"That could have been me..."

[Warren Milberg]

Interesting groups of images of a Catalina 22 that appears to have sunk, (and was subsequently refloated) when it's mainsheet jammed in a gust.

http://towndock.net/news/sailboat-sinks-off-oriental

See remarks at the end of the article....

Be careful out there folks...stuff happens.

 

[Ross]

I know that I have been in situations that could have turned out bad but everything worked and I just had a good lesson.

 

[Scott On Eagles Wings]

That almost was us a few years back

Our first season sailing we were on a long night time sail having the time of our lives. We were on a run for about 10 miles and got complaciant. As we arrived at the narrows in Lake George the wind sifted direction and thus we were sailing by the lee. It also increased tremondously in force. The boom jibbed and got stuck in the backstay. The Jib had so much force on it we could not release that either. As we quickly got rounded up the combings went under water and we filled the cockpit with water. Fortunately as we got rounded up the boom droped out of the back stay and we were able to release the jib sheet and tack. Well ill tell you that scared the @#$! out of me, my wife and kids.
Got home from that trip and installed a boom vang, jamb cleats for the jib, and learned and now use a preventer. That was a lesson I will not ever forget and to date has been the only moment when I thought we were going to sink the boat.

 

[Hermit Scott]

Size vessel

The boat that sank was a Catalina 22 and Scott on Wings' boat is a 23. Is it the size that allows the boat to heel over so far that the cockpit fills with water? Can that happen on a 50' or a 30' like mine?

 

[VT Fitz]

No positive floatation?

So I take it a Cat 22 doesn't have positive floatation...

Not meaning to be smug, but one of the lessons here is to close the companionway in heavy weather, especially if there's no positive floatation.

We got caught in a very scary, ugly & intense cold front crossing through southern New England/Long Island Sound this August. Winds went from 3 kts to 40 kt gusts and the pressure jumped 2 mb in about 4 minutes. A 75 degree wind shift hit in about 30 seconds. That was the fun part as I put the helm over & it still didn't point us back into the wind as our high freeboard pushed us over enough to make the kids scream! As things had begun to look serious & we realized we wouldn't find shelter in time, we had donned PFDs, stowed everything securely down below, dropped & secured the sails, locked down the front hatch, closed the companionway & dropped in the lower washboard; next time, God forbid, both boards will go in. Toward the end, the outboard stalled (twice), but the worst had definitely passed (a new long shaft o/b is on the upgrade list for next spring); the entire event lasted less than 20 long -- very long -- minutes. When it was all over, the only damage was the windex had been blown off & my hand was shaking involuntarily on the tiller.

But I know if you sail long enough, everyone has a story like this to tell & a "could have been me" becomes a "was me."

 

[VT Fitz]

Handyman Special

A google turned up that this boat is up for auction!

http://www.usauctions.com/8233-1974-22ft-catalina-sloop-sailboat.aspx

She's a '74. Also, according to the auction description, it turns out the mainsheet didn't jam, the main halyard jammed as they tried to drop sail.

If you pick up This Old Boat, you may need a subscription to the namesake magazine to get her back in shape. Lots of damage.

 

[Ross]

Re: Handyman Special

Very few production boats were built with positive flotation. Most boats will down flood if the cockpit fills with water. Most production boats have inadequate cockpit drains. Not all center board boats will come back onto their feet if knocked onto their beam ends.

 

[ITMaster]

I would say they were really lucky

to have that happen in only 4 to 5 feet of water. My luck would be that I would be in 40 to 50 feet of water and my boat would be in the deep.

 

[VT Fitz]

An ounce of prevention...

Very few production boats were built with positive flotation. Most boats will down flood if the cockpit fills with water. Most production boats have inadequate cockpit drains. Not all center board boats will come back onto their feet if knocked onto their beam ends.

All the more reason to make sure at least one washboard's in place -- preferably the whole thing -- when you see that kind of weather moving in.

My guess is these folks were so focussed on getting down the mainsail that securing the companionway didn't enter their minds.

One has to wonder how late they waited before taking action. May have been having a grand time as the winds rose, speeding along at 6+ kts, until it rose too much, then "Oh, sh-t!". A little like the guy who jumps off the 100th floor... by the 60th floor it's a great time, so far!

To all those H23.5/240 & H26/260 folks who think it's fine to sail with the pop-top up, especially with the pop-top cover in place, this story is exactly why it's not a recommended practice.