That didn't take long - my first capsize

[flounder43]

On Saturday I took my boat out for only the third time. It was pretty windy - about 10 to 15 mph winds and I am finding out that the wind is very shifty on my lake. Anyway, I was trying to tack through the wind from port to starboard. Before I knew it the boom came back at me and I tried to correct, but it was too late. The main sheet was totally released, but the wind was too much and my weight couldn't stop the tipping. Once she went over, I bailed out quickly, got up on the centerboard, and the boat righted pretty easily.

At this point, I am wondering if there is something that I am doing wrong. This boat is so tippy that it isn't relaxing to sail. I have been going solo and I suppose the weight from another person would help, but the last thing I want to do is dunk my wife in the lake. I am 200 pounds so I am not a lightweight.

Anyway, I am wearing swimming shorts next time I go out.

 

[JGM]

Although there are some who will disagree with me, I think the ease at capsizing is real issue with the C-14 and not wholly laid upon the skill level of the skipper. In my mind, you just can't ignore the physics which are pretty easy to understand.

First of all, the Capri 14 has a tall topsides, no doubt designed to keep the occupants drier which is what you would expect from a day sailer. Unfortunately this shifts the center of gravity upward - not good for stability against heeling over.

Second, she has quite a lot of sail area for her size. So even at 200 pounds, 2x200 pounds is better at keeping her level in heavy air.

Finally, the boom is set higher than most boats I've sailed of similar length and beam, which makes it safer and more consistent in avoiding bopped heads during tacks and gibes, but decreases the leverage needed to push the boat over.

Could you have avoided a capsize? Probably but at some point you have to implicate the C-14 in that it doesn't make it easy. Personally I wouldn't single hand in 15 knot winds without bagging the jib or reefing the main. At 190 ibs I just don't have the butt to hold her down!

That's my two cents - you get what you pay for.
Jim

 

[kentth]

I have had my Capri just a little over a year now. The first time out with two aboard, capsize, turtle, at least the water was warm. The rest of that session, I sailed it without getting wet. Had some interesting sails, but we made it.

This year, I started out the session in May, the water can be cold in May in IN, the wind is gusty, and generally runs 10-20 knots, sometimes higher. I put it over one day tied to the dock, kind of embarrassing, but I survived. So far I have been racing the boat all session single handed.

I am convinced the boat is made for 5-10 knot, constant winds, if you get more then that get ready for some fun. Two weeks ago, we raced in 15-20 knot winds, gusting. I was single handed and I really had my hands full, almost pulled out of the race. My club races all the boats together no matter what class you are in, so you can be racing cruisers, day sailors, sun fish, you name it. Mine is the only Capri and it is considered one of the faster boats.

This weekend I talked my wife into crewing for me 5-10 knot winds, told her no problem it would be fun, she doesn't like the boat to heel, we got to the lake and the wind had increased to 10-15 knots. I told her grab a beverage and a chair and to watch, I would single hand it again. I had a blast, I really started felling comfortable with the boat. The big thing I found was to relax, and when it starts to heel, make sure you are on the high side and if not get there, let out the main sheet slowly, let it out fast and you are in trouble. My biggest problem was not having someone to let out the jib, as I was letting out the main. So to really go you need the second person, to provide more weight and to provide you with that extra set of hands.

After you get more familiar with the boat you will start to anticipate what the boat will do under different conditions. I spent the Sunday hiked out, on the edge, and flying. And my wife said everybody on shore was taking bets when I was going to put it over, but I never did. The only time I got close, was when I decided to see how far over I could get it without it going over, this was after the last race and I was close to the shore and in front of the sailing club, so help was close by. I had the boat over to the point when I looked down at the tiller I say it was just coming out of the water. I knew that was inviting disaster, so I just eased out the main a little more and she settled down and I was able to bring it back to a more comfortable position.

My suggestion sail it in all conditions, take it to the edge and then bring it back again. And the swim suit is a good idea.

Kent

 

[SHNOOL]

First... I LOVE THIS SAILBOAT! Second, this is NOT com-pac picnic cat... or a dory, or a cruiser. It is a go-fast sailing dingy. It does NOT have a keel (all due respect to the keel boat version owners, if there are any)... Therefore, it does not have that positive righting ability a keel affords.

Now with that out of the way. I have taken 2 (what I call) knock downs. Both with 2 grown people on board, in 10-15 knot winds. I call them knock downs, because in neither case was she more than 90 degrees... although, the cockpit was completely full of water, for mere seconds.

Kenneth is right.... it takes some real getting used to, to get good enough to know how hard to push her, and what she can recover from.

Some instances are, what I would call, nearly unrecoverable (meaning you'd get wet, not necessarily swimming). One is the "unpredictable gust." Another is a strange convergence of wave and wind. If you are tacking and you get stinkpot waves that converge on your position, along with a puff (not even a gust), you can flop her down. If you get that gust, that exceeds the 12 knot variety, and you are running too much main... you, if alone, are going to have a hard time spilling wind fast enough to keep her flat (while hiking out and releasing the main sheet)... This also assumes to that point you had been running with 5-8 knot winds (by the way, these are normal wind variations in mountain lakes).

However... in steady 10-15 knot winds, this boat really is a BLAST to sail. NOT the family, kind of fun, mind you (unless your family is already touched by the sailing bug of course). Running full sail, with 2 for crew in 15 knots, is excercise in the gut muscles (hiking out), and precision timing for tacking. She attempts to plane at 15 knots downwind easily, even with 300lbs of crew, and it becomes a helluva ride. CAN YOU TELL I LOVE THAT KIND OF WIND?

Above 15 knots or better, you had better run with a reef, or one really heavy/skilled crew.

By the way, you already figured one thing out... You now know how to right the boat, something I have not even practiced yet.

Final note... I have a mod 1 with a 50 lb battery on the floor of my cubby (deep cycle for the trolling motor). This provides some "extra" ballast forward/low for me, especially helpful when I am single handing it... Plus, I verified my mast floation is sound. Also of note, I have been sailing my mod 1 for almost 8 years. The most recent knock down, was when I wasn't sailing, I was crew. Teaching a friend to sail.

However, to get the family more into sailing, I am looking to sell/trade the "fun" boat, and buy a cruiser. I don't race (although I'd like to), so the capri 14.2 was more for ME, and predates my 5 year old, who, I'd love to teach how to sail. If she were older I'd keep this for teaching, but right now it is about getting her on the water and making her (and Mommy) feel safe. To the daughter a boat is a means to get to a place to anchor and swim. Can't say I was much different at that age.

Stick with it, the Capri will reward you for learning!