[bolger] Re: Capsizing

wmrpag-@...wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/bolger/?start=2904
> "When I was a kid, I only flipped my boat twice, both times when I was
> > being spectacularly stupid."
> snip <

Since this thread had turned to, "spectacularly stupid" I feel that I
am more than qualified to add a short note.
Back in the late fifties, a friend and I decided to go sailing in New
York harbor, from Staten Island, during a hurricane, in an 11 foot
penguin. The challenge was to make it to the last bug light at the outer
entrance to the harbor and see if we could make it back. A distance that
would take less than an hour on a nice day. As it turned out, having the
sail reefed to the size of a handkerchief, we made it back in about 4
1/2 hours to a point on the Island only 3 miles from where we wanted to
go. It was the only boat that I have ever been in, where I left my
finger prints crushed into the sides. Yes, It was stupid, but what fun.
Ah, to be that young and foolish again.
Stan & SG
wmrpag-@...wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/bolger/?start=2904
> "When I was a kid, I only flipped my boat twice, both times when I was
> > being spectacularly stupid."
>
> Gosh, what is the superlative for "spectacularly"? You guys have
only
> capsized 4 times between the two of you? Either youse guys never
tried very
> hard or y'all much brighter than I am (or was). (I grant this is more
likely
> than not, but what fun have y'all had?)
>
> Bill, where the icicles grow longer as winter seems to easing its
grasp

As an semi adult, I flipped many times trying to gybe Tech dinghies.
And capsized a Hobie Cat twice. I've also managed to get green water
over the rail of a keel boat (Rhodes 19). As a kid, I sailed a beamy,
heavy boat. Climbing the mast of a 10 footer, or going out in 20 or 25
knot winds qualify as spectacularly stupid in my book, particularly
without reef points.
"When I was a kid, I only flipped my boat twice, both times when I was
> being spectacularly stupid."

Gosh, what is the superlative for "spectacularly"? You guys have only
capsized 4 times between the two of you? Either youse guys never tried very
hard or y'all much brighter than I am (or was). (I grant this is more likely
than not, but what fun have y'all had?)

Bill, where the icicles grow longer as winter seems to easing its grasp
On the other hand, the tenderest and scariest might be least likely to
capsize.

Chuck Leinweber
Duckworks Magazine
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com


----- Original Message -----
From: Lincoln Ross <lincolnr@...>
To: <bolger@...>
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 5:18 PM
Subject: [bolger] Re: Capsizing


> "carter kennedy" <jkc-@...> wrote:
> original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/bolger/?start=2805
> > I would like to get some opinions about which of the small cartoppable
> > Bolger or Michalak row/sail boats is the least likely to capsize when
> > sailing. I know any unballasted boat is vulnerable to capsizing-- I
> > just wonder which is the least vulnerable to it. I am interested in
> > boats that could carry two adults. Beer capacity is not important.
> >
> > Carter K.
> >
> >
> 1. Whichever one has a sheet which has not been cleated, and has the
> most alert, most beer free, most clued in, most prudent, and heaviest
> (within reason)occupants.
>
> 2. I'm guessing a Brick: hard bilges, wide beam carried a long way fore
> and aft, not all that big a rig. I could be wrong. What other boat has
> a sideways prismatic coefficient of 1? I must admit this is not based
> on experience.
>
> 1 is more important than 2. Both unfortunate if weather is too hot.
>
> When I was a kid, I only flipped my boat twice, both times when I was
> being spectacularly stupid. Unfortunately an Oday Sprite punishes this
> kind of stupidity severely unless you're in water shallow enuf to stand
> up in.
>
>
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"carter kennedy" <jkc-@...> wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/bolger/?start=2811
>snip I really
> like the idea of building a Brick because--
> - it's cheap and easy to build
> - it's stable
> - it's a real sailboat that would fit in the back of our compact
pickup
> - the "what the %^#*& is that?" factor
> - easy to store
> But I decided against it because
> - I may need to row it against a petty good current
> - I think it would be a slow sailer
> - I want to build just one boat
>
> >snip
If you don't mind doing a little extra design and build work, if you
were to build a plywood boat the same shape as a Monfort Cartopper 9,
but without the seat, you would meet all your criteria except easy to
build and "what the !@#$ is that?". As designed, it is a bit fragile,
but it rows well (not fast, but easily), sailed well (until it started
to break) and felt very stable. Also, seemed right for 400 lb load, and
could handle 500 lbs with some loss of performance. Unfortunately, in a
medium breeze it started to come apart at the gunwhale near the mast.

Better yet, model your boat after the Cartopper 11 for more stretching
out space.

I suppose you could build one almost stock except for a little
reinforcement of gunwhales and have a very light boat. Would require a
little more care than the average boat, but you could carry it around
yourself.
"lincoln ross" <lincoln-@...> wrote:

>
> 2. I'm guessing a Brick: hard bilges, wide beam carried a long way
fore
> and aft, not all that big a rig. I could be wrong. What other boat has
> a sideways prismatic coefficient of 1? I must admit this is not based
> on experience.
>

I agree, for the same reason and from the same perspective. I really
like the idea of building a Brick because--

- it's cheap and easy to build
- it's stable
- it's a real sailboat that would fit in the back of our compact pickup
- the "what the %^#*& is that?" factor
- easy to store

But I decided against it because

- I may need to row it against a petty good current
- I think it would be a slow sailer
- I want to build just one boat

>
> When I was a kid, I only flipped my boat twice, both times when I was
> being spectacularly stupid. Unfortunately an Oday Sprite punishes this
> kind of stupidity severely unless you're in water shallow enuf to
stand
> up in.
>

I had a fiberglass 14' sloop, and I flipped it twice. I wasn't being
stupid. It had a high center of gravity and a lot of sail. It was a
learning experience.
"carter kennedy" <jkc-@...> wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/bolger/?start=2805
> I would like to get some opinions about which of the small cartoppable
> Bolger or Michalak row/sail boats is the least likely to capsize when
> sailing. I know any unballasted boat is vulnerable to capsizing-- I
> just wonder which is the least vulnerable to it. I am interested in
> boats that could carry two adults. Beer capacity is not important.
>
> Carter K.
>
>
1. Whichever one has a sheet which has not been cleated, and has the
most alert, most beer free, most clued in, most prudent, and heaviest
(within reason)occupants.

2. I'm guessing a Brick: hard bilges, wide beam carried a long way fore
and aft, not all that big a rig. I could be wrong. What other boat has
a sideways prismatic coefficient of 1? I must admit this is not based
on experience.

1 is more important than 2. Both unfortunate if weather is too hot.

When I was a kid, I only flipped my boat twice, both times when I was
being spectacularly stupid. Unfortunately an Oday Sprite punishes this
kind of stupidity severely unless you're in water shallow enuf to stand
up in.
I would like to get some opinions about which of the small cartoppable
Bolger or Michalak row/sail boats is the least likely to capsize when
sailing. I know any unballasted boat is vulnerable to capsizing-- I
just wonder which is the least vulnerable to it. I am interested in
boats that could carry two adults. Beer capacity is not important.

Carter K.