Hobie University, NAHCA
Page 17
30 Mar 02
TURTLED (Boat Upside-Down)
1. Do not allow your boat to turtle. It will be much more difficult to right. Pulling on the righting line
(step #3 under Capsize) will help to prevent your boat from being turtled. Do this as soon as possible.
2. Once your boat is turtled, move to the leeward stern and pull on the righting line.
The combination of your weight, the pull on the righting line, the wave action, and the wind will
hopefully be enough to lift your weather bow higher and higher out of the water.
3. Once the weather bow is well out of the water, move to the center of the hull while maintaining a
constant pull on the righting line. The boat will settle on it's side. Continue pulling on the righting line
until the mast is at the surface of the water.
4. Right the boat by following the procedure under Capsize.
5. If you are unable to right your turtled boat, signal for help. In calm weather conditions, it may be
impossible for you to right a turtled boat without outside assistance.
LAUNCHING THROUGH THE SURF
1. This is an advanced maneuver depending on the wave, water, current (rip), and wind conditions. It is
included here as a future reference and should not be attempted until you become a proficient and
experienced sailor.
2. With light winds and heavy surf it will probably be impossible to get out through the surf. You will
need a minimum amount of power to punch through the waves. The conditions will dictate what you
are able to do, and experience and good judgment are invaluable. When in doubt do not attempt to
launch. What follows are tips and suggestions.
3. Waves come in sets. You want to time your departure from the beach so that you will sail through the
worst section of surf during the lull between these sets.
4. The rudders should be dragging behind you as you leave the beach. They should not be locked down
until you are out of the surf line, which is relatively shallow water. When a wave hits your boat it will
drive the bows up, the stern down, and the boat backwards onto its rudders. A large wave can drive
your rudders into the bottom in five feet of water and snap them off.
5. Keep the boat moving forward as fast as possible under the conditions - rudders dragging behind,
dagger boards down only a foot or less, disturbed water, rip tide.... You will obviously want to get past
the surf line as quickly as possible.
Note:
It is extremely important to trim the jib throughout the launching. A trimmed jib will help to
counteract weather helm and the tendency to round up into irons. In simple terms, it pushes the bow
down.
6. Steer the bows up into the waves but off of perpendicular. You want the wave to knock the bow down
onto a reach so that you can accelerate forward and tackle the next wave with speed, not to push the
bow up into irons.
7. Keep your body weight forward on the boat when going through the surf. Standing up is also a good
idea so that the white water coming over the trampoline hits only your legs and not your body, which
could push you to the back of the boat and thus promote capsize. Throw your weight forward against
the mast or front crossbar or pull on the shrouds to drive (ooch) the boat forward as a wave hits your
bow. This also helps to keep the bow down and the stern from being driven under too far which could
cause the boat to flip over backwards.
8. Never let a wave hit you broadside. It won't take much to flip the boat and destroy the mast (or the
entire boat) in the surf. And do not let smaller surf lull you into over confidence. Smaller surf can ruin
your day, not to mention your boat!
9. When you find yourself in a bad position, turn the boat the best you can and head back to the beach.
Your course must be perpendicular to the wave, not to the beach, or you may be broached. Keep your
weight as far back as possible when a wave catches your stern to prevent the boat from pitchpoling in
the surf. He who turns and runs today lives to sail another day!
