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(Jonathan Ganz) wrote in message ...
In article ,
tom wrote:
I hope no one minds a question from a lurker who drops by from time to
time.

The subject of experiencing a knockdown was recently raised and I'd
like to further extend the subject by asking what can/should one do
when knocked down?

I was recently on a 21 footer with my son-in-law at the till cruising
along fairly well with 25-30 knot winds when he noticed we were
heading into an area of additional wind. While alerting me, he
disengaged the mainsheet and when we rolled he let it fly. The roll
took us over nearly 90 degrees and we shipped water over the coaming 6
to 10 inches in depth. Realizing how little effect releasing the main
had had, he tried to uncleat the jib. This is where we found that
despite the angle of the sail to the wind, little or no wind was being
dumped and it was a difficult task, to say the least, to uncleat the
sheet. In our case, he tried three or four mighty tugs while on the
high side of the boat with no success, so he dropped down to the low
side in order to grasp the sheet close to the camcleat and after a
couple more mighty tugs it came loose and we righted.

Did he do the right thing? Or should something else have been done?

We remind that it was a 21 footer, with a centerboard.

I'd say preparing to release the jib sooner would have helped. Also,
not heading into the area of higher wind, turning more to wind, and
releasing the main before the higher wind came to fore would have been
appropriate. I don't think there's much else you could do. You didn't
say whether or not you were reefed. That would help a lot, but it's
pretty hard to do with just a few seconds.

I have a 20 footer with a 950 pound keel, so I'm in better shape. We
sail in similar conditions.

FIRST: I wish to thank everyone for responding to my post providing
food for thought.

It seems I didn't list sufficient info so here are some additional facts:

We were sailing with a reefed main and full jib. Despite the wind, we
were listing only 25 or so degrees. It is not unusual for us to hit a
a patch of additional wind and list 40-45 degrees; normally, releasing
the main a bit will suffice righting to a more comfortable aspect, and
this is what was expected, but did not occur: the boat was knocked over.
While that action was not violent, it was very quick, and the rudder was
quickly airborne and useless.

The knockdown was a first and a surprise for the both of us as neither of
us are anything but a "weekend sailor." We were sailing as we usually
sailed, with the jib sheet held by a cam* cleat. There is no way in my
estimation that one could physically hold the sheet as there is
considerable pull being exerted. Obviously, if it was known or suspected
that we were heading for a knockdown the jib sheet would have been
loosened, but such was not the case. And once we were knocked down there
was too much pressure on the mechanism to quickly release the sheet. The
boat does have winches but we have never used them to restrain a jib sheet.

*That's what Harken calls them. They consist of two cams with teeth
which exert more and more force to hold the sheet as the jib pulls on
the sheet harder.

Thanks again for your comments.