trailer sailer breaching help

[rbk]

Pull the keel up tight or down 1/4 at most, reef the main and headsail or as mentioned run a reefed or smaller headsail only. The swig keel is a symmetrical foil, as long as it’s running straight it’s balanced, any gust that’s induces weather helm will throw the keel to one side or the other and create lift and compound the weather helm as it bites and cause you to round up; that is unless your surfing a decent wave which will cause a full broach. The keel isn’t like a fixed keel, all the swing/dagger boats I’ve sailed are plenty stable with the board up, just won’t go to weather with it up. The heavy helm you’re feeling is the rudders trying to overpower the keel, take that away and you’ll have more control. Make sure that extra ballast you've added is well secured not just sitting in the bilge.

[Cliffhanger]

I remember broaching an Austral 20 in Coffin Bay some years back in similar conditions - the only time I have ever broached and put the mast in the water. I won't blame the Austral 20 as I stupidly had the spinnaker up when I probably shouldn't have. However, I think the rudder setup also contributed.

Many (all?) Austral 20s have a bungee cord to hold the swing rudder down and allow it to pop up if you hit something.
This is fine normally but in heavy seas, the rudder can swing back a bit and then steering becomes unmanageable, leading to a broach. So, if yours is like that, I would put a pin in it to keep it locked in position. And let's face it, you are unlikely to hit anything in the middle of St Vincent Gulf.

I always thought that boat should have a narrower, deeper rudder.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Cliffhanger

Many (all?) Austral 20s have a bungee cord to hold the swing rudder down and allow it to pop up if you hit something.
This is fine normally but in heavy seas, the rudder can swing back a bit and then steering becomes unmanageable, leading to a broach. So, if yours is like that, I would put a pin in it to keep it locked in position. And let's face it, you are unlikely to hit anything in the middle of St Vincent Gulf.

I always thought that boat should have a narrower, deeper rudder.

A small digression - we also have a swing-up rudder. It's held down by a thin line that's locked into this sort of cleat, which holds the rudder down in most conditions but will pop if the rudder hits anything. Pop tension is somewhat adjustable.

[Karyon]

Thank you for your comment rbk, this what I was getting at when I mentioned the centre of resistance. Remove it and there is nothing for the sea to get hold of.
My main concern was about my safety at sea, ie in the advent of a capsize: Should the thing right itself. I think so, given my ballast weight ratio of nearly 50% and the cabin rounded design and the likelihood of the next wave rolling the boat the right way around.
And yes, I will epoxy the internal lead to the bilges, permanently.
I also agree with Cliffhanger that the rudder blade is not right, and I am thinking of replacing it. By the way, I’ve got the rudder locked in.
Which brings me back to my experiences with the 420. Ah the good old intrepid days when fear was extinguished by ignorance! Still avoiding the downhill run altogether is also very convincing!

[rbk]

Originally Posted by Karyon

Thank you for your comment rbk, this what I was getting at when I mentioned the centre of resistance. Remove it and there is nothing for the sea to get hold of.
My main concern was about my safety at sea, ie in the advent of a capsize: Should the thing right itself. I think so, given my ballast weight ratio of nearly 50% and the cabin rounded design and the likelihood of the next wave rolling the boat the right way around.
And yes, I will epoxy the internal lead to the bilges, permanently.
I also agree with Cliffhanger that the rudder blade is not right, and I am thinking of replacing it. By the way, I’ve got the rudder locked in.
Which brings me back to my experiences with the 420. Ah the good old intrepid days when fear was extinguished by ignorance! Still avoiding the downhill run altogether is also very convincing!

It’s like sticking your flattened hand out a car window on the highway, angle it up or down and it will take off. Having just the rudder down will also move the resistance aft, keep weight out of the bow as the bow can have a similar effect when it’s ploughed into the water. Your ballast is still low in the boat even with the keel up it’s just not as low so initial stability is compromised but will firm up as the ballast is raised (try it at the dock, should be able to pull it right over). Keel raised your downwind runs will be less white knuckled and even in light waves/wind you’ll be surprised how efficient surfing downwind can be. Remember to quarter them when they start to build or the boat may start rounding up again.

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "I think so, given my ballast weight ratio of nearly 50% and the cabin rounded design and the likelihood of the next wave rolling the boat the right way around."

Hm... I don't think I would trust to that! It only takes a few seconds to drown. It may take a coupla minutes for the boat to right itself - if it ever does!

Remember that in a serious roll-over, the rig will be submerged. Whether the rig has remained intact or not, I would think that the submerged rig's resistance to lateral movement will be enuff so that the inverted boat's period of roll will be greater than the periodicity of the waves.

You might like to perform an inclining trial at dockside. Do it both with the board down and with the board up, and work out what your righting moments are. The reason you have internal ballast, which is not a problem in itself, is that putting the board down, even if it be weighted, will not, in itself, be enuff to give adequate stability given the applicable moment arms and weights and wind pressures.

You say you pinned the rudder. That is good! Obviously with the blade swinging aft two thins will happen: The first is that the tiller will require more force applied for the rudder to deflect than it does when the blade is fully down. The second is that your blade aspect ratio goes from high to low, i.e. the rudder, despite the hard helming, loses effectiveness. Therefore you get the worst of two worlds: Hard helming and loss of control.

Given the bother of raising and lowering the rig when you keep a small boat on a trailer, I assume you keep the boat afloat. If I were in your shoes I'd keep the board and the rudder permanently down and just sail 'er as you would any small keelboat.

I would think that in your waters if you get rolled over, it would be game over for you. I think your boat is a lovely little coastwise cruiser, but safety depends, I dare say, on recognizing and accepting her limitations.

When I taught on Cal20s half a century ago, I taught the novices that when the clinometer shows 15º of heel, you reduce sail enuff that the clinometer then sez 10º. As the wind rises and the clinometer again shows 15º, you reduce some more. If the clinometer shows 15º and you can reduce no more - you skive off for home or a sheltered cove. You won't have the numerous sheltered coves we have, so you just have to be extra cautious :-)

Cheers

TP