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4.5 hours of Sunfish sailing terror in 21 minutes
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- Опубликовано: 12 июн 2017
- Sailing a Sunfish sailboat starting in 12 knots of wind during the first hour which turned into 20+ knot gusts in the middle of the San Francisco Bay!! Three capsizes, broken halyard shackle, lost paddle, lost bailing bucket, random rain-shower, and finally abandoned the beached dinghy. Walked across a mile of soggy marsh land and had to swim across a river onto dry land. So much fun!
It’s not the destination it’s the journey. Thanks for sharing. What a learning curve you were on.
Indeed! The Journey! I'm actually a good sailor-- what amazes me in this video is the effects of shock & panic on performance. Everything one KNOWS.. but can't PERFORM. I've been trying to explain to some of the good people who commented on this video negatively, that when you are in shock and/or panic - though I looked somewhat fine ----one can't even tie their own shoelaces right! It was a nice 4.5 hour adventure for sure. Don't take a sunfish out in 25 knots with white caps, and if you do, at least make sure water does not come in via the the coaming screws--which needed sealant and took on water. This is what tickles my fancy on this video -- this is why I made it. To remind me. Fear can disable you, but panic or shock just zaps you.
@@AguilaEmplumada This comment seems spot on. I volunteer with Search and Rescue for about 9 years now. We had a administrator from a major hospital in the area come present once about a research study they ran with a simulated victim (college actor) with a gunshot wound and blown off leg. There were flashing lights, music blasting, people yelling... The trauma nurses and paramedics had a firefighter to help but who had to be instructed to act. All they had to do was put on a tourniquet and put pressure on the gunshot holes in 5 minutes. Really pretty basic, but 85% failed because they were overwhelmed. Essentially they panicked and couldn't access the information in the cortex. (this is often referred to as flipping the lid) They paused the research for several days then restarted by instructing the nurses/paramedics to simply acknowledge they were overwhelmed and take one deep breath. That skyrocketed the success from 15% to 95%...one breath, or other appropriate conscious calming action to allow your prefrontal cortex to reconnect with the cortex and give you access to all your knowledge. That's my non-sailing, sailing tip.
You got home on your own, and were man enough to share this. Nice one.
Thanks , I really enjoyed this. I've had similar situations, though not to this extent, on a Hobie and a windsurfer. The video accurately captures the rushing panic and fatigue so quickly brought on by the power of the sea and wind. Your commentary was amusing and the whole episode provided solidarity for all of us who struggle while aspiring.
Thank you. I was surprised too! I had a successful passage a week earlier: much lighter winds + no white caps. ruclips.net/video/QrXJnZ1jfRg/видео.html
Oh yeah. I went from a Pandera to a little Fanatic. Didn't work out so well. Hey, those dagger thingies help with tacking. Yep.
Sailing has a 50:50 ratio. 50% fun, 50% scary.
absolutely
Nah man it’s all fun
They all said it below. I owned a sunfish and did modifications to it to sail in winds up to 40 knots. I mastered that & and never flipped once. I had a ramp on my dock and would sail it up the ramp. My fastest GPS speed was 35 knots.
I know it's 3 years late but how did that feel I can only imagine the boat lifting up out of the water lol was it practically just the daggerboard and rudder in the water or did you do hydrofoils or something?
Been there, done this. You’re brave to put it on RUclips!
same
I was surprised at how fatigue (and to a degree--panic) can massively handicap a sailor
This is what sailing is all about to me and really makes me want to get back into it. I remember, as a teenager, the first time I went out in a 16ft Hobie Cat when in pretty blowy conditions and having this dawning realization that the thing wanted to kill us! Brilliant stuff.
16 foot hobbie is where it's at buddy!
Yeah, but when the sail pops and you plane off. Total Zen.
I always wanted one. I know they are near impossible to turtle but are they easy to right in case of capsize? @@AtimatikArmy
Enjoyed watching your pain and controlled panic, we've all been there in one way or another. Small sailboats and large winds are interesting, without throwing in problems. If anything can float away from the boat, it will... 20+ knots is a good breeze in a sunfish, and the wave action makes it hard to stay on the boat when you're up on the deck raising sail. I am sure you wish, you had watched this video before everything went south. At least your new sail did not get ripped, well done friend.....fair winds.
