Doug Lord
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The Boat Design & Boatbuilding Site
Spectacular Capsize
- Thread starter Doug Lord
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bajansailor
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Oh dear. Talk about being flung into orbit. That was impressive!
upchurchmr
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Someone tell me what actually happened.
Looks like the skipper lost his grip on the tiller and too much weather helm caused the veer?????
That was spectacular.
Looks like the skipper lost his grip on the tiller and too much weather helm caused the veer?????
That was spectacular.
bajansailor
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If you are watching on a computer, set it to 'full screen' and then click on the pause button every half second or so.
There is an excellent clip at -0.09 when both crew are airborne, far from the boat, yet the cat is still sailing perfectly up on it's foils.
It looks like the helmsman never let go of the extension tiller, even when he was catapulted into orbit, hence he caused the boat to bear off sharply and then they pitch poled.
I am thinking that if he had let go of the tiller earlier, they would have probably rounded up into the wind?
There is an excellent clip at -0.09 when both crew are airborne, far from the boat, yet the cat is still sailing perfectly up on it's foils.
It looks like the helmsman never let go of the extension tiller, even when he was catapulted into orbit, hence he caused the boat to bear off sharply and then they pitch poled.
I am thinking that if he had let go of the tiller earlier, they would have probably rounded up into the wind?
It starts as a pretty typical tea–bagging: the boat heels to windward, the crew is hit by a wave and loses their footing. The helm jerks the tiller to bear away (instinctive response when a boat heels to windward), then loses their footing as the crew crashes into them. The sheets seem to be cleated (self tacking jib? Cleated main and playing the traveller?) so power remains full on.
Once the boat starts to bear away that's it, the turn generates too much centrifugal force for the crew to do anything but enjoy the flight. The skipper being thrown outward means it's impossible to push the tiller away to head back up and arrest the turn. Hanging onto the tiller as they're thrown outward just makes the turn tighter, adding to the force in a positive feedback loop.
Many skiffs use toe loops for the rear foot, but cats eschew them, something about broken ankles. Doesn't stop the crew from being washed off the side but usually stops the trebuchet effect.
Once the boat starts to bear away that's it, the turn generates too much centrifugal force for the crew to do anything but enjoy the flight. The skipper being thrown outward means it's impossible to push the tiller away to head back up and arrest the turn. Hanging onto the tiller as they're thrown outward just makes the turn tighter, adding to the force in a positive feedback loop.
Many skiffs use toe loops for the rear foot, but cats eschew them, something about broken ankles. Doesn't stop the crew from being washed off the side but usually stops the trebuchet effect.
upchurchmr
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Thanks, somehow I didn't pay attention to the heel to windward.
I assume there was either a lull or the helm brought the boat into the wind for a moment.
I assume there was either a lull or the helm brought the boat into the wind for a moment.
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