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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Anyone gone inverted?

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takokichi
Captain

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USA
321 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/04/2004 : 16:27:58

We are racing in a 65 mile overnight race this weekend. The appearance of Hurricane Alex in the area has me worried. It looks like it will track well east and we will get no winds or real swell from it. On the other hand, we could. Obviously, if the conditions are sketchy we'll withdraw (as long as we enter this and the last race of the season we have second place overall in the bag) but we'd like to race if possible. So -

Anyone turned their C25 upside down? What happens? I have to think that the flimsy latches holding down the poptop will fail rather easily. Then you have an awfully big hole in your boat.

Anyone figured out how to really secure that sucker? Other than glassing it shut?

Justin

Edited by - on

Charlie Vick
Captain

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USA
423 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2004 : 17:09:50

No disrespect but I think if I had to ask a question like that I would first ask myself is it worth the safety of my crew, myself, my boat and the lives of whomever has to come and rescue me?
I don't know but I would think if you roll a c25 there's the odds of you saving the boat are not much in your favor though it may be possible.

CVick
PanaceaII '81 C25 #2439 SRSK

Edited by - on

takokichi
Captain

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USA
321 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2004 : 09:16:00

Agreed Charlie, which is part of why I'm asking the question. I have absolutely no intention of racing if the conditions are other than perfect.

On the other hand, one of rules of thumb of sailboat stability is that it only takes a wave 60% of the beam of the boat to turn it over if it hits you right (puff at right time with wave, etc.). That's only a 4 and a half foot wave for us. We have ferry wakes bigger than that around here.

So - thinking about racing this weekend got me thinking about turning the boat over generally. I'd really like to secure the top!

Justin

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2004 : 10:16:15

"I'd really like to secure the top!"

Put a couple more sets of headbangers (retainers) on it.. that should hold it for at least a couple rolls.

I think it takes quite a bit to roll any decent sailboat that is 'under command'. Virtually all the rollover incidents I can remember reading about occurred when the occupants were down in the cabin... pitchpoling is a different matter.

I've contemplated fitting a 3" teak spacer to go between the cabintop and pop-top... and bolting the whole she-bang in place. It would make it look like the UK version of the C25 (the Jaguar).

Edited by - on

jwilliams
Captain

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USA
357 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2004 : 11:20:45

I went inverted once...in a Sunfish. Lost my dangnabit sunglasses. They're still on the bottom off St. Thomas.

Seriously, I cannot imagine circumstances that I would be out in Hey Jude where I might get knocked down, much less go inverted. Yeah, it gets puffy on the bay, but even in 40mph+ with gusts to 50, 4 foot waves, (during a Tall Ship regatta last year) she stayed right at 30degrees (two reefs, RF Jib pulled in 50%). Anything more than that and I would have taken shelter somewhere.

If you stay out in more weather than that, in a C25, you got more brass than me...welcome to it.

Jim Williams
Hey Jude C25fk 2958
SF Bay

Edited by - jwilliams on 08/05/2004 11:23:17

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2004 : 12:15:00

Justin... I guess you know by now that Alex is long gone to the East, and will probably not be generating much swell in Maine this weekend. But to your question, there has been much discussion here over the past couple of years about the C-25 as a "blue water" boat--generally concluding that it is not--it's a "coastal cruiser." That is to say, the prudent sailor won't take her into a situation where he can't run and hide from impending dangerous weather such as a hurricane, nor'easter, or other major frontal system. The pop-top is one issue; the low companionway with no bridge deck is another; the large starboard hatch that is open to the bilge is another; the rig, which is not designed for inversion, is another; the outboard (which would be toast after a roll) is another; the windows are dubious...

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Chip Hunt
Navigator

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120 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2004 : 12:37:49

I live in Charleston, SC, and Alex went right on by us with little effect. I don't think our winds got above 20mph, and the wind here over the past two days has not blown above 10mph. As for sailing a c25 offshore, I do it on a regular basis. I never go offshore when the winds are above 15mph, and when I do go offshore, I never go far enough out that I lose sight of the shoreline. I like to stay in close just in case something happens. I would beach my boat long before I would try to ride out conditions that may result in pitch-poling or turning turtle. A boat with a value of 10,000 bucks or less isn't worth the risk as far as I'm concerned. Good luck in your race, and be safe, man.

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PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2004 : 13:55:46

In boisterous conditions one is more likely to get injured rather than have the boat go topsy turvey. I have dern near been catapulted out of the cockpit when heeled over good and slapped by an unsuspecting wave during a strong ebb. Other times have been tossed around and banged up a bit. That's the real difference between a little and big boat in a sea.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2004 : 22:10:15

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Chip Hunt
 ...As for sailing a c25 offshore, I do it on a regular basis. I never go offshore when the winds are above 15mph, and when I do go offshore, I never go far enough out that I lose sight of the shoreline. I like to stay in close just in case something happens...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Chip: That's generally known as "inshore" or "coastal" sailing. The prevailing definition of "offshore sailing" is when you're not just out of sight of land, but out of reach--such as 50 or more miles out--far enough so weather systems can develop and catch you, and you'll just have to deal with it. A good friend went offshore helping a guy deliver a 36-footer from Antiqua to Long Island Sound, in essentially a straight line. They took a beating, as did the boat, for example from waves that went all the way over it. For whatever trouble they might have had (like the leak that developed at the shaft log), they were strictly on their own, over 100 miles out.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 08/05/2004 22:12:59

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