"This was painful to watch", is an understatement!
I'm a USSAILING instructor and the mistakes and clear lack of basic knowledge is frightening.
Points for remaining calm and the guts to post a video showing one of your worst/scariest/most embarrassing moments.
I can't help but think that knowing the very basics of nautical knots could have prevented this potentially life-threatening situation.
1) Cleat Hitch. Keep the sail from falling down.
2) Clove Hitch. Retie the halyard back onto the top spar with less slipage.
3) Figure 8 Stopper. Keep the main sheet and halyard from running free.
4) Bowline. Keep your gear (paddle, bailor, drybox, water, VHF) safely tied with lanyards to the boat.
Bonus tips:
Sail in groups of 2 or more boats.
Stay close to shore.
When its howling, go out only when the wind will blow you back to the shore, upwind first.
Just because it's a little boat doesn't mean you can't take a handheld VHF radio with you to call for help.
Tell people that you are going to go do something stupid so they will know where to search for and recover your body. Then they can have a proper funeral and closure.
🤞🏻❤️😁⛵️
__/ )__●__/)/)__
@@timlong8665 I'm a graduate @US Sailing in Alameda -- everything you said is spot on. I sail the J24s all the time with no problem (because they are keelboats) . Sailboards/dinghies are a whole different sport. At the first capsized the boat took on water via the coaming screw holes. After that point everything was pretty much compromised. No one was sailing that day in the bay. Just me.
Many people need to see this video including myself, thanks for posting it.
Had a similar experience at a corporate meeting in Key Biscaine. Boss wanted me to go do something instead of hang at the bar. Bob and I took out a Sunfish. I had been on one once and Bob never and we are both drunk. Here we are sailing out to the gulf stream with the hotel barely visible in the distance when I get the idea Bob should try the tiller. Ya we went over. Lost the centerboard I had to swim out after in 3 feet swells. Fun times. Took forever to right the boat which was starting to sink from some crack taking in water. We bailed and sailed to shore and arrived finally. 2 days later I read in the paper..beaches in Biscaine closed because of shark infestation. True story.
Who the f is bob?
@@snorkledinkbanglesnatch2029 Bob. Dumbass
@@snorkledinkbanglesnatch2029 His Boss
awesome story!! My dad had a similar story out in Honk Kiong harbor. yea Frisco has sharks but I was a mile or two out from the deepest part.
They could have done the required TLC, and replaced that centerboard some years ago. Pulling the centerboard half up (that is what that shockcord is for) also reduces stress.
Extremely instructive video! Thanks for posting! I think you did a great job controlling your emotions in the face of such adversity. That is what brought you back to land. I read many patronising comments here, from "know it all" types who laugh at imprecisions at your handling the rigging and so, but the truth is you were INEXPERIENCED AND ALONE out there, and you could count on your nerves to bail yourself out alive at the end, and that deserves credit and respect. Congratulations
No doubt exhaustion and fear can disable/freeze a person. By my third capsize I was running out of steam and I knew that fatigue could place me in serious jeopardy. Fear would only make it worse by giving you bad advice. At the end I chose to NOT struggle and just go downwind for nearly two hours across the bay. Had a relative pick me up 45 min drive from home.
Brings back old memories when I learned to sail by using a Snark many years ago. That was a sporty, light boat. Much more challenging than my Hobie 14’. Winds can come up suddenly. Had many good laughs watching the video. I could so relate to your experiences and frustration and exhaustion. Thanks for posting and sharing.
I was told Hobie 14's would flip quickly, if not, I'll buy one of those and not a Sunfish. Those things are in every 3rd backyard here with squirrels living in them. Right next to the delaminated windsurf boards. People come and go from here. Dirt cheap. I am exaggerating, but not by a whole lot.
I have two boats. An 18ft Interlake and Sunfish. I love the Sunfish on big wind days. The reason is that, if you know what you're doing, they're really hard to capsize. They have relatively small sail area. As long as you shift your weight and watch your sail trim. it will stay upright.
I'm guessing, that learning on big boats worked against him here. You don't shift your weight on a 36ft boat. Many times when he capsized, he was sitting in a bad spot. Often times he was in the middle of the boat. If he was laying out on the opposite side of the sail, it wouldn't go anywhere. Also, when he would raise the sail, it was with the wind in it. That's exhausting! Point the boat into the wind and then raise it.
