FARRIER MARINE
Page 29
Copyright © 2012 By Farrier Marine
go under). If this fails, try towing the other direction. Some
controlled flooding may also be required. Towing side-
ways
will not work -
fore and aft is the easy and only way
to do it.
Another righting method, that uses the folding sys-
tem, has been tested and shown to be workable on a
Farrier designed 19' Tramp in choppy conditions, and on
an F-27 in smooth water. The Tramp was deliberately
rolled over, the F-27 was a capsize.
The method has not been successfully tested at sea
and thus should not be tried at sea, it being better to wait
for assistance, as the righting action does tend to flood
the inverted boat more. Not a good idea if the righting
attempt doesn't work.
The F-27 capsize was caused by the spinnaker com-
bined with a mainsail sheeted tight amidships (never do
this while under spinnaker in any circumstances). Both
sails were being carried in winds gusting to
35 knots
, with
NO ONE holding the sheets. Crew was just owner and 10
year old daughter. Boat speed was over 20 knots and the
capsize happened while changing from a run to a reach,
and the crew were not able to release the sheets in time.
In these conditions the sheets should always be
hand held without exception.
The spinnaker sheet can
to shelter inside, or if not fitted, obtain a
cutting tool from the safety compartment
(accessible while inverted), and cut an
access hole into the hull under the cock-
pit storage lockers.
You now have a large, relatively com-
fortable life raft, and well stocked with
provisions. Much better off than in a
small liferaft with minimal provisions. In
fact the record for the longest survival
time adrift at sea is now held by the crew
of a trimaran capsized off New Zealand
in 1990. They were in such good condi-
tion when rescued that their story was
first believed to be a hoax.
The same year an offshore racing
monohull disappeared off Australia, tak-
ing 6 lives. Had they been on an unsink-
able trimaran, the crew may have sur-
vived. Modern satellite position indicating systems now
offer quick and easy location for a floating, but disabled
multihull, whereas a sunken monohull has no such op-
tion.
RIGHTING
Righting at sea, unless outside help is available, is
probably not a feasible option as yet. Probably better to
leave the craft as is, as crew are safe, and await rescue.
When the opportunity arises, and outside assistance
is available, the most successful system for any multihull,
is to tow the capsized boat fore and aft, the tow line going
to the aft end, in the form of a bridle. Which end depends
on the boat, but the general rule is to choose the end that
is floating highest. Thus as the boat begins to move, the
lowest end, be it bows or stern, will begin to sink, and
even more so as the water inside rushes to the sinking
end. The boat should then flip back upright, bow over
stern or visa versa.
Tow
Bridle to
each flo
at
If the above procedure does not work, then try flooding
the end that needs to sink, or add some crew weight
(ready to abandon ship once the end concerned starts to
The cleanup work after a capsize is considerable - So sail
sensibly and don't even risk a capsize - it is easy to avoid
An F-27 being successfully righted
Содержание F-22
Страница 42: ......
