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Downwind without a Rudder

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/06/2003 : 13:23:24

This article by Skip Meisch was posted on SailNet today. It has elements of previous discussions we have had here concerning such things as downwind sailing trips, rudders,...etc. Also, his boat is from our extended Catalina family.

Downwind Without a Rudder - by Skip Meisch

If you want to know if something on your boat is getting ready to fail, take the boat out in bad weather and find out. Stuff is always more likely to happen in severe conditions. I was recently "graced' with the ability to experience this truism firsthand.

<img src="http://www.sailnet.com/images/content/authors/readerswrite/013103_sm_slowflight.jpg" border=0>

On December 12, 2002, I thought I would tempt fate by sailing my Catalina 22, Slow Flight, singlehanded 28 miles north to attend a sailing club's Christmas party at Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island, WA. The party was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m, so I left my homeport of Everett at 9:23 a.m. That, I figured, would be plenty of time to sail downwind the said 28 miles in winds expected to grow to near gale force. No problem! Just hank on the storm jib, reef,the main, and enjoy the ride, I thought. In fact, the way I saw it, I'd even get there in plenty of time to shower and change clothes.

Well, things did not go quite as expected. I still got there in time, but it became an unforgetable experience as well as a valuable lesson on proper planning. With speeds repeatedly exceeding 6.5 knots, I saw 10.8 knots on my GPS against an outgoing tide. Still, it was smooth sailing until, all of the sudden, less than three hours into the trip, there was a cracking feeling in the tiller. "Uh-oh," I muttered under my breath (actually, that is a subdued version of what I actually said) as it became apparent that the tiller was getting ready to break. At once I started working a plan to jury rig the tiller (not really a big problem, I thought). But when things start heading south they really go south (and I was trying to go north to begin with), and so less than an hour later the rudder finished its life with Slow Flight.

Did you know that a C22 without a rudder is impossible to sail? Trust me, it is! Actually, I knew ahead of time that the boat could not be sailed without a rudder because I had tried it before. I always like to try things out for myself; not that I'm a born skeptical, on the contrary. In fact, I have pulled up the rudder and tried steering with sail trim just because someone had told me that you could do so. Yeah, right! Without the rudder to help stabilize it, the boat easily pivots on the keel at the whims of the wind and each passing wave.

So here I was 16 miles into the trip when my rudder snapped off at the lower pintle (and I do mean it snapped off completely) and disappeared in the rough sea. I rapidly dropped the jib and main and started the outboard. I briefly toyed with the idea of heading back for home and just drive up for the party (almost a two-hour car drive). But I decided that I wouldn't be able to get there in time, and by now I was deadset that I would not miss the party! As I kept going, it became apparent that motoring against gale-force winds with only the outboard for steerage was almost impossible—a herculean task, to say the least; and hercules wasn't keeping up.

Each wave forced the bow hard over faster than my five-hp outboard could keep it on track. So, I turned the boat back to my original destination now 12 miles away. That also wasn't working too well. Each wave that caught the stern slightly askew would tend to turn the boat around until it was abeam to the wind. I was constantly turning 100 degrees or more to starboard then get it straightened out again followed by a turn 100 degrees to port. A small sea anchor might have been nice to drag from the stern—too bad mine was sitting in my garage.

I had to face it: the boat just doesn't steer well in rough sea and high wind without a rudder. I kept up this zigzag course until I got to the relatively sheltered waters inside Oak Harbor. Avoiding drifting logs and other junk was a real challenge too. I had to be real careful to not allow the boat to round up into floating debris. A holed hull would have ruined what could be still be described at this point as "an otherwise great experience." Hey, after all I made it to the party.

After the traditional eggnog, it was time to take a closer look at Slow Flight and evaluate what kind of damage I was up against. Upon inspection, the top of the broken rudder revealed some rotten wood at the lower pintle. Apparently, what had caused this breakage was the fact that water had entered through the bolt holes and rotted the wood. This came as a surprise to me since I always keep my rudder in the cabin when I leave the boat after a weekend of sailing and the original owner always trailer sailed. This lead me to believe that my rudder had a dry core.

A friend invited me over to his garage after the Christmas party and we fashioned a temporary rudder out of a 2 by 12 piece of fir. Still I decided not to motor home until the winds subsided below gale force. This was just Friday and we expected high winds through the weekend, so I gave in and had my wife pick me up at Oak Harbor—by then the barometer was reading 29.09 and was still falling. The harbor master said he had rarely seen it that low before. Of course, the winds really start increasing when the barometer starts climbing. That, I rationalized, was why I had decided not to motor home yet.

When I finally did take the boat home, I took a look at the recorded statistics on my GPS. It indicated a maximum speed for the sailing part of the previous trip as 16.8 knots! I knew I was going fast, but I had no idea of just how fast. I was so busy maintaining course and trying to avoid an accidental gybe that I didn't take too many glances at the GPS readings.

