Morning Folks:
I thought that I would share a few experiences with you....so that maybe you would not need to learn them ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$) the same way I did. BTW, I require all of my crew and guests to wear wetsuits, life preservers; and I carry enough redundant safety gear to outfit a small ship's chandlery.
First extended trip since rebuilding my '80s H-16 & Hobie 18 Magnum
Thinking that it might be really interesting to visit the Apostle Islands (for more info on Islands:
http://www.nps.gov/apis/) by catamaran and camp out on the various islands, I took myself, 2 other adults, 2 oversized teen aged boys, and all of our camping gear and split the crew between the two boats....with the lion's share of the camping gear (in allegedly waterproof bags) hanging off the Magnum's wings.
First two days of the trip were uneventful. Last day it was time to go back to the mainland. The park ranger informed up that the wind was about to shift so that we would get it right 'on the nose' the whole back to the mainland. Second park ranger factoid, the winds were going to be almost continuously in the 30-40 MPH range with occasional gusts. Last ranger warning was that the seas (Lake Superior) would be running 3'-4' with larger waves occurring (as it turned out, waves in all directions with 6'-8' monster waves occasionally thrown in as well)as we traversed between and/or around various islands. The entire trip back to the mainland was to be accomplished by tacking....all the way back in.
Being the senior sailor, I took the lightly loaded with camping gear H-16 with one teenager as crew; my friends (3)
took the larger more heavily weighted H-18 Magnum. Wing seating was limited to the captain and one crewmember.
Initial progress was slow but exciting. The H-16 quickly fell behind the H-18 due to the facts that most tacks on the H-16 could only be accomplished by having the crew swim the bows around (reverse the rudders only caused me to be pushed farther away from the mainland...and nearly caused me to pitch pole backwards); the H-16 (having no dagger boards) sideslipped significantly....reducing the effectiveness of my tacks.
Probably two hours into the sail back...I saw the H-18 magnum heading for one of the few sandy beaches. Inspection of the H-18 magnum revealed that the port magnum wing extrusion had sheared off. With the main flinging itself from side to side (boom hit one of the dagger boards....knocking a two inch hole in the gel coat) we removed the rivets from the extrusion...and jury rigged a driftwood and rope supporting system so that we could continue our sail. While we were on the beach I also decided to investigate why the rudder pressure was so high (since heading back in to the mainland, I was having to hold the rudder with both hands and lock the tiller extension under my arm). Quickly I discovered that one of the newbie but trying to be helpful teenagers had put the rudders on backwards (port rudder to starboard side, etc). A quick correction cured this problem.
We returned to the mainland (without flipping either boat) and congratulated each other on having survived a 9 hour raging white water experience. Our only regret...we were so busy trying to keep the boats with the pointy side up...nobody got a single picture.
Repairs: bought and installed new wing cap extrusion; bought new slugs and studs (which go into the trampoline slot); West Systemed the damaged dagger board.
Trip 2
Given the calm wind and water conditions on Lake Michigan, I decided to take two ("slightly overweight") middle aged friends of mine (I too am middle aged) for "a three hour tour" of the Milwaukee Waterfront. Agreed to allow the two newbie’s to use the H-18 magnum wings...after they swore to me that their combined weight was well less than 400# (max weight for the wings is no more than 450#. Trip downwind started out fine (10-12 MPH winds,2'-3' seas) as we began our tack back to the launch point...things began to deteriorate (yes I checked my SUUNTO navigator to see what was up with the barometric pressure....only to find that the watch was dead---turned out the 12-18 month battery only lasted 6 months). Winds began blowing from 20-25...with occasionally gusts beyond. Waves began to 'short set’ and 'dragon teeth' (conditions unique, I believe to the Great Lakes/Inland Seas) and shot past 5' on their way to 8' average...with a few 10' seas thrown in for good measure. After getting about 2/3s of the way back to the launch site, I shot off of the top of one wave and fell into the trough between the next wave. C R A C K went the same extrusion that had failed before.
We made it in (seeing a wind spout for good measure) minutes before the microburst really hit...passing 3-5 sailboats which had crashed on the stone breakwater...or had crashed into the (somewhat sheltered) harbor seawall areas. No flips, no personal injury, other than the extrusion, no damage to the boat.
Bought two more wing cap extrusions. Before I installed them this time...I took a long look at what may be causing the failures. My best guess is that due to the wear and tear the slugs and studs put on the rear cross member...enough of the cross member has been eaten up so that the studs actually move up and down in the tramp slot...and cause the casting to fail.
L E S S O N S L E A R N E D
1. People almost always lie about their weight. Use a +1/3 fudge factor to try to estimate actual weight. (Couples or folks who say they weigh a certain weight….add 33% for their actual weight.
2. Maximum wing weight is for calm seas only. Once the 4' seas have come and gone...only the captain gets to "ride high."
3. Waterproof bags rarely are waterproof.
4. Never let an excited/impatient crew....keep you, as captain, from checking and rechecking everything. Don't let the thrill of adventure/fear of flipping keep you from doing your normal mental checklists. S H A M E ON ME!
5. When winds are high and beaching is a distinct possibility....add an additional knot to the main sheet to make sure that the boom....under high load...still cannot make contact with the dagger boards.
6. When winds are high and you are beaching a cat with a self-furler; put a slip knot in the furling line....wind gusts can and do, cause the furling line cleat to slip.
7. Rather than just 'assume' that a part broke due to age; look at the problem over the course of a couple of days and really think through A L L of the first and second order consequences carefully.
8. Be aware that if you are steering the boat in difficult wind and/or sea condition and you have two larger crewmembers present, you are very apt to get 'tunnel vision' and not be able to see and/or focus on the sky conditions. Require the crew to alert you whenever changes in sky conditions and/or boat traffic occur. S H A M E ON ME!
9. Know that in very high wind and/or sea conditions, H-16s may not tack without (in water) help from the crew.
10. Don't rely excessively on your electronic gadgets. While my Suunto watch was relatively new...it failed when I needed it most. Because I had become overconfident on using the watch to monitor the barometric pressure...I had gotten out of the habit of just 'looking toward the sky' every 5 minutes of so. S H A M E ON ME!
Don't know if any of this is helpful....but figured that if these things to happen to a very experienced (maybe too experienced....and not enough cautious) sailor....it might happen to you too.
Paul
Milwaukee, WI
