capsize test of cs20 with new cabin

[JeffM]

My cabin finally done, it was time to see how it would handle a capsize.  I built a cabin because I wanted: (1) privacy, (2) a dry place to sleep, (3) a refuge from wet weather, (4) something to stop the spray, and (5) a place for kids.  I also had an idea that a cabin would maybe reduce the amount of water that came aboard in a capsize and help prevent turtling by providing buoyancy high up.  These last were very iffy: my two large hatches are offset to port, placing them directly above the sole on the port side of the cb trunk, and I feared the hatch edge would be at or below the water in a port side capsize.

The boat was unloaded, the usual gear weight replaced with 13 gallon bottles of fresh water, about equally distributed between the space beneath the forward seat and the lazarette.  Only the anchors in the forepeak and the two deep cycle batteries beneath the thwart (important as ballast) were left aboard.  The boat was anchored, cb down, sails furled, and my father held a stern line when the boat refused to stay put when I pulled on the mizzen stays

[paul_stewart]

Jeff,   Wow!  Well done!!   Good job testing!    And congrats on finishing the cabin project too.

Thanks so much for sharing. We've been planning to try this soon on our CS20. This information is encouraging and will be helpful when we try it.   Dawn has suggested that we capsize the boat configured with sails set and all our usual gear in place, and I'm willing to try that, but I was thinking our first capsize test should be under more controlled conditions.  Your test was exactly what I had in mind.

Do you think the forced capsize maneuver was in anyway a hardship on the mizzen mast?  Would you recommend doing it that way?

What do you think you would you have had to do to force it to turtle;  or,  are you concluding that it will not turtle.   (Assuming typical inshore/inland conditions.  Sure, big seas and storm conditions could do whatever ....  )  

Can't wait to see any photos you have.

--Paul

[JeffM]

The test itself.  I'd originally planned several subtests: starboard capsize with locker hatches taped, then st with hatches allowed to flood, then port, etc.  But difficulty of getting the boat over led me to go on to port capsize.  (Since my dad was busy holding stern, he got no pictures of the that process.)

Photos:

1. before.

2. this would have scared me, had I had this view.

3. masthead touching water, hatch edge still well clear.  (Bottom drops off fast; at no time while capsized did any part of the boat touch.)

4. I'm trying to find the source of a leak into the cabin.  (It was coming in between coaming and cabin edge.  Garden hose has since shown me I have more cauking to do.)

5. Pumping out the seat locker.  Unfortunately I got no photo with the seat locker flooding, but I was impressed that the hatch didn't get much closer to the water.  I may add flotation anchored against the hull side in this locker so that it cannot take in so much water.

6. back in the driveway after the test.

[JeffM]

The cabin in detail.

1. looking in from the cockpit.  The aft bulkheads are anchored with screws to cleats glued to seats and thwart, and also to small under-the sidedeck bulkheads permanently installed.  The big plexi window allows me to keep an eye on kids when they're in the cabin, and lets me look up at the stars at night.

2. The skipper's berth flat, looking aft.  I leave this starboard floorboard in the raised position, giving me room for the inflatable kayak, its pump, & fenders.  The two roof beams (made from 2X4s) are also visible.

3. the forward companion is closed by a tinted Lexan drop board that makes a very respectable front window.  (Side windows are the same stuff.)  The fore hatch cover simply lifts off.  These are usually closed against spray.

4. The low bulkhead under the thwart should allow us some sleep during as much as an inch of rain without flooding the cabin.  Another bulkhead is out of sight on the other side of the cb trunk.  (When I have both boys out in bad weather, the youngest must sleep on the floor.  In good weather, the skipper sleeps in the cockpit, leaving the regular berths to boys.)

5. Buttoned-up tight.  A little rain drips in off the thwart; I haven't decided what, if anything, to do about it.  Bug screens can close off the space you see between the upper and lower companion covers, the spaces under the thwart, and can also replace the fore (Lexan) drop board for more ventilation. 