Did I learn anything from my ordeal? You bet and if I have any advise to impart it would be to remember that when the going gets rough, the weak parts will break. So be ready to take action. As part of my lessons learned, I will now carry a spare rudder on board if I expect rough conditions or if I am leaving on a long trip. I might even add extra offset gudgeons for mounting the spare rudder in case the current gudgeons fail. My boat is well set up for singlehanding and in high winds I keep my lazy jacks hoisted to make reefing and striking sails easier. I also have a continuous loop combination jib halyard and downhaul since striking sails is quick and easy.

I sure am glad that before I left the dock on that Friday I had all hatches and hatch boards in place and well secured. Plus, as always, I was wearing my life jacket and I was almost constantly tethered to the boat. I also had a handheld VHF in my foul-weather jacket pocket. I felt I was well prepared to stay out of serious trouble and at no time did I feel I needed to call for help. I noticed that the boat would ride abeam to the waves rather well, almost like being hove to. And I was still basically going the way I needed to go. If the motor had not been reliable, I would have rigged an oar for steering, but that was not necessary.

One person asked (as I expected): "Gale-force winds and you decide to "sail" 28 miles to a Christmas party?! I don't know what you were thinking." Well, I was thinking: "Down wind all the way for a change!" My normal trip to Oak Harbor seems to always be either against the wind both ways or not enough wind to sail there in a reasonable time.

I do not regret this Christmas trip. I've been singlehanding in gale force a number of times including a 32-mile race against much larger and well crewed boats in which I won. Other times I have been caught many miles from home with storm systems moving through. Ducking home between storms has become routine and I occasionally get hit with more winds than previously. I feel it is the best way to learn how to handle the boat in those conditions.

After all, if I only go out when the wind is below 20, I will never learn how to handle the higher conditions. I do flatten the sails and reef early when the wind is building. Sailing downwind in high winds is a lot easier than sailing upwind in the same conditions. Indeed, it was really easy until the rudder broke. Then it was just a matter of letting the wind have its way with me. What could be more fun?

A month later, at another club banquet and awards ceremony, I was awarded the not-so-coveted "Wrong Way Corrigan" trophy for this little ordeal.

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2cc32b3127cce92e981259d130000001010" border=0>
Cradled on the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5938 Posts

Response Posted - 02/06/2003 : 14:50:07

Skip sounds like a halfway knowledgeable and cautious sailor in some respects, but he's kidding himself if he thinks it's a good idea to take out a C-22 in near gale-force winds. He admits that he is still learning to sail in heavy weather. He says:

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>I've been singlehanding in gale force a number of times including a 32-mile race against much larger and well crewed boats in which I won. Other times I have been caught many miles from home with storm systems moving through. Ducking home between storms has become routine and I occasionally get hit with more winds than previously. I feel it is the best way to learn how to handle the boat in those conditions. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

In this age of satellite weather forecasting, there is no excuse for getting "caught many miles from home with storm systems moving through." Anyone who does that is either reckless, or he is going into those conditions on purpose. Skip claims he has sailed in heavy weather "a number of times."

Skip rationalizes that "I feel it is the best way to learn how to handle the boat in those conditions." Actually, the best way is to study what the authorities have written about heavy weather sailing, so that you learn all the different techniques that you can use to cope with different storm conditions. Then try out those various techniques in moderately rough weather in a boat that is designed and rigged to sail in heavy weather.

I have never known an experienced sailor who thought it was a good idea to sail a C-22 in big seas in a near gale.

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 02/06/2003 : 15:07:21

I think he used poor judgement also, because he violated Rule #1: Don't let schedules override safety!

"On December 12, 2002, I thought I would tempt fate by sailing my Catalina 22, Slow Flight, singlehanded 28 miles north to attend a sailing club's Christmas party at Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island, WA. The party was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m, so I left my homeport of Everett at 9:23 a.m. That, I figured, would be plenty of time to sail downwind the said 28 miles in winds expected to grow to near gale force."

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2cc32b3127cce92e981259d130000001010" border=0>
Cradled on the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/06/2003 : 15:15:33

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I have never known an experienced sailor who thought it was a good idea to sail a C-22 in big seas in a near gale.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
Probably better than a Mac 26M... <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 02/07/2003 : 00:20:47

Boy do I know how you feel. I was on the outside heading south at about the same time. Bellingham to Point Hudson marina. It took 5 hours to get past the imfamous Point Wilson Light. We actualy surfed into Point Hudson marina. 12 foot waves and 50 kts of wind. It got a little better during the week. The wind died down to 20/30 kts most of the time 30 sometimes 40. It stayed that way all the way to Tacoma.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 02/07/2003 : 05:25:36

Amen to Steve and Don!

