Blond Ambition (no sitcom this time)

[Mundaysj]

Hi all.
Wow.. I love the makers of Compac.  If that boat was not as sturdy as it is .. it definitely would have capsized. 

My son and I went out for a sail Saturday morning.  It was a very light breeze from the southeast.  We were only averaging about 2 knots, but enjoying a beautiful day.  We had gotten out past the hook (Sandy Hook) and had to start the engine as the wind completely died.  We were headed back to the harbor when the engine just stopped running.  OK... well at least a slight wind had kicked up so I figured it would be a long trip but we would get there eventually.  A few minutes later I noticed that there were dark clouds off to the southwest.  I told Dakota to get my windbreaker and thought we might get a little rain... I turned and tried to get the motor started again.  All of a sudden it was raining like crazy... a real downpour... I didn't know where it came from.  Later I found out that it came in from the east.  I had not been looking in that direction because I was so worried about the clouds to the south.  Along with the rain came a wind like I couldn't believe...I told Dakota to let go of the jib sheet and go into the cabin for his life jacket.  He was petrified.. and truthfully so was I.  I released the main sheet and put every bit of strength I could into holding the tiller.. Blond Ambition was heeled like she has never been before and Dakota was scurrying up the side while I was laying on the tiller praying that she would not capsize!  I kept telling Dakota that we were going to be ok... but I wasn't sure of it myself.  I had him release the jib halyard but the wind held the sail up.  The boom was in the water and I could feel the cockpit filling with water.  I glanced around and could only see a grey wall all around me, and the bay seemed like the ocean.  What seemed like hours later, but was only about 10 minutes the wind died down enough that Blond Ambition righted herself.  I gave the tiller to Dakota, grabbed my own vest and told him that I had to go to the bow to bring down the jib.  I kept telling him what a great job he was doing and that seemed to help calm him down.  He told me later that he kept thinking that he couldn't let me get knocked off the ship.  (I appreciated that!!)  The storm started to subside and I could see that there were a dozen or so other sailboats caught in different positions in the bay... none at my bow.. Thank God.  I tried the motor again and this time it started.... Dakota and I both heaved a sigh of relief.  So I left him at the tiller again and brought down the mainsail.  We motored for about an hour back to the harbor.  I was soooooo happy to be on that hook!!  I found out later that it was an unexpected squall and the winds were sustained 30 knots.

So... I am very happy with my Compac and very happy that we survived.  I will never complain about how lousy she points ever again.  I heard that a cat boat capsized in that squall but the crew was rescued.  Of course now comes the "what should I have done?" questions.  Well I definitely need to keep an eye out in all directions.  And I should have had Dakota get my jacket when he got his own.  I have had Monday morning quarterback advice from nearly everyone.  "You should have dropped the main sail and headed downwind with the jib"... perhaps if it were to happen again, I would try to do that.  All I know is that the wind hit so quickly that I barely had time to let out the main sheet.  I knew I wanted to reduce sail, but I couldn't let go of the tiller to loosen the halyards.  I just felt like if I let the tiller go... we were going over.  I don't know if that is the case, but it felt like it at that moment.  This is my 3rd year of sailing and I have to say that if I go another 10 without experiencing another day like that it will be too soon!!     

Regards to all,
Sherie

[Craig Weis]

Wow Sherie that is a cool story and quite a ride for the three of you. The skipper, the crew and the boat.
Keeping an eye on the weather is important but since nothing can be done about the weather, why look at it when it's too late?

1~Send the crew down for both his and your PFD's put them on. Any 'D' rings fitted to the PFD's? Might of wanted to use lanyards [safety tether] to hook yourselves on to the boat. The boat is usually found first before they find your bodies. Stay with the boat. If you can start the motor let her idle in N. Make sure the fuel tank vents are open.

2~The boat can take far more then humans can. The boat's not going to come apart. May rip some canvas. So what?

3~Button up. Dog down the fwd hatch, all the ports, and put in the drop board, pull the companion way hatch shut and lock it with something to keep it from sliding open from a wave or pounding into a wave.  I use a snap shackle in the hasp. Do not use the key or pad lock, might want to go below for some reason. I can't think of a reason but...you won't be able to find the key or work the combo in a storm. Don't worry about what is down below, unless you have something that may punch a hole through the hull down below. Everything on deck ought to be battened down or tossed overboard. No deck missiles.
Don't worry about filling the cockpit up with water. Scuppers are for drainage. Keep the water out of the boat by buttoning her up.

4~Power within the sails. If you can affix the boom to the back stay cable and snap shackle that holds the boom up when the main sail is down...do so. A  Lazy jack, what ever. Drop the main and flake the main sail over the boom and tie her down.
Use the main sheet tight in the jam to hold the boom from swinging about. If you have a boom vang tighten that up as well. OK the main and boom are out the way. It's raining cats and dogs, you can't see and the wind is howling. The head sail is still up.

5~Your going to sail on the jib and your going to either crab into the wind as high as the boat will go and still make way. Even if making way is actually backwards, who cares? Bow into the weather.

Or your going to sail down wind and surf in the rollers. To slow the boat down if you want, toss over a hundred foot of line, or that Hill's Brother 3# coffee can with bridle [the men's pee can] tied to a 8 foot line off the stern cleat.

What you need to decide is which way are you going to approch the wind. Bow on or stern on. But do that before it's so wind you can't come about. And look out for thin water or land in the way. I always head for deep water.

Let enough jib sheet out to dump some air without letting the jib get ahead of the fwd stay or furler. If all goes south, untie the figure eight stopper knot in the jib sheet, un-cleat and let the sail go a flapping out over the bow. You can gather it up after the blow. Personally I'd never let the jib sheet go. You'll need a driving force.

6~The only reason the boom was in the water is because so much main sheet was let out that the boom was about 90 deg to the mast and centerline of the boat. Or you got sideways to the waves. I don't know. I was not there, or the waves came up to meet the boom. No big deal. I think this will happen at 25 deg list. Do you have an indicator under your bulkhead mounted compass? I had my C-P 19 at an indicated 25 deg but it took a lot of doing. And the water came over the cockpit combing. Palmer Johnson Yachts are weight tested for lists 60 deg to port and 60 deg to starboard for a documented vessel covered by Lloyd's of London insurance.

7~WHAT YOUR NOT GOING TO DO is get sideways, abeam of the wind or waves. Which ever is the greatest pain in the butt. And your not going to drop between the troughs down in the waves.

So now your ready for the next storm. HoooooHaaaa!!
skip.

[Mundaysj]

Hi Skip.
Hmmm.  Let's see..
#1 - Excellent point ...definitely I should have told him to bring me my life jacket too.  We don't want him growing up without a mom.
#2 - good to know.. yup... the jib tore on 3 seams.. but as you say... who cares?
#3 - good point.. I should have told Dakota to close the port holes (that were open on the high side because it was such a warm beautiful day), but I was not thinking about keeping the inside dry.  It would be good to keep water out of the cabin though!
#4 - I'm afraid there is no way that I could have attached the boom onto the topping lift.  That is a challange in normal winds, a complete impossibility with those winds, and I don't have lazy jacks.  So in that instance if I had a chance to drop the mainsail before the wind took it, the boom would have landed in the cockpit.  But I guess that would have been alright.  Once the wind had gusted and the boat was in full heel, I had to release the mainsheet.  At that point I was afraid to drop the mainsail because I thought the weight of it would end up in the water and might help bring the boat down.  I don't know if that is true or not??  It might not have even dropped with the power of the wind on the sail.
#5 - The trick is definitely to get the boat pointed BEFORE the wind hits.  I didn't.  And I think my boat was abeam of the wind because the boom was perpendicular to the boat.  I wasn't thinking of which way to try to point the boat ... I was too frightened and was just thinking about keeping afloat, and working off of instinct.  I knew I had to reduce sail.. and per #4 I was afraid to drop the main, so I figured I would try to drop the jib... unfortunately the wind held it up and it was just flapping till it calmed down enough to pull it down.  And I was definitely in deep water (figurative and literal)
#6 - Yup... the main was 90 degrees to the mast.  I remember looking at the seas, but I didn't notice any specific direction of the waves.  They seem to be breaking in every direction.  Maybe that was because I was so scared.  I don't know if I have an indicator under the compass...but I know for sure I wasn't looking at it.  LOL  I don't know to what degree we were heeled, but it felt like TOO much... and I was afraid that it would go over at any minute.
#7 -  That is what I will try NOT to do next time.. but I am pretty sure that I was abeam of the wind for my wild ride.

Thanks for the good advice!!  I hope not to need it, but I am thankful for it!
Regards,
Sherie

[Craig Weis]

If no furler is used on the jib, rig a tiny block at the jib's tac and through this block a small 1/4"? line that is clipped onto the halyard of the jib. As the jib is hoisted this light line will go up the fwd stay with the jib as well.
When it's time to drop the jib, no need to go fwd. Simply release the jib halyard and pull that jib down with this line.

When your sailing along this line is left loose while not neeeded. The jib might be a bit messy laying on the fore peak but it's down and your in the cockpit.

I don't use a topping lift. Too much stuff flaling about. I just u-bolt a 14" long cable onto my back stay with a snap clamp fitted into some [any] loopy thing on the back of the boom. When not in use, as when the main sail is supporting the boom I just snap clamp this little cable onto the back stay, where it stays till I need to hold the boom up.
skip

[Bob23]

Sherie:
  So glad you are safe. I (we) hadn't heard from you in a while so I figured an episode was soon forthcoming.
   Yes...you are safe in a 23. She can take much more than we think we can. Skip just about covered all the bases so I won't reiterate. You've learned more that day than most of us can teach.
  Remember there is 1300 lbs. of concrete keel under you...you ain't going over. You might get close but I'd like to believe that the 23's are somewhat self-righting.
  Again...glad you and your son are safe.
Bob23

[newt]

Welcome to the club Sherrie.  I have wrote about the exact same thing at least two other times. I love my Compac. (read "can you tip these babies over?" I would wear a life jacket when you are solo ( or basicly solo- could your son turn the boat around and get you?)

[HideAway]

Sherrie

You did enough of the right things to get home without injury and only minor damage.  I'd say that was a great demonstration of how well you can sail. You were cool enough in a bad situation so as not to make it worse-- You did very well.

Sailing in Florida all these years we watch the sky almost as much as we watch for other boats since this kind of storm is so common and builds so fast.

It is worthwhile to rig a jib down haul.  The blocks have to be perfectly aligned and your lines free but it has helped us many times to have it.  If you don't have your storm jib up its too late to put it up during a storm.

We also have a topping lift.  That way when I drop the main sail the boom stays up and the sail stays mostly out of the cockpit and on the Bimini.  If there is time we can reef from the cockpit as well. 

Keep teaching Dakota how to sail and handle the motor.  Kids can learn young.  All three of ours could sail long before they could drive.  In fact my youngest nearly failed drivers ed because she kept turning the steering wheel the wrong way - if the car had a tiller she would have had no trouble.

On a clear sunny day we laid HideAway over far enough  the water was just up to the ports and ready to come over the coaming during a jibe where the main sheet got stuck in a cleat during a sudden gust.  She popped right up when I was finally able to release the sheet.  We tend to close the  ports more often since and pay more attention to the main sheet.    Matt

[Mundaysj]

Thanks everyone!  It certainly was an experience.  This weekend I will be dolo sailing with just the mainsail.  I have to take the jib to have it stitched.  (hope it is not too expensive as I hope to replace it with a furling jib next year).  Have to get back on that horse and ride!  <big smile>

Fair winds,
Sherie

[Steve Ullrich]

I had to stich up my jib after sailing in some heavy air Tuesday.  When I got home I discovered a foot or so of the hem on the leech had given up the ghost and my leech line was flapping free.  Funny I didn't notice it on the water.  It was a bear getting the leech line threaded back in place. I bought some heavy weight thread, a big needle and a thimble at the fabric store and sewed it up myself.  It really wasn't very hard to do.  I'd only lost the stiching, the dacron wasn't torn, so I was pretty much able to use the same holes.  After two passes back and forth it looked almost as good as new, only the thread was a different color.

Thanks everyone!  It certainly was an experience.  This weekend I will be dolo sailing with just the mainsail.  I have to take the jib to have it stitched.  (hope it is not too expensive as I hope to replace it with a furling jib next year).  Have to get back on that horse and ride!  <big smile>

Fair winds,
Sherie

[Salty19]

Sherie, First thanks for the story..as always.   Good advice here.

When the wind hits hard unexpectedly, quickly point the boat into the wind (do you have a Windex?), then reef or remove sails quickly.  Next time I know you'll see the storm coming and will react before it's a crisis. All part of the leaning experience.  And you've had some experiences lol   Mess with the outboard after you've got the sails down and hatches battened. Your not going to sink unless you get the sails under control first.

When you do this, it will feel uncomfortable for just a moment, but the boat should pop up then you can reef. 

Having a 16 which is not as stable, I make a regular habit of watching conditions closely and I'm not afraid to reef early if the clouds look dark or water sign shows a change in wind.  Also a roller furler is very nice addition to make that type of situation easier to take the sail down quickly or reef it if continuing to sail. I alter mine as needed for the condition at hand. 

Last week during a nice windy day, only me and 3 brave 20ish year olds on a small Hobie were out on the lake. I'm reefed and furled the genoa to about 80%, healed over hard, close hauled and taking a little water over the coaming (again, on the CP16).  I'm having a blast with good speed but still felt safe.  Hobie running full sail and they were not healing...strange I thought...maybe they are not close hauled or too close to the wind.  I thought...amateurs!  No time to even crack open a cold one, too much sail handling and tiller action for me! Out comes a Hunter 19 from the marina closeby. Main sail up only.  Not a big lake so eventually he passes me  and yells over "Hey, there's a boat capsized over there!!!"

The patrol boat was there already, so I didn't rush to get there, but had to rubberneck it of course and do a flyby.  Hobie was turtled, still a guy in the water.

So I guess the score is Compac: 2,   Cat Boats: 0  lol!

[Mundaysj]

Hi All,

Well the official word has it that my little squall was 30 knot sustained with gusts up to 48.  I spent this weekend sailing aboard a friend's 42 ft Tartan (nice boat), and then stitching my jib.  Luckily it ripped along the seams so it was just a matter of stitching along the same seams.  I was hoping to test drive my newly stitched jib but the weather today looked pretty ominous and I headed for home.  Will have to save it for next weekend.

Cheers,
Sherie

[Bob23]

Glad you got out this weekend. Yesterday was spent doing house stuff and redoing all my mooring lines and some chain/hardware modification. Today was rain, wind and prior obligations.
When you consider that all that is separating a nice boat from a wrecked boat is some steel and nylon, I make darned sure it's in good condition. (Can I say darned here?)
Best,
Bob23