One of the main causes of a capsize in the Capri 14.2 is a sudden accidental jibe. And it doesn't have to be in heavy wind. I've seen it happen in moderate breezes of 6-8 knots.
But is a capsize a sure thing if you jibe? Not at all. The main thing that can aggravate the severity of the jibe is the position of the centerboard. Let's say you are running downwind in, say, 10 knots of breeze, with the board down and the control line properly cleated. You could jibe, but if you do, the centerboard creates so much resistance to a roll that a capsize is usually averted.
What if the board is up? Well, once I was running downwind in the High Sierra Regatta where strong breezes are commonplace. I was following a Capri 14.2 when it suddenly jibed and made a perfect barrel roll, tossing its crew over the side and rolling inverted in a heartbeat. The cause was obvious, as its centerboard was in the full up position. Oooops. Proof that zero lateral resistance equals zip roll stability. What's more, having the board secured in the full up position makes it almost impossible for the crew to get the boat upright again, as there's nothing to pull on, just a wet, slippery hull.
Why raise the board to begin with? Well, when racing, raising the board will reduce drag somewhat while running downwind. But as stated above, it's a risk. In light breezes, it's not unreasonable to raise the board part way, only one needs to remember to lower it again before rounding the leeward mark.
However, it's been my experience that the increase in speed with a "half-board" is marginal, and not worth the bother. That's because when you raise it halfway, you are mostly tilting it aft, not lifting it up, thus the wetted surface is scarcely reduced at all.
My recommendation: leave the board fully down and cleated all the time. This is especially true when sailing where there are few, if any powerboats around that can come to your aid.
By Ed Jones
But is a capsize a sure thing if you jibe? Not at all. The main thing that can aggravate the severity of the jibe is the position of the centerboard. Let's say you are running downwind in, say, 10 knots of breeze, with the board down and the control line properly cleated. You could jibe, but if you do, the centerboard creates so much resistance to a roll that a capsize is usually averted.
What if the board is up? Well, once I was running downwind in the High Sierra Regatta where strong breezes are commonplace. I was following a Capri 14.2 when it suddenly jibed and made a perfect barrel roll, tossing its crew over the side and rolling inverted in a heartbeat. The cause was obvious, as its centerboard was in the full up position. Oooops. Proof that zero lateral resistance equals zip roll stability. What's more, having the board secured in the full up position makes it almost impossible for the crew to get the boat upright again, as there's nothing to pull on, just a wet, slippery hull.
Why raise the board to begin with? Well, when racing, raising the board will reduce drag somewhat while running downwind. But as stated above, it's a risk. In light breezes, it's not unreasonable to raise the board part way, only one needs to remember to lower it again before rounding the leeward mark.
However, it's been my experience that the increase in speed with a "half-board" is marginal, and not worth the bother. That's because when you raise it halfway, you are mostly tilting it aft, not lifting it up, thus the wetted surface is scarcely reduced at all.
My recommendation: leave the board fully down and cleated all the time. This is especially true when sailing where there are few, if any powerboats around that can come to your aid.
By Ed Jones