Why didn't he call the Coast Guard for help? Unless the portable VHF in his pocket didn't have enough range. . . another case of "tempting fate?" I can't imagine sailing in Puget Sound, especially in December, with only a hand-held.

Brooke

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 02/07/2003 : 08:38:08

What gets me is the story is glorified at Sailnet.com by them posting it. He doesn't use it as a what not to do lesson, instead he says if I am gonna be an idiot again, I will carry a spare rudder. For that matter maybe we should all throw an extra mast and keel down in the cabin just in case.

D. Wolff - "The Flying Wasp" #401 sr/sk
Chief Measurer C-25/250 National Assn.
<img src="http://www.flags.com/dreamimages/Flags/measurer.jpg" border=0>

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 02/07/2003 : 08:50:25

One thing Skip didn't mention was the keel type on his 22. Swing or Wing? A Wing keel 22 would be better off in rough conditions. I would not want to take out a swing keel 22 in rough water. I had an '86 swing keel 22 and the keel had a tendency to thump when the boat rode over steep, choppy wind waves. I have had "Quiet Time" out on San Francisco Bay in 4' waves and have never heard the keel move. I guess the much heavier weight of the 25 keel, and perhaps a tighter fit between the keel and trunk prevents the keel from wiggling in moderate waves.

I have made two trailering cruises to the San Juans, launching out of Bellingham, and it was almost always flat calm. The only time I have seen any significant amount of wind there was my last day of last July's trip. Crossing from Sucia to the north end of Lummi Island on the way back to Bellingham, there was a 20kt southerly breeze blowing up 3' waves on the Strait of Georgia. It was nearly a beam reach on Starboard tack all the way, and if I hadn't been towing the dinghy, I am sure I could have had the boat doing hull speed. I guess winter conditions and summer conditions in that area are completely different!

Skip makes a chilling point about plywood cored rudders; that his was waterlogged and rotten despite the fact that the rudder had never spent long periods in the water, but was stored dry when the boat was not in use. Are the newer foam-cored Catalina rudders not subject to this problem? I have been thinking that "Quiet Time"'s rudder feels heavier than it ought to when lifting it off the boat; maybe it is waterlogged and should be replaced before it snaps in half some windy day?

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25 #1205 "Quiet Time"
Sacramento, CA

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/07/2003 : 10:25:33

Anytime you go out in a body of water bigger than your bathtub you are taking a calculated risk. Each and every one of us has different risk levels that we feel comfortable with. Some folks will try to cross the ocean in a dingy.. some won't leave the dock if there's a ripple on the water.

I've sailed in wild Pacific southerlies myself... rail in the water, standing on the lee cockpit seat, spray flying.

Enjoyable and challenging... Yes. Risk-free? No. Foolish? Depends.

Skip obviously felt comfortable 'challenging' those particular conditions in his 22. The circumstances later revealed some deficiences in his boat and in his preparations.

We all need to remember that failue of a key part of the boat at a bad moment is always a possibility, even on a relatively 'nice' day. This is an area where studying the books on heavy weather sailing and emergency management can help.

Knowledge of techinques for overcoming equipment failures is your best defense. In Skip's situation, dragging a warp, the anchor, a bucket tied on a line etc. would probably have helped his control.

He was very lucky that his rudder failure didn't occur a half mile off a lee shore.

Recommended reading for a perspective on risk... (enjoyable)
'ICE' by Tristan Jones, especially the part where he talks about his perceptions of 'Concern' and 'Worry'.

Currently maintaining two holes in the water...'77 Venture 23 and new to the family,
'78 Catalina 25

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 02/07/2003 : 14:32:34

Well Clam....you done it. You opened up the can of worms I had decided to leave alone. Good story tellers like Tristan, embellish the story enough to make it interesting. Likely our friend did that a bit.

And, probably we all do it... maybe some more than others.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
R&R N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

Edited by - on

Ellis Bloomfield
1st Mate

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USA
85 Posts

Response Posted - 02/07/2003 : 14:45:04

I really enjoyed reading this post. Obviously the guy enjoyed the trip and was challenged by the rudder problem. That's what great on this forum, you can learn a lot from the more cautious sailors as well as those who enjoy adventure. Clam nailed it down when he said different people enjoy different levels of risk. There was an interesting article in August 01 Sail regarding age and fear. The writer said, "when we get older, when we have less to lose, our fears increase." His summary deals with establishing a balance between fear and caution, and especially how to keep the fear part in check.

I visited my mom at the nursing home yesterday and enjoyed watching her 90+ year old roommate operate. The gal doesn't say much, but she smiles a lot and has a mischevious gleam in her eye. She's not supposed to get up and walk on her own for fear of falling so they finally hooked her up with an elaborate alarm system. She quietly watched them hook it up and they didn't much more than get out of the room before she had disarmed it, reattached it to a lamp by her bed, and rearmed it. When she sailed by the nurses station, she demonstrated that she could not only walk, but still run pretty well. I hope as I get on toward that age I still have the sense of adventure to get out there and sail and not sit around waiting for the wind to die down.

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 02/07/2003 : 16:03:34

Sounds like a successful sail - nobody died and the boat didn't sink!

Most of safety on the water can be summed up in one word, seamanship.

John Mason - Ali Paroosa
1982 - FK/SR #3290

Edited by - on

oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2003 : 11:23:52

I for one, would like to see Skip follow up with an article on "How to Singlehandedly Change Rudders During a Gale in Heavy Seas".

Or perhaps alternatively; "How to Properly Inspect and Maintain Your Vessel".

However, I did learn something from Skip's experience; From now on I'll always carry a complete spare set of stainless steel keel bolts, nuts, and washers when I go out.

A spare keel might be preferrable, but 2000lbs of lead may be a bit much to stow down below.

Old Salt: Silver Girl

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5938 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2003 : 13:52:24

I admire people who are daring and adventurous, and generally consider myself among them, and, now that I have retired I am thinking more often about making some long passages in a proper boat. But, professional race car drivers don't drive unreinforced sports cars around a track at 180 mph, and people who scuba dive in underwater caves don't swim through a cave without having extra air tanks and other equipment. Mountain climbers don't climb mountains that are beyond their skill levels and without all the necessary equipment. Those would be foolish risks.

Real "daredevils" aren't really all that daring. They enter into risky ventures, but they prepare their equipment, educate themselves and plan their ventures so meticulously that they eliminate as much of the risk as possible. Real daredevils think it's foolish to take unnecessary risks.

Skip thinks he can just go out there in heavy weather in a boat that is not designed for it, and learn by doing. Having gotten away with it once or twice, now he puts himself in harm's way, unprepared, when the opportunity arises. He got a wake-up call, but I don't think he heard it. Anyone who wants to sail in a storm should, by all means, do it, after they have prepared themselves, and on a boat that is up to the task.

I foolishly wandered into a shoal area and got myself in big trouble sailing offshore in a C-22 on a beautiful day. If the weather had been stormy that day, I wouldn't be sitting here typing this post.

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

Edited by - Steve Milby on 02/08/2003 13:57:39

Edited by - on

marzluff
Deckhand

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USA
23 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2003 : 14:57:56

It's a great "yarn", but a good example of how not to sail. Bad equipment, bad judgement,bad weather often yield bad results. He was lucky; not so lucky was the "Morning Dew". Her inexperienced owner made a wrong turn and ended up on the outside, near Georgetown, SC. Rather than turnback, he proceeded down the coast toward Charleston, where he ran aground on the jetties. He and three children drowned.

Edited by - on

Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2003 : 20:47:33

I always learn something. Sometimes "what works" and sometimes "what doesn't work." I also thought you could sail a boat downwind without a rudder. Now I'm going to have to try it! Just like I tried sailing in 30 kt winds so I could see what Chick-a-pea could take. And she actually did pretty good. Nothing like storm sailing. I sailed my C-22 in 25kt winds and 8' seas off shore and it did well (following seas). I even tried the "hove-to" manuver and it worked. Now I can have a little more confidence in my ability. And BTW my sea anchor stays on board. And I'm not ashamed to wear a life jacket if I think there is a risk of falling over.

Safe voyages,
Ben, FL s/v Chick-a-pea C250wk
<img src="http://www.members.aol.com:/benraye/pictures/fullsail.jpg" border=0>

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2003 : 22:04:17

"Just like I tried sailing in 30 kt winds so I could see what Chick-a-pea could take." - Chick-a-Pea

Good thing you weren't turned into Homos! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2cc32b3127cce92e981259d130000001010" border=0>
Cradled on the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2003 : 22:41:13

Steve.... I once had a young employee about 21. He had ridden moto cross for many years. He lamented one day, that he now had the best bike he'd ever owned, and had more skill than ever before but could no longer win.

I asked how that was.... his answer, Because he'd been around long enough to learn that one can get hurt while riding on the edge of the control envelope.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
R&R N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

Edited by - on

PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 02/10/2003 : 23:59:13

Ahhhh me old sailing grounds around Everett and up Saratoga Passage.
Been there done that in an Oday 22. It's quite exciting, but remember it's really just a wide channel with close by shores and he was basically on a sleigh ride. Understand that most of the time there is just barely enough wind to have an enjoyable sail in those parts. Used to live on the hill above the Port of Everett and on those blustery winter days everybody that could tried to get out on the water to really sail their boats. Quite a sight.

Paul C25FK Sparky
'PZ' W7JVY KFS/KTK/KLB/KOK/WNU/KPH/WCC/VAI/VAJ

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