Capt. JG wrote:
Not sure if this would work... looks like the boat is about to
capsize... putting more pressure on the main would make it
worse... might pitchpole...

Not so likely to pitchpole when going slow, unless there's really big
waves. Pitchpoling is more of a hazard of going 'way fast, when the
bow digs into a wave.


Martin Baxter wrote:
That indeed, is a possibility, no guts, no glory.

I think the boat in the picture has gone past the point where the
skipper can point downwind and settle things down. But contrary to
normal sailing reflex, with an A-sail on a sprit, putting the bow into
the wind ain't gonna work. These guys could be trapped. Casting off
the vang will take pressure off the upper part of the main, works with
conventional sloops too... pretty much their last hope in the pic.


Capt. JG wrote:
In So. Cal., I wouldn't care so much... up here... too friggin cold to
go in the drink.


New technology... wetsuits!

Some crude people call them "Dinghy Sailors Depends."

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Why haven't anyone mentioned the kicking strap ?

Peter


skrev:
Boat is overpowered in a gust:
http://i1.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/8f/19/843e_1.JPG

Spinnaker flogging, boom dragging in the water and cannot be eased
further.

In the pic, the boat is still moving forward but very soon the foils
will stall and she will be uncontrollable. The skipper has a few
seconds to take action or they will capsize. What should he do?

As a bonus question, what is different about the boat in the pic from
most conventional sloops that might affect the skipper's range of
successful options?

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

JimC wrote:
Popping the vang??? (maybe, maybe not.)

and the spinnaker sheet

As I said.....

are the only things left to do,


These things don't have cleats on the spinnaker sheet. And it looks
like the crew has both hands on the gun'l.

And you're right about the vang


Peter S/Y Anicula wrote:
Why haven't anyone mentioned the kicking strap ?


Sorry, should have translated "boom vang" into English for you

I spent some time studying the angle of the boat and position of the
rudder and what little you can see of the tiller... kinda looks to me
as though the skipper was trying to bear away or at least not round up
further. Of course, there's also a rocky shore fairly close under
their lee so there isn't a whole lot of room to run off downwind and
try to settle things down. I'm thinking it may have been a race and
these guys got hit by a gust partway into the spinnaker takedown,
zooming them past the leeward mark and into trouble.

Capsizing would be less of a PITA than planing up onto somebody's
lawn, especially when that involves bouncing over a rock seawall.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

I spent some time looking closely at the