes sometimes you have to GROW some Balls, SO TRUE! its a figure of speech also! Are you a person that doesnt like WAVED at also? Hey i am waving at you WAVE
WAVE
WAVE


I am being funny here!  Life is to short for people like you to get all mad and stuff of a funny typing on a forum!  SMILE for the Wavier! ((((( WAVE)))) As i fly by you on my cat with One hull out of the water showing you one side of my A SS ( i mean Hull)..


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## CarbonSink62 (Sep 29, 2011)

Well... that escalated quickly.

Back to the topic:

I found this vid online; two guys went out and tried to capsize a Hunter 23

huntercapsize02 - YouTube

different boat; different water; etc. but it proves the point that it takes a lot to capsize a modern sloop. Most of the time it will take a lot more that just sailing like a jack-ass (intentionally or not). You'd have to sail like a jack-ass AND have that big wave come at just the right time.

A Rhodes 19 was the first keel boat I ever sailed on my own. I loved them. If yours has some floatation, sail responsibly and worry about the ice level in your cooler.

You'll be fine.

Ken


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## Geoff54 (Oct 30, 2011)

ImASonOfaSailor said:


> @Geoff54??? Really? You need to take a chil pill sorry about your friend but really the guy is asking what to do! I sail a 21 foot CATAMARAN it weighs 1000 pounds maybe i know what i am talking about here! because there is no Heal with me, my HULL comes out of the water! So you better know what the HELL your doing because 1000 ponds on its side and everything in my hulls isn't something you want to play with while your swimming! SO yes sometimes you have to GROW some Balls, SO TRUE! its a figure of speech also! Are you a person that doesnt like WAVED at also? Hey i am waving at you WAVE
> WAVE
> WAVE
> 
> I am being funny here!  Life is to short for people like you to get all mad and stuff of a funny typing on a forum!  SMILE for the Wavier! ((((( WAVE)))) As i fly by you on my cat with One hull out of the water showing you one side of my A SS ( i mean Hull)..


I'm not upset and I don't need a chill pill. I saw a post that was, at best, crass and I called him on it. I don't see a problem with that. You're just propagating that attitude. I just reread what I wrote and I don't think I need to change a word.

"but really the guy is asking what to do" - exactly! and you think "get some balls" is helpful? How about "Get some brains"? Do you think that is just a figure of speech? At least that is only rude - not sexist and dangerous as well. How about "GROW some Brains"? And I THINK that your CAPS button keeps getting STUCK! No need to SHOUT. Especially when most of it doesn't make SENSE. "I am being funny here!  " - or not. 

No idea what all the "WAVE" stuff is about. And I'm sorry that "people like you" feel the need to "GROW some Balls" and "showing you one side of my A SS". Thank you for your considered opinion but I think you've lost the plot.

I'm going sailing tomorrow - I wonder if I need to pack some balls. 

edit - just fixed a typo..


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## ImASonOfaSailor (Jun 26, 2007)

@Geoff54 Here we will go thru this with you here is what the guy wrote! >>> Even after many years of sailing, I've never truly gotten over my *fear *of knocking down the boat. This my Rhodes 19 with a 440lb keel -- and a sail area of 175s.f. // I know the boat is underpowered, but still when she heels in the gusts it feels like it's going to tip, rather than right itself. My question is, what exactly does it take to knock over a keel boat of this size? Wave action aside, can I bury the rail knowing the wind will spill? Thanks, as usual, for the great advice. I realize that I can reef or take down the jib, but that's not really my point.* I'm trying to figure if I can ride out gusts in the 12 to 15 knot range; and even just push it *a little in 8 to 10. P.S. Main is on a barney block, so there is no traveler. Thanks again.

Again I am simple saying and so is everyone else here its a 19 footer it will go over! KNOW what your boat can handle and Know what you can handle! If your scared then dont do it! On small boats you need to Grow some balls! it means get tuff, dont be scared fight thru it if you really want to know go do it! 15 knots of wind really isnt that bad! when you get up to 23 + is good stuff! But its all in your boat , how much can your boat handle, well you too?

You seem like a guy that over thinks things, looks into something to far, you need to go sailing. Forget the WAVE im not explaining it!


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## Geoff54 (Oct 30, 2011)

ImASonOfaSailor said:


> .. its a 19 footer it will go over! KNOW what your boat can handle and Know what you can handle! If your scared then dont do it!


Good advise and so much better than "get some balls".



ImASonOfaSailor said:


> You seem like a guy that over thinks things, looks into something to far, you need to go sailing.