Bottom line, know what you don't know. If you don't have a lot of experience with a boat, don't take it out in conditions like this
I was curious about that too and wondered if the rigging 'lock' (the friction thingy - haven't had one on the Sunfish I've sailed) or whatever it's called was keeping the sail under tension. I've capsized and righted a few Sunfish although never in conditions this severe but the sail has immediately gone into irons and I was able to get the boat facing upwind and regroup. I'm sure the higher waves and current weren't making things easy.
This video did hammer home the utility of a lifeline in this kind of body of water. My experience is only in smaller lakes and once in Lake Michigan, close to shore. I've never had one but the boat would have really gotten away from him had he not had one.
correct. Dinghy sailing vs keel boat.
really hope you kept sailing after this. you inspired me to get lessons. but you kept a clear head and stayed positive.
good job
I'm just now getting ready to buy my first boat same type. Thanks for the heads up. Much respect. I'll take things more serious now. Thanks again!
It is not sunfish sailing if you do not capsize at least ones
Or three times?
I used to windsurf a lot. I just couldn't take the beating of getting launched anymore. Try waterstarting one of those in 25+mph. ~ 50 degrees, in a springsuit. But, that was in a bay. You're right, doing face plants is normal. But aren't the currents in San Francisco brutal? We have hellacious rips, but if you follow the tides, it's not a big deal. Basically though, it's a lot less dangerous than my motorcycle. It lost metal parts. I thing they repurposed them and put them into me. I'm all about recycling.
@@waterhead1029 I've capsized in 34 deg. water, albeit, with a wetsuit, and in the water for 20 minutes because the boat turtled with mast in mud. I must admit, it was rather unpleasant.
*I* have never capsized in one at the helm. My dislexic girlfriend who held the rudder however... turned the wrong direction and slammed into a sand bar... so yea... i guess that counts as one lmao
@@waterhead1029 Windsurfing requires strength and dexterity. My respect goes out to you.
This was so helpful to see. I had a similar experience sailing single handed in a 420 in high winds except my problem was that my tiller came off. Luckily I was on a river and close to a dock but I swam/towed it back. That fatigue when capsizing is so real and can be so scary. The experience really shook me and put me off sailing alone. I’ve just decided to try and get back into it and seeing your experience and the other comments has weirdly really helped calm my nerves. Appreciate you sharing!
I had to drift down wind for 2+ hours into the heavily guarded Chevron Refinery
I've had lots of adventures on sunfish. Most recently took one out in 20-25 knot winds. Going out was fine until I tried to tack. I couldn't turn the boat through the wind. It would just drift backwards. The boat had hull integrity issues in the past so I assumed it was not turning well because it was taking on water. After 5-10 minutes of failing to tack I tried turning downwind. I was able to get going downwind but the front of the boat was real low in the water and I kept plunging into waves in front of me. I started to panic as I was pretty far out and didn't want to be stuck in a swamped boat at the mercy of the wind. I needed to jibe to get back home and thought the sooner the better before I was swamped. I jibed and instantly turtled the boat. The boom hit the bottom and snapped in half. The centerboard came out and was drifting 20 -30 yards away. I stayed with the boat. It took 20 minutes to right the boat without the leverage of the centerboard. (I will always tie the centerboards in now). When I finally righted the boat and saw the damage I held up the sail and tried my best to direct the boat across the wind home. Without the centerboard I had little control over the course and ended up a couple miles away from home. Beached the boat and came back with new rigging. Turns out the boat wasn't swamped at all but the rigging was for the wrong boat ( a phantom ) and the extra sail made it almost impossible to sail in those conditions. Made it home with the new rigging no problems.
I learned a lot.
1) Always tie in the centerboard.
2) Consider all your options before acting. I could have easily reefed the sail and made the jibe way easier. In my panic I didn't even consider it.
3) Never go out in an offshore wind. I didn't think much of this but in retrospect I would have been screwed if the wind was offshore as it would have taken me out to the ocean.
4) Test tacks by the beach before going out. If I maneuvered the boat by the beach I would have immediately been able to tell something was wrong.
