The amazing thing is that he saved that pitchpole (photos 248-260). I've got to get some shoes that stick like that. I just wonder how his crew got back on the boat to finish the race.
I was not as lucky (photos 277-288) Even after studing those photos, I still can't beleive the hulls dug as quick as they did. We had overstood the mark and were reaching down to it, but I had my traveler way out and was dumping the main when I was coming off the wire.
I've sailed H20s for 12 years and I'm use to bearing off in high winds with a overpowered main. It just happened so quick. I'm sticking to my story of microburst gust.
Picture 247 - Main way too eased, boat flat, crew forward by beam (look at her right foot bracing on the front beam): pitchpole recipe waiting to happen! Solution, as you make the transition from sailing upwind to bearing away, get that weight (way) aft and fly the weather hull around the mark with the boat powered up (traveller centered, trim main to control heel but keep boat powered). Weight aft keeps the leeward hull up, heeled leeward hull is able to use more bouyancy, and higher speed keeps the water release further aft.
Pictures 277 & 278 - You can see the same thing starting to happen. Crew weight is way too far forward. Look at how the leeward bow is already down. The eased traveller and relatively tight mainsheet is not letting the main twist off. That would allow the top to depower which helps unload the leeward bow.
Here's a good drill. Go out on a windy day and sail upwind. Just practice making the transition from sailing upwind with both crew on the wire to sailing on a beam reach. As you bear off, both crew need to get back by the rear beam immediately. Keep the boat powered up, try to fly the boat through the transition with 10-20 degrees of heel, keep the jib trimmed correctly (don't let it stall), and watch the water release on the leeward hull as it moves aft and the boatspeed picks up. Once the boat is in this trim, it is easy to ease the main and come in off the wire and turn further downwind.
If you can find pictures of Tornado racing, look at how far aft the crews are as they make the transition from the beat to the reaching offset leg. The driver is always on the rear beam keeping the boat under control.
I was out last night in 15-18 knots of onshore breeze on Lake Pontchartrain with a very short and steep chop sailing my A2 which has much smaller bows than any F-18. It was wicked fun to jump on the back end of the boat and fly the hull down to a beam reach. Just by making the transition aft, keeping the hull flying, and keeping the speed up, I never once felt in danger of pitchpoling.
Now go out there and rip into those turns!
Bob Hodges
A-Class USA 230
