Broaching

[Glenn Basore]

I have heard this term used a few times pertaining to sailing and don't understand what causes a sail boat to broach.

My understanding of this is when the bow of the boat plunges into a large wave and it stays submerged catapulting head over heels,I can understand this if the sea's are bad but can this occur with mild sea's and constant winds ?

Are there other factors involved  to cause Broaching ?

[edbuchanan]

My interpretation is that a following sea can catch the transom of a boat, push the boat sideways, and then leave the boat at the mercy of the next wave.  A sailboat tends to do well in this situation since it usually have small or nonexistant (i.e. a double ender) transom.  Power boats with wide, flat transoms are more likely to broach.

Ernie (Molly 23/II, 1984)

[Paul]

As I understand it, a broach is when the boat turns upwind on it's own.  This can happen from either wind action or wave action.  For instance, say your sailing at hull speed, maxxing her out, when a large puff hits her.  If the sailor does not change course or sail adjustments, then the boat rounds up on its own (out of control, almost)(usually, there's a potential for a knock down as well).  That's a broach.  Likewise, if one is sailing along in the same conditions, and instead of a puff of wind, a large wave passes from astern, attempting to accellerate the boat further, then she'll potentially round up in that condition, too.  That would be considered a broach, as well.

On the other hand, if, under the same conditions, a boat were to turn end over end, that's considered a pitch pole.  Did that once on a Hobie 16.  What an adrenaline rush!!  Not too bad on a Hobie, but NEVER want to do that in a CP-16 or any other keelboat!

I would anticipate a broach only to happen in extreme conditions, where a sailor is pushing the vessel too hard.  To reduce the chances of a broach, consider reefing at the appropriate time and/or get into a protected area.  Also, stay out of the surf (do I really need to say that?) 

Hope this helps.

[Craig Weis]

What causes broaching...Well when a submarine 'pops' clean out of the water and lands atop a tuna boat...that's a broach...but really a broach can be from lack of attention by the skipper. Or just plain old bad luck.

Basically the hull needs to be allowed to turn perpendicular to the wave and or wind action. Once sideways the next wave acts to encourage the hull to rail down, keel up and over you go. Not a good position to be in indeed.

So bow into the seas captains, maybe with bare poles, a sea anchor on the end of a few hundred foot of line helps. Don't have a sea anchor? Don't have one! A 5 gallon pail, a float of some sort, drag anything floatable.

Still running but with the seas? Stern to the waves. Tow a hundred foot of line. Anything to slow the hull down. Remember in this kind of weather I don't think our Com-Pacs are going to run with the waves so just button her up and stay away from the beach. Out of the surf. A cool head helps.

Comming about?...time your tiller action to turn between the trough of the waves so on the next wave the hull has already come about. I was there once. Waves so high I could not see port or starboard, I could look bow or stern for ever. My 5hp O/B could not keep my bow into the waves. I would climb to the top of the waves and the wind would blow me sideways off the wave...

Anyway she flopped around and I made for the open seas. Away from the beach. Made my way across the open area of water and behind a very tall bluff where I found calmer seas in the lee of the land at 'Pot' park. I know the water is 35 foot deep just two boat lengths off the shore. It is here that I put the boat back to gether and made the dock in another two hours or so.

All in a days saile. So much fun. skip.