Capsizing, Boarding, and Drain Holes

c14_Steve

New Member
This is about recovering from a capsize, mainly about getting back into the boat. But first, some background. A few years ago, while sailing single-handed on the Tappen Zee, I capsized my Capri for the first time. The boat turtled immediately, before I could do anything. A motorboater took me on board and we were able to right the boat (by attaching a line to the far side). The self-bailing worked well and I was able to resume sailing.

I contacted Catalina and eventually ordered the anti-turtling device (a floatation sleeve that fits over the head of the mainsail).

A few days ago, while sailing with a friend, I capsized again. The device worked and the boat did not turtle. It wasn't easy to right, perhaps because the center-board was not fully extended. My friend had to swim out to the mast head and push it up. My real troubles began after the boat came back up and the water drained out.

Having been told some years ago that this was a hard boat to board from the water, I had attached to the inside of the transom a piece of line with a loop in it. When I tried to use this, I found that it somehow didn't work. I just couldn't get high enough out of the water to get into the boat. Efforts to board from the side also failed. Note that I am reasonably agile, for example, I have no trouble mounting a horse. I had been struggling for quite a while before a boat from Julius Petersen's Boat Yard came to my rescue. I have just ordered a collapsable ladder that I will attach to the inside of the transom.

It occurred to me yesterday that the boarding problem is largely due to the self-bailing feature. If after being righted there was still a lot of water in the boat, it would ride lower in the water and be much easier to board (this was the case with my previous boat). So my idea now is to install removable plugs in the drain holes. If the boat takes on water while sailing, these can be pulled for drainage and then re-inserted. Should the boat capsize, I would right it, board it, and then pull the plugs for drainage. Has anybody tried something like this? Any thoughts on whether it would work?
 
Stick with the boarding ladder

This summer while sailing on a hot day the wind just stopped. So to make the best of it we decided to go swimming from the boat. My wife and 8 year old son jumped overboard with their life jackets on while I stayed in the boat. Because the boat does ride very high in the water both my wife and son had trouble getting back in the boat. Since we were in no hurry to get going we tied a loop in one of the launch lines and tried getting in the boat with that. We found this dificult as well because your foot wants to go under the boat when you push. Well with help from me in the boat everyone got back in the boat. I then jumped in to try getting in and found it dificult as well.
On the ride home we discussed what we were going to do to easily get back in the boat. If it had been cold or bad weather we would not have been able to get back in the boat. The next week I purchased a 2 step colapsing ladder and mounted it to the stern of the boat. On our next trip out we let our son try out the ladder. It worked great. He was able to get in the boat very easily. Now we feel very confident that if we need to get in the boat after capsizing we can do it with no problems. I would reccomend the boarding ladder to anyone with a Capri 14.2

Thanks
Roger
 
To Roger
Where did you get the ladder and how is it attached to the transome?

To Steve
How long ago did you get the anti-turtling device from Catalina? Is it still available? How much $?

THX Bill confused:
 
Boarding Ladder

Bill:
The ladder that I bought is the Garelick 2 step over platform telescoping ladder. I bought it from Boaters World. I mounted it on the starboard side of the transom. When it is folded up it nicely tucks under the rubrail. Mounting it was the fun part. Two of the holes are easy to get to form the inside of the boat. There I made drilled thru the transom and thru the inner cockpit with the clearance drill for a 1/4-20 bolt. I then drilled a 1/2" diameter hole only thru the inner cockpit and made up brass spacers to go between the inside of the transom and the outside of the inner liner. I then put washers and nuts on the inside of the boat. Now that side is locked against the transom.
The other side the screws are under the seat. For that side I drilled thru the transom with the clearance drill for a 1/4-20 bolt. I then cut a hole in the side of the seat for an access hole to get at the nuts and washers from the inside. I made a cover to go over the hole, but if I had to do it over I would put in a larger hole and install a Bekson screw out hatch with a storage bag on the inside. This would have given me more room to work and a nice place to put my keys when sailing.
This sounds more dificult that it actually was. I can E-mail you photos if you want me to.

Good luck
Roger
 
Roger,
Thanks for the info. I just put the boat into winter storage, so I've got till spring to think about what to do. A picture would be good though.
email to <[email protected]>
BTW, where are you located? I'm in Minnesota, thus the winter storage. Our water gets really hard in the next few months LOL.

THX Bill:p
 
Roger Lohrey said:
We found this dificult as well because your foot wants to go under the boat when you push.
We used to have the same problem too. But after we lower the step or loop getting back is not much of a problem. But then we haven't capsized for a while now, may be we are out of practice.

Lucky that you can smiw in your area. We don't swim in Chesapeake bay. If we fall into water, my wife will spray us 10% bleach before entering the house. :D :D :D
 
Anti-Turtling Flotation Device

billboats said:
To Roger
Where did you get the ladder and how is it attached to the transome?

To Steve
How long ago did you get the anti-turtling device from Catalina? Is it still available? How much $?

THX Bill confused:

I bought the anti-turtling device (a flotation sleeve that fits over the head of the mainsail) about six years ago. It listed at $139. I don't know if it is still available, but I'd guess it is, since it was new when I ordered it.
 
Boarding Ladder

I fully understand how difficult it is to re-enter the boat from the water, or trying to get a swimmer back in. With such a high freeboard, a ladder is a must. Mine is a 2 step folding one that I shortened, and reversed the mounting bracket - I'll try to include a photo. Brian
 

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