Most of the time, the main companion covers live under the mattress on my berth.  The sliding main hatch overlaps the fore hatch without touching.  For more ventilation, the fore hatch cover bungees on top of the main hatch cover.

[JeffM]

Paul, if I had it to do over again, I'd lead lines from both mastheads.  The mizzen is much nearer the center of resistance, but with bow and stern both restrained reducing the load on the mizzen would be a good idea.  I had expected the boat to go over about as easily as when I tested it 4 years ago.  (Mizzen appears to be okay.)

Absent flooding of cabin, I don't think the boat would turtle.  A good breeze against the bottom in a port capsize could make a difference, though, so I will run a fat float to the masthead in risky conditions.

As far as realistic testing goes, I didn't want to endanger my stuff, and I didn't want the predictable tumble of loose gear.  I was relieved to see the batteries stay high and dry--didn't want them to short in saltwater!  I will be adding turnbuttons to my seats to hold the raised bunkflats in place.  When I first capsize tested, I had the boat empty but fully rigged.  I decided that the sails confused the issue a bit: slowing the turtling and also slowing the righting.  I was also reminded that the mainsheet must be released before righting--boat tried to sail onto rocks with me clinging to transom!

I will be interested to see how your test goes; I'm guessing your narrower cabin won't hit the water until much further over, but you have much less opening to worry about.

[Jeff MacDonald]

I applaud your ingenuity, Jeff. Nicely done.

Amazing the bend that mizzen mast took. If you ever see it do that with the sails set you might want to consider heading in.  :-)

[paul_stewart]

Jeff,

Thanks a million for sharing the experience; very helpful.  

Update:  I realized that your previous capsize test was also reported on the forum:

               www.messing-about.com/forums/index.php?topic=3896.0  

The boat seemed harder to capsize this time  --because of the additional weight of batteries and/or cabin?

Yes Dawn and I definitely need to try our own capsize tests. There's no substitute for direct experience.   In a 5 knot wind on flat water with the CB up and hiking out on the leeward side I'm pretty sure I could roll tack 'er right over into a capsize.  ;D   I'll probably not try that particular maneuver close to shore/trees/rocks.  Somehow I'd like to try a capsize method that doesn't put quite that much bend in the mast(s).    

Your cabin looks great.  I'm sure you and your crew are going to enjoy all the benefits of that nice spaceous, dry, cabin.  They'll be perching on top if allowed and using it as a high dive for jumping off the boat.  

--Paul

[tom151]

The boat was unloaded, the usual gear weight replaced with 13 gallon bottles of fresh water, about equally distributed between the space beneath the forward seat and the lazarette.  Only the anchors in the forepeak and the two deep cycle batteries beneath the thwart (important as ballast) were left aboard.  The boat was anchored, cb down, sails furled, and my father held a stern line when the boat refused to stay put when I pulled on the mizzen stays

[Joe Anderson]

Wow,

Way to go Jeff. Thanks for the incredible photos.

Joe

[Ken_Potts]

  Jeff,

  Thanks for the photos and data.  In calm weather it's hard to tell if a boat's going to turtle in the real stuff but the good news is if you are out in enough wind to turn turtle you'll also have the wind helping to right the boat (as long as the masts don't get stuck in mud).  Stand on the leeward side of the hull as it drifts downwind and the drag of the sails in the water will help right the boat.  Once the boat is righted you need to move FAST, thiough because you're on the wrong side to climb in (unless the side lockers have filled with water while you righted the boat).  And DON'T LET GO OF THE BOAT!!!  As soon as the masts clear the water the boat will drift much faster than you can swim.

  Paul,

  If you'd like a chase boat for the midwater capsize test I'm available Sunday.  ;D  I'll bring rope, refreshments, KFC, whatever's appropriate...  Let me know.

[JeffM]

Thanks for the compliments, all.  I'm quite proud of my work.  Ken, I watched my boat come up with a snap--I know I couldn't move that fast.  Good point on the drift rate: I nearly always check the gps while hove-to--even in moderate winds it drifts at over a knot.  I'm no kind of swimmer, especially in a pfd.  I look at letting go of the boat like an astronaut letting go of his spacecraft: sayanora!

[paul_stewart]

Ken,

       Yes thanks!  We'd sure like to take you up on that chase-boat offer!  Even without the KFC that would be much appreciated.  This weekend is out, so I hope we can talk about next weekend.  Whoo Hooo !  KFC!

Jeff,  

     You've generated valuable info and discussion here with your cabin innovations, capsize testing, photos and reporting.  Really cool stuff.  

     Your earlier (2005) capsize-test  (http://www.messing-about.com/forums/index.php?topic=3896.0) and the discussion and insights it provided is also a noteworthy highlight of this forum.  The photos there illustrate the knotted "righting line" that Graham had suggested in his advise ...

I think that everyone should perform this test. You will need some buoyancy at the top of the mast to prevent the masthead from slowly sinking. You also need to make sure that your mast does not leak. I am planning on a knotted line attached to the underside of the deck on each side.  I can throw over the high side line to help in righting the boat.

I am not keen on dragging a line from the centerboard. Beside the drag, I would hate it to get caught between the board and the trunk and jamb. ...

      I'll be installing knotted "righting lines" a.s.a.p. to be tucked away under the combings. (Your photo from 2005, shown below.)  

      I had also thought about the possible usefulness of a horizonal painter line / grab line running from the starboard stern eye up to and through the bow eye and back around the other size to the port stern eye   --not dragging in the water but low enough to reach when overboard.  In hand, it would tend to lead a swimmer back to the transom, which is good.  In a capsize it could lead a swimmer from the transom up to midship, but only if either

(1) a substantial amount of slack could come into play, say, slack coming through the bow eye from the other side as well as from there being perhaps several feet of the line being bungee centered in the bow eye area,  -or- (2) a personal quick-release line from the swimmer was clipped onto the painter which might be an iffy proposition.  

Such a line running from bow to stern would not be pretty, but I wonder if it would be desirable when in rough conditions.      

[JeffM]

Paul, the way I figure it, if I can get to the boat at all, I can probably walk my hands along the gunwhale to get to the point I need to.

Flying is so safe partly because pilots are schooled and constantly thinking about "what if?" disaster scenarios.  I take this lesson to my sailing.  My nighmare scenarios (in no particular order) are (1) capsizing and being unable to right, (2) having kids in the water panicking and getting separated, (3) being in the water and unable to catch up with the boat, and (4) being unable to haul my carcass back aboard, and (5) having any of these happen far from help.  I think I might have #1 in hand, #2 calls for drilling the kids, #4 is solved by both a (Duckworks) boarding step low on the transom AND a hefty bolt through the rudder blade low down to act as a first step.  For #5 I have a hand-held (waterproof, buoyant) vhf radio and a waterproof gps, and in a pinch both can be secured to my pfd.  To deal with #3 I have considered: training the kids to heave-to, somehow having swim fins in easy reach, tying myself to the boat with a safety line, and trailing a big length of line over the stern that I COULD get to.  My current favorites are well-trained kids, and (especially when single-handing) a safety line.  My new fancy-dandy inflatable pfd even has a built-in safety harness.  On the other hand, I am probably most at risk of going into the drink when balanced on the foredeck fussing with flapping mainsl, snotter and sprit while reefing in a good breeze--not sure how to secure myself in that situation.

[Hirilonde]

It looks like you have taken your careful considerations, thoughts of others and some planning and put together what you were looking for.  I hope it makes your cruising more comfortable.  I also look forward to seeing the Beatrice Ann in person some day out on Narragansett Bay.  Nice job!