The best comment. A lot of what you mention happened. I took on water through the coaming (screws) , i also tucked in the sail during a failed tack. I alsl felt my mast rub a few rocks during the turtle - scared the hell out of me. And yes panic can and will lower a few IQ points for sure!!
Ideally you would adjust the sail before going but if you're in the situation again where you can't tack, you can use the rudder to steer as you drift backwards, keep your sail loose, the slowly pull in the sail and steer to your new tack. You'll have to counterbalance and be ready to ease out the sheet as you first start going, but this does help with turning in crappy conditions if you don't have other options.
@@AdventuresInReach Yes, that is how I was able to turn downwind.
This is the boat I learned to sale on as a boy. Sailing is sailing. 50 foot ketch or sunfish. Its all the same.
Yea no.. keelboats don’t turtle-in fact what saved ny life was my lifeline which I learned from surfing. Say hi to Rich when you see him. It been 18+ years since I last saw Jepsen. Cheers.
You did a great job getting her home. FYI…build yourself a Marconi sock sail (it slips over the mast like a sock and remains aloft) with no boom and the clue attached to your main sheet for super windy days. When you need to depower, just let up on the main sheet and let er fly like a flag. She won’t dart away when you right her if you capsize and is super easy to right, (less weight and the sail can’t fill with water) and infinitely ajustable for almost all points of sail. You will love the experience.
I do need one!!
I'll mané reseaechs about this "Marconi sock sail"! Very interesting tip! Thanks for sharing!
Cool... Nice sail... I like the way you did the downhaul. That's a good year with a good rudder kit. I admire your courage, taking it out in some heavy air. Too much dagger board will roll the one off the boat on a BB Reach when it's nuking out. There is a fine line though, just like you discovered, between too much, and too little. When I was 14, I made a Spanish style hiking board so I could get my feet out on the aluminum rail of the Sunfish, it had a big shock cord to keep it centered when tacking or jibing, it also had a high aspect, rudder blade modeled off of 505. Later an IU Sailing student thought it was cool and stole the whole kit. I didn't weigh anything back then, but if I was out on the hiking board, One could bend the mast like a fishing pole and send it... easily keeping up with a 470 and pass FJ's with their spinnakers up. I wasted a few top spars as well, and ended up lashing the sail instead of using those rings, especially in the surf. Taking the center board all the way out was a good thing to do on waves or high wind broad reaches so it would slide sideways. I loved passing boats with a column of water shooting out of the dagger board well. The Sunfish can be pretty fast because it has hardly any rocker in the tail. The hard chines make planing great! Keep it up! Nice yellow!
Excellent commentary. Indeed it would have been nice to be able to hike. And yes the Dagger board actually brought me some instability at times. Those 420's and 470's are super nice!! Rockets! Thanks for contributoing with cool commentary loved it!!
Good that you controlled your almost panic and took control of the situation with clear thinking. That little boat was flying...nice job !
Going down wind you want the dagger board up! There is no crabbing. It slows the boat. It created drag and tends to make the boat want to flip over head first.
To slow the boat reef the sail. Roll it up at the bottom. That will make the sail less powerful and give you more control in heavy wind.
Yep you're right on all points except 1) I was at beam/broad reach 90% of the time and 2) had my dagger board been up or out--- I would be dead right now-- ever tried turning upright a turtled sailboard without a dagger-board?
It is true that you may need to get some more training, but the great thing is that you did it in a sunfish, not on a 30 foot boat.
There are many "sailors" who can drive a keelboat, but have no experience on small ailboats.The great thing about a sunfish, it is where you can make mistakes and learn from your experiences, as well as take classes later. They are a workout even when the wind is not so strong. You had a flotation device and you never gave up and kept trying to resolve the challenges. I don't think you were ever in danger. The only negative comment I have is that you should try to choose a day, if possible, where the winds are within the limitations of your abilities and the sailboats abilities. That takes proper pre-planning: checking the weather, etc. Great experience!
I have zero issue on 30 foot keel boats. Dinghy sailing is a whole different beast -- more akin to surfing.
Hee hee, my wife and I started on dinghys. With our first keel boat, we were panicky because we couldn't sail it flat. It goes both ways.
I sailed one but not that much wind reminds me of how much more fun sailing is than motorboating i like all of the educational comments seems there's more to it than I thought thanks for posting
Line management is crucial in situations like this. Thank you for sharing. You may save someone’s life by showing this video.
