Re-boarding a Wave after a capsize

Okay, now I've capsized my Wave twice; and being "old, fat and weak" (as Mary cited in a previous thread), it really is tough to climb back up on board. With all the Wave's bouyancy, it floats really high when no one is on board. Add in the bulk of a life jacket, plus the anxiety from a capsize and weariness from already climbing up onto the slippery hull to right it, suddenly the task becomes enormous.

I tried the foot loop in front, and that didn't work at all. I tried the pull-up loop on the mast, and that was still really tough, but I did eventually get a leg up on the crossbar, and then worked my way up from there. But it warn't easy! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Does a foot loop over the side work any better? Probably not much...

I thought about putting a carbiner on the righting line, so the middle of the loop can be clipped to a bow strap to make a diagonal rope step; but I'm worried about the lateral stress that will put on the eye strap & bolts.

Any other great ideas? What do other "old, fat, weak" people do? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I am old, not skinny, but not fat and don't have much trouble.
The freeboard of the Wave is lower toward the stern of the boat. I work my way back there where I can reach the hiking strap with a little effort and from there I can get on the boat pretty easily.
The other way, if I am quick enough, is to jump on the lower hull as the boat is about half way righting. Once I know it will continue to right itself, I wrap my legs around the lower hull and try to grab the front beam.
once the boat is righted you are about half way on the boat.
Also, if you have a bow spreader bar that is one more piece of equipment that you can use to get a leg up.
Good luck,
Rick

Yeah, "good luck" is right. I just capsized my Wave for the first time ever last week. I had no problem righting it, of course, but then, as I feared, I could not get back on the boat.

Ironically, it was the first time I did not have my "boarding line" attached on the front of my mast, so I would have a grab-loop to lift my upper body so I could get a leg up on the hull or something. It would have been the first time I could have put my boarding-line idea to the test, and it wasn't there! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I didn't drown. My sister dropped out of the race and came over alongside my boat and helped pull me onto my boat. It is humiliating and should be unnecessary. And it has happened to several other people, who no longer sail cats because of it.

By the way, I'm 5'5", 130 lbs. and in pretty good shape for 66 years old. I think I could have gotten back on if my "boarding line" had been attached. But lots of other people would NOT have been able to, even with the boarding line, because they would not have had the upper body strength.

Regarding Rick's suggestion:
1. On my Wave, I don't see how I can get on from the back, because the tiller crossbar is too low, and there would be no way to get under it (or over it).

2. I don't like going to the back of the boat, because that will encourage the boat to bear off and head downwind, leaving me in the dust. I want to be at the front where I can at least rest and keep the boat headed into the wind while I figure out how to get on.

SO, there are many ideas I have thought about to help with getting back onto the boat when sailing solo.

1. Put trapeze lines on the boat with the trapeze handle low enough so you can reach it when you are in the water.(Getting on from the side is better than going to the back.)

2. Unzip your life jacket, because the bulk of it is a big impediment to getting your upper body up over the beam or the edge of the hull -- or even reaching a hiking strap.

3. Come up with a simple type of lightweight, collapsing boarding ladder that easily swivels down when you need it and is up out of the way for sailing. I am hoping that somebody will invent this, because being able to get back on the boat is the ONLY problem that limits the Wave from being the ultimate boat for people of all ages and all types of bodies and fitness levels. (And it would probably be helpful for people who sail lots of other cats singlehanded, too.)

Thanks for the suggestions Rick!

I guess I just haven't had enough practice yet to do the hull-riding trick. I've been so happily surprised when the boat pops up so quickly & easily, my main concern was dodging the high-side hull as it dropped.

Next time it happens, I'll try to remember to drop and roll with the low hull; and if that doesn't work, I'll go to the rear crossbar.

Mary added her post while I was typing my reply...

I thought about a solid pipe with a 6" elbow at each end, attached to the front crossbar at one side, which could swing down for a step, then swing up parallel to (and clipped to) the crossbar. The hull would limit the travel to the side, but how to attach it so it wouldn't move fore or aft...

If you had the bow spreader, I think my carbiner on the righting line would be a simple solution.

I didn't mean you should go behind the boat. I meant from the side of the boat near the rear beam. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Rick

On our power boat we tied a loop in a short line to hang over the side when someone had trouble getting in. Just put your foot in and pull yourself up and your half way there. You can even put in a short piece of wood so its easy on the foot and leave it on the boat and pull it out when you need it.

You could also take your righting line, tie a temporary loop in it to make a foothold.

The problem with a foot-loop is that your foot just swings under the boat, and leaves you lying flat on the water. The loop needs something to push against, or something to limit the swing, so your energy is directed upward. With no one on-board, the Wave is practically sitting on the surface of the water, and your body weight is practically all below the surface. You either need something stiff like a ladder, or a three-point harness, to step onto.

That's why I thought the righting line clipped to a bow eye would work, but I'm afraid that would shear off the bolts. Maybe a line hanging from the bridle shackle would be better to clip to; but what to do with it when not needed... I guess clip it to the bow eye, and then move it to the righting line; might need a knot in the righting line.

Looks like you need to tie the boat to the peir in water over your head with the sail down and see what will work for you. Then you can find out how little gear you can get away with and have someone stand by and practice man practice

I've think I've come up with a fairly easy solution, which incorporates Mary's hand loop and my three-point foot loop idea. I've tried it (in calm conditions), and it works very well, with almost no upper body strength required. Hopefully it will work just as well in windy, wavy and panicky conditions.

Start with a rope about as long as a lower bridle wire, tied at the bridle shackle, with a carbiner at the other end. Then tie a knot forming a loop onto the bridle wire, about half way down.

I tied it on the bolt to prevent chafing the rope.

A simple over-hand knot forms the hand loop.


After righting the Wave, tie a knot in the righting line to form a loop near the middle, and clip the carbiner to it.


Then you can step onto the righting line (it won't move now) and hold onto the hand loop, and lift yourself up onto the hull or crossbar.
When the boarding line is not needed, you can clip the carbiner to the bridle wire or bungee it to the bow eye. I used bright line for contrast, but black rope would be inconspicuous.

It works so well, I can now see using the Wave as a swim platform on the no-wind days.

I don't quite get it. What is that loop for on the bridle?

That's your hand-hold loop, to give you something else to grab and pull up with, besides the mast or crossbar. I guess you could just grab the wire, but the loop keeps the lateral force off the eye-strap bolts (plus I wanted to shorten the line a bit).

After Wednesday night racing, I just stopped in the middle of the lake, jumped in the water and played around with the ropes till I found a combination that worked.

The rope on the bridle wire idea looks great. However, over the weekend I practiced capsizing/ righting my Wave with my 10 year old son. I tried boarding over the front crossbar- almost impossible. But if I moved to the angle between the front crossbeam and the bow of one hull, and put one hand on each, I was easily able to hoist myself up- because my centre of balance was OK, rather than under the crossbar. Worth a try. FYI, my 10 year old slithered under the tiller bar at the stern as fast as an eel!

Mary and All, (Obviously, Mary and I only communicate via this forum <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )
I have been concerned about Mary because she has not sailed since her capsize a few weeks ago and was unable to get back on the boat with out assistance. I really hate to see here give it up.
So, I have thought pretty hard on the subject and was going to show her my idea before the North Coast Championships coming up this weekend.
Our boats both have spreader bars, so the idea was to have a line already attached to the spreader bar and leading back to a point on the deck, tied in such a way that it would not drag while sailing.
Then when in the water, loosed the line to now drag at whatever depth you wanted in the water between the spreader bar and front beam.
I don't think you would even need a loop. Then just step on it and up you go.
Come to think of it, you could simply use the righting line and throw on a quick clove hitch around the spreader bar and accomplish the same thing.
Additionaly, you could hang a hand loop from the leading edge of the mast.
More food for thought.

Hope a bunch of you all are coming to Bay Week and the Wave North Coast Championship. You will have to have surgery to remove the smile from your faces.<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Rick

regarding this idea rather than a regular line a use a hollow braid with a bungee in the middle. The braid length you can set so it is the right height for you to step on but when done the bungee will pull it tight up out of the water again.

I have had a few ideas on this as well as I am big guy and have a very hard time getting on the boat. I am not going to retype them though there is a similar thread running here where I have all ready listed some ideas. I sail a Prindle 18 where the deck has a lip where you could make possible attachments so I am not sure how they work for a wave.

http://www.thebeachcats.com/forums/viewtopic/topic/12465/start/0#pid27424

When you start selling it I want royalties.

I use a length of 5/8" dockline, secured to the rear beam and forward bridle. It has a series of knots tied in it for my hands and knees* to brace against. Smooth line does not give me enough resistance. The dock line easily stretches to suite my body weight and then returns to its former length.

A short length of line at the forward crossbar, tied with a slip knot, keeps it out of the water until needed.

*I don't try to stand using my feet, just kneel on the line instead. That puts me a little over waist high at the deck, then it's a matter of simply falling on board!

My problem seems to be the opposite of others that have posted.

I have no problem getting onboard, I just raise the tiller bar out of the way, grab the rear beam and dolphin kick myself up out of the water until I'm high enough to support myself with my arms.

I have a big problem righting the boat after the capsize though. I have to lower the sail about half way down the mast before I can get the boat to react to my body weight (I'm 160 lbs.)

Perhaps it is the wind direction? Should come up pretty easily even closer to 100 lbs righting weight.

Get the boat positioned so the wind is coming from ahead of the mast. You can step forward on the hull to make the boat pivot a bit.



Righting instructions.

Exactly, Matt. I have never seen a boat easier to right. In heavy air, I don't even need a righting line.
Pete, I think you are on to something. If I am visualizing correctly, why not use bungee cord in a hollow line, i.e., for attaching yourself to the boat in the Worrell, Tybee, or Great Texas? Couldn't put in knots, however.
But, either way, it gives you a place to put your foot and hoist yourself up on the boat between the bows.