I did - just got back. Had a great time, thought through everything just about the right amount and didn't need my balls once - at least not for the sailing part.

BTW - Hey Huck, how about you take your own advise. Defend your comment or admit you were wrong.


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## c_witch (Sep 25, 2011)

I thought the 'grow some balls' comment was rude and uncalled for. It is acutally deserving of a temporary suspension from the site in my opinion! On the net you really never know who it is that is making comments even though they make ya wanna uke.

c_witch


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## caberg (Jul 26, 2012)

I spent my summers in high school and college working at a place that rented Rhodes 19 (keel model) to public. We'd take them out in really big blows of 20-30 and never came close to putting one over or swamping, though you can get a pretty good heel on that boat. I actually think it would be quite difficult to put one over because the boat will round up on you before it'll go over.


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Not even sure the 12 to 15 knots qualifies as "gusts". Your boat should be very capable of handling that.


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## Sublime (Sep 11, 2010)

peterchech said:


> Install a clinometer. It's like $10 and worth every penny. You will know exactly how much the boat is heeling, and it will take the fear out of it.


I got one for my boat and it helped me (and any guests) tremendously.


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## Flybyknight (Nov 5, 2005)

I believe that the most dangerous threat to a sailboat such as yours is a rogue wave that flips you and buries your mast.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

Please folks look at the design of his boat! I posted the picture to help.









He has an open cockpit keel boat. He isn't lacking in manhood, he's got no positive floatation in the boat. Sadly, if he CAN knock the boat hard enough over, to bring it over the rail, and into the cockpit, he could swamp... if enough comes over, it'll likely stay over.

Now the design looks like there is a decent overhang, and you'd be HARD pressed to get above that teak rail, but like the man said, a wave and it'd be possible if timed just right.

Now, that being said, I don't think he'll get over it, until he presses it harder and harder. Only suggestion I can give is stuff the cockpit full of life vests (10+ secured to the boat somehow), wear one yourself, secure a nice electric bilge pump, and go TRY to swamp it! The 10 lifevests should provide enough floatation to keep it from sinking (hopefully), and press it hard over. Until you get the boat on the edge you won't know what it can handle.

WD is right, the wd-shock harbor 20 is a more modern version of his boat here:









They've gone out of their way to make it have positive floatation, for JUST this problem.

No ball, indeed, sounds to me like he's perfectly justified in his concern. I am all for pushing boundaries, but ONLY when I control the parameters. Sounds like he's on the same page.

WDS123 - kudos, by the way, killer boat! Largo - also a sweet boat, classic!


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Not sure he should be concerned about "rogue waves" knocking him over.


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## MITBeta (May 13, 2011)

SHNOOL said:


> Only suggestion I can give is stuff the cockpit full of life vests (10+ secured to the boat somehow), wear one yourself, secure a nice electric bilge pump, and go TRY to swamp it! The 10 lifevests should provide enough floatation to keep it from sinking (hopefully), and press it hard over.


15 Type I lifevests = 330 lbs of buoyancy. Keelboat weighs 1300 lbs.


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## Frogwatch (Jan 22, 2011)

I too suffer from this fear and all I can do about it is to sail in conditions where the rail is at the water and see what it is like. For a keel boat, I logically know physics is in my favor.
As she heels, the righting moment increases and the heeling moment decreases the further over she goes simply due to the cross sectional area of the sail and the righting moment of the ballast. At some point, the righting force MUST be greater than the heeling force.
Also, at conditions when the rail is near the water, the weather helm is so extreme that you can barely hold the tiller as she tries to round up into the wind. As heeling increases, the rudder becomes less and less effective so that at some point you would not be able to hold her and she'd turn into the wind.
The only conditions that would knock her down I think would be getting waves on the beam and falling over the lee side of one. Even that would not be too bad as with the hatches closed, she'd immediately then turn into the wind with sails flogging.
I think that with main and jib up, my boat would survive a hurricane as long as she stayed watertight. The sails would flog to ribbons but she'd survive.
The boat can almost always take more than you can.


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## bratzcpa (Oct 18, 2011)

Interesting thread.

This spring, we put in a (new to us) 27' Catalina. The first few times we got heeled over, there was quite a few "white knuckles" all around onboard. Yikes, not so sure about this. Despite being reassured abou the boats "wanting" to stay upright, due to the heavy keel, it still felt kinda "out of control". How to enjoy sailing with all of that pucker factor going on. 

We got over it - - know how??

We started doing the Saturday races. When you're zeroing in on the upwind mark, and a few competitive juices start flowing, it changes everything. Also, being in a group of boats and everyone is heeled over (some farther, much farther, than you), you can see how it all works. 

yep, we race every week. We'll never ever win a race with our big/heavy boat, but it's a GREAT learning classroom. Every single week, I feel like we finish up with a few more skills and a little more knowledge . . . and a ton more confidence in our boat and what she can do. 

~markb


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## c_witch (Sep 25, 2011)

I don't think you can make a boat capsize 'proof' so therefor the next best option is to make her unsinkable. Some have mentioned tight hatches etc but unless they are offshore they will let in a tremendous amount of water. We had 2 little pin hole leaks in our cable tube (swing keel boat) below the water line. About an hour after launch I decided to have a look in the shallow bilge that we have and it was full of water just below the sole. When we did locate the leaks I was surprised by just how much water was coming in as they were less then 8 inches below the water line. SOOOOOOO the fix add positive floatation via polyurathane foam. Use the 2 part stuff that you mix and pour into cavaties. The trick is getting it the right places so the boat doesn't float upside down but wants to right itself.

I agree the best way to get over the fear is to 'gradually' sail the boat and heel it under greater and greater winds in a controlled fashion to learn what she is capable of.

c_witch


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Froggie:
I think you have it. The boat can almost always take more than the crew can. The most important component in this equasion is skipper skill. If you have minimal skills see Bratz's post. It is spot on.

Bratz:
Congrats!
I have said this many times and it usually gets me in trouble:
If you have never entered organized races and raced seriously you are most probably a hacker. Nothing teaches you the rudiments of sailing better than racing.

So, you are in a racing fleet. You cross the starting line, way late. You look at the other boats. They are all heeled over 25 degrees, plugging to weather and THEY ARE NOT DYING. "Oh," so you say to yourself, "I guess it's OK to do that."

Of course there could always be that rogue wave. Or keel grabbing monsters of the deep.


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## peterchech (Sep 2, 2011)

bratzcpa said:


> Interesting thread.
> 
> This spring, we put in a (new to us) 27' Catalina. The first few times we got heeled over, there was quite a few "white knuckles" all around onboard. Yikes, not so sure about this. Despite being reassured abou the boats "wanting" to stay upright, due to the heavy keel, it still felt kinda "out of control". How to enjoy sailing with all of that pucker factor going on.
> 
> ...


I gotta say, racing will change your whole viewpoint on what there is to worry about in keelboats, esp if you start our with more experienced racers as crew.

The other day we were approaching the windward mark when I realized one of the spin sheets was run incorrectly, which would totally f up our hoist. I had to get to the low side and re-run the sheet. Being a particularly weight-sensitive boat with full genoa up in a decent breeze, my weight on the low side pushed the rail well under for more than a minute as I re-ran the line. I was literally stepping in rushing leeward seawater the whole time until I made the fix. Not dangerous at all, just gave the helm a tri and bicep workout to keep from rounding up 

Check out this cool video of a j22 doing an offshore race:






10-15 knots wind in a trad keelboat like a rhodes is prob physically impossible to swamp... would be hard to do even with the kite up...


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## Bruce_L (Jun 19, 2012)

I had a scare a while back with an afternoon squall that popped up pretty quick. We got all the sails down in time, but still heeled over a good bit with bare poles. My boat is only 19 feet with 1100lbs of lead in a deep full keel. It would sink instantly, with one good dip of the rail. Would be freaking out if I had to navigate confused seas with waves coming at me from all angles. My cockpit has a gorgeous slatted teak sole and a very deep bilge for all that water to enter. My solution was to build two watertight flotation pods into the cockpit that have 16 cubic feet of volume, which displaces 1024 lbs of seawater. These pods are underneath two mahogany benches that are about 6 feet long on each side of the tiller. I also built a new bulkhead that raises the lowest point of the companionway passage almost a foot higher than original. That should keep the cabin dry and add even more buoyancy. Still finishing the project as there is a lot of work to be done before I sail, but I feel this should boost my sense of security quite a bit. I still need to sail smart and not get cocky about thinking my boat is guaranteed unsinkable now. My tiny boat sails great in rough weather so I put up with all the keel weight, thats why I bought it.


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## WDS123 (Apr 2, 2011)

Single handing a Harbor 25 in 50 knot winds. Only boat left sailing and the surfing home:

A Micro-burst and 51 Knots on a Harbor 25!


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