I know my knots and part of my astonishment while editing the 4 hour video of that day is realizing that when you are in panic mode and in massive fatigue, you can't even think clearly or let alone simply cleat a line correctly.
A fellow had a small sailboat where I lived and he gave it away after capsizing repeatedly. he gave it to an experienced sailor who also capsized it. It turned out the boat had a leak and water had filled the inner hull and was making it unstable. I saw a lot of patches on the bottom of your boat, I wonder if it was leaking any. You were smart to attach yourself to the Sunfish. Thanks for sharing so others can learn from your adventure.
Robb's Homemade Life funny you say that-- those patches are just there to harden the "softer" hull spots. When I retrieved the Sunfish it had very little water in it considering 4 capsizes and stranded in the bay for 4 days. However today there is a small breach in the daggerboard sleeve cause after sailing on a lake and hitting a rock head on with the daggerboard -- now experience the same exact thing you're now describing--tons of water and instability. After just 20mins or a single capsize the boat just rolls regardless of the chine of the boat.
yeah, you can be the best sailor in the world but if you are carrying a lot of water in a double hull it can shift and roll you over , ask me how I know,LOL
That will do it. 8lbs a gallon sloshing around.
Sunfish is a lot of fun for the money. Miss it.
Yep, winds can pick up quickly as soon as you are away from the trees. Hiking against a little sail is as active tasking as running. Been there. Washed ashore like some piece of driftwood.
I ended up scuttling the sailboard and walking through 1/2 mile of protected marshland Under heavy Chevron facility security. They all cheered me on. 😂😂😅
This is not meant to be insulting at all but I truly believe everyone should know how to sail and proficiently control their boat before going out in 10+ knots of breeze. It is very manageable in almost any wind to control your boat if you know how to properly! Nice job making it back to shore but always a good thought to get help from someone on how to sail :)
Good thing you didn't panic....This video really makes me want to sail it got my juices flowing next weekend for sure I'm going out. Thanks for posting
:) I kinda did panic a little after the third capsize because the currents and wind and swells were only getting worse. Storm coming in. and i was getting exhausted. But I never made the rescue call.
Estimado Aguilucho:
I just rented an elongated sunfish in Acapulco, Mex. (Yes, the motherland) Back when I was a kid, the adjacent bay (Puerto Marques) had 5 or 6 of these purposefully elongated sunfish watertaxis. the extra 1.6 ft of deck between the mast and the cockpit have handles and 2 adults are transported by the captain to Pichilingue beach, left there and picked up after a couple of hours if ordered. I only know of two surviving sunfish with this particular confiuration. sail area seems standard size. The one I sailed last month had a home made rudder (these were built in the 60's-70's) the yard and boom were bamboo. The whole time I was thinking about this video.
Once this "cagona virus sh1t" is over, come down south, margaritas are on me.
Buenos vientos, capi.
Galgo!!! Yo soy de Acapulco vivi 8 años en fracc Magallanes enfrente de Acapulco Plaza de niño. Con gusto nos vemos! Ahora tienes tu casa en Aguascalientes. Saludos!
I really needed this! Thanks for sharing. Everyone shares their successes, but not their challenges. Good to know how bad things can go.
Yup .. not going to lie --fear and panic works totally against you. Freezes your thinking.
This isn't sailing terror this is " How not to sail" These are beautiful sunfish sailing conditions for anyone that knows what they're doing.
Beautiful day? Oh, I see! That's why I was the ONLY vessel in the WHOLE BAY on the water with red flag advisories!! Because as you say "beautiful sailing conditions". Ha ha. You must be from England or the Northern Isles my friend! This on the other hand was a beautiful day with constant 8 knots of wind tops. No wetsuit. ruclips.net/video/QrXJnZ1jfRg/видео.html
Spot on
@@AguilaEmplumadai mean you did make some crucial errors that could’ve gone badly. Your gooseneck was wayy to high and in winds like your mast can snap easily i was honestly expecting it to happen
many mistakes. Yep should have reefed.@@daimajor885
Thanks for sharing! I have been there, had winds come way up from what was expected and flipped 3 times with the mast getting stuck in the mud. Luckily I kept things close to shore that day and some guy with a jets ski came and pulled me back in with the sail down, fun times, haha
Here is my $0.02: Your rig is too high. Attach the halyard further back along the gaff spar to lower your rig which will lower the boat's center of gravity. It will be harder to duck the boom and tacks and gibes, but the boat will be more stable and easier to handle. You are using a racing sail which is larger (and thus more powerful) than a cruising rig. Your rig is set high for cruising. Consider investing in a fiber-glass, racing centerboard; it is longer and more streamlined. Also, get a windicator (masthead fly). You can attach it to the forward edge at the top of your gaff spar by drilling a couple small holes and then pop-rivetting it on.
