Re: Heeling

Eric Pederson (eric@winternet.com)
Thu, 10 Jun 1999 09:15:49 -0500 (CDT)


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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It has been rumored that Rye Gewalt said:
>
> Here's a newbie question. How far can a 19' be heeled over safely?

That depends upon your definition of 'safely'.

> Yesterday I was out on the Potomac playing around and during a few long
> gusts had the boat heeled over with about 8-10 inches of freeboard
> showing. She felt stable enough, but I am wondering if there are some
> stability issues (initial stability etc.) and a point where the boat
> gets unstable.

Our first season, we hoised the main in high winds. We had failed to secure
the rudder in the down position, and it had kicked-up as we motored. The
main sheet snagged and we started to broach. I didn't look at the
inclinometer, but Julie was laying across the kids to keep 'em in the
boat. I had hopped down from the cabintop to free the tangle and had to
brace my feet on the opposite seat front. I don't believe we took any water
over the side, but it was close. When I did get the sheet let go, the boom
smacked the water; about a foot or so of the end of the boom submerged
before the boat righted herself. She did pop up quickly once the pressure
was off the sail.

My guess is that we were over between 50 and 60-degrees.

-- 
Eric L. Pederson
P-19 #970, Necessity
Bloomington, MN