I appreciate your courage and fortitude. Here is some more advice to keep you involved in this great sport, and to make your sails safer and more fun:
1) It is better to sail with at least one other boat. This is the buddy system. Join a sailing club; you will learn much from other sailors' experience.
2) Get some sailing gloves; save your hands.
3) Good job in de-powering the sail. You can do this better with a jens rig which is the established method.
4) DO NOT wrap any sheet around your hand; you could lose a finger this way. Please. Thank you.
5) You were not sitting far enough out on the high (windward) side; this is why you dumped the second time. Learn good boat balance.
6) When righting the boat, as soon as the sail comes out of the water let the boat stay on its side for a bit. It will turn into the wind so that when it pops back up it will not just roll back over.
7) When raising the main you should reach back and lift up the rudder blade. This will stop the tiller from flapping around and will allow the boat to turn into the wind (into irons). It will be much easier to raise the main.
8) There are three ways to move the boat without the sail. You can scull the rudder. You can use the centerboard as a canoe paddle. You can sit forward with your legs across the bow and use the mast to kayak back in.
Sail safe and sail fast. Aaaarrrgh!
@@DLYChicago best advice ever!! Thank you!!
100% spot on!
My father taught me how to sail a sunfish when I was young. I have sailed it in 25 knot winds. I'm no expert on rigging or setup. All I know is to manage your weight by "hiking out" and to let go of the sheet when in trouble. I have never unintentionally capsized. It seems to me this sailor was not managing his weight properly. When capsizing, he was sitting in the middle of the boat. He should have had half his body outside of the boat on the windward side.
I am "that sailor". You are right. I tucked in the sail in a failed tack. particularly in that first capsize.. the, without knowing, I had taken on significant amounts of water in the hull by the second and third capsize (coaming screw holes). Cheers!!!
Man this was crazy!! You should go out in lighters winds with that sunfish or make a custom heavy keel .. all and all you stayed calm !! Very important .. great job man! Happy sailing ⛵️
Chasingwaves Thanks bud -It did make a very fond memory
Granted I know nothing about sailing but my brain tells me not to smart
I’ve done less smart things. This is the tip of the iceberg 😂😂
I just bought a sunfish for $30.00. I can't wait to get it on the water, after I get new hardware, new sail, lines, rudder, tiller, dagger board, pretty much everything you need to sail a sunfish or at least rig it so it will sail. Anyway, you did a pretty good job of controlling your nerves. You are very exciting to watch. You also helped me to understand some things that need to be attended to. Make sure I do a refresher course on sailing technique. Thanks for the experience.
Fair winds and following seas.
I'm about to pick one up for $60, hull only. any idea of how much money the rudder, dagger board, and everything else needed to run will cost?
There is nothing more expensive than a cheap boat
I've never sailed and man did I feel your pain.
A regular sailboat with a keel is nearr imposible to capsize. Try a 22+ footer!
Been out in this on a Laser when training (had trainers in motorboats nearby). Some of the regattas in my area see strong winds like this.
Couple of tips for next time:
Always point the bow upwind before righting in high wind so the boat doesn't take off on you or kick you right back over. Being in irons is your safe position.
Tighten downhaul and outhaul as much as humanly possible. A flat sail is a controlled sail. A loose sail like you have is a giant lever that will capsize you. Also raise your boom if you can.
If you need to go downwind, don't mess around with gybes. Just turn with tacks and sail at a reach if you can't keep upright. If it is really bad, just stay in irons and let the wind drift you backwards.
Get your weight back as far as possible. The wind will try to pitchpole you by dumping the bow otherwise.
Stay safe out there! Definitely scary weather if you aren't trained for it or your gear isn't up to it!
Thank you so much I am a junior sailor and I just started sailing Lasers and this was my third time every sailing one
It was blowing about 17.knots note that I am around 135 pounds. So I get on the Laser which has a Radial sail and that thing is like a rocket ship. Thank God I remembered your comment about the outhaul an Cunningham before I went on the water and I was actually able to control the thing and the whole time my teacher on the chase boat was laughing like a hyena. Probably one of my best moments.
Laser sailor here,
Only in dire circumstances do you want your outhaul and cunningham on while going downwind. If you’re overpowered, play the vang/kicker. On the upwind crank everything to keep the boat flat while still having the mainsheet block to block. Rather than heeling, let some main out. Hike hard and be moving around on the downwinds
Very interested to watch this and yes, it does show how things can go so wrong.
I was sailing for a week in France. In that week, I experienced St Elmos fire, capsized with the main sheet cleated in, so like you when i righted it, it sailed off... I also lost the rudder, all in a week.
So many memories just came back
I disagree with the armchair sailors saying you did poorly. It's easy to right a boat or sail in 20+ knots if everything goes right and you're fresh. Struggling for 4 hrs, I think you did pretty good. I liked the lifeline, and that you'd made the daggerboard so it didn't fall out when you turtled. Although after the first capsize I probably would have just left the sail down and sailed "bare poles", if there was land downwind.
(oh, about me: 50+ years experience sailing everything from 40+ yachts to a kiddy-pool and a beach umbrella)
Thank you! That is exactly right! Fatigue is the killer ..and yes, after the third (or fourth) capsize I noticed it was much harder and taking me much more time to right the sailboat. Fatigue. I did exactly what you said and just let the wind blow me downwind. I also discovered I had taken on water in the hull after the second capsize which is why there was way less stability. I discovered that after covering the boat four days later.
It isn't "easy to sail" a sailing dinghy "in 20+ knots" even when you know what you are doing and have a lot of experience.. You obviously haven't done it. That is why "small craft warnings" are always posted if winds are going to be that strong.
And you're a gentleman about everything. He did fine.
You are an experience sailor and you made that statement? Remind me never to sail with you!
I used to sail these as a kid in much heavier conditions. Flipping it was seen as fun we could straighten it without falling in the water, scramble over the side onto the daggerboard. Love the sunfish.
The roll over!!!
Yeah, a dry capsize is a win! That boat sure liked to turtle fast. Watching, I found myself trying to fix things as they were happening. I wanted to reach in, get some flotation at the masthead, and get everything straight before righting the boat. And use a locking hitch on the halyard. I sailed a board boat out of Corte Madera 50 years ago. Fun times.
Nice job righting the boat! Not as easy as it looks. But NOT A GREAT IDEA to wrap the sheet (rope to control the sail) around your hand. When capsizing the last thing you want is to be tangled up in rope. Tie a knot or knots in the sheet and hold onto one instead. In addition you can use the cleat to partially secure the sheet while holding one of the knots.
I had something similar happen about 40 years ago in Bay of Islands, New Zealand. Side stay broke. Two on board. South Westerly sending us towards Pacific. Attempted paddling towards an island that we were going to drift past, but we were not going to make it. I stood up and held sail and we sailed across the wind that way and made it to island. Sailed back using halyard as side stay. Had to not load it much because halyards much weaker than stays.
I sailed a Sunfish from Maui Hawaii across North coast of the Island of Molokai all the way to Oahu across the Molokai Channel, one of the roughest channels in the world in 18-25 knots and 8-12 foot seas surfing the entire way and averaging 18-20 knots boat speed and uncountable surfs over 25 knots. Roughly 90 miles. What you are in... Childs play!
Patrick!!! You're my hero!!!! AWESOME FUN!! My sister lived in Laie for years. Yea my sunfish took on water from the gaps of the coaming screws (I sat on the hull for way too long 20 mins) after the first capsize didn't know I was taking water into the hull) which led to the second and third capsize. No hiking belt. Tell me more!! Did you go alone or in a group? That's a sick adventure buddy!!! Are there pictures or a website with the experience. Would love to know more. That's the coolest thing ever. My adventure was 4 and a half hours and was only able to film on the gopro for almost half. There were some really cool moments where I did "surf" like you state. The craziest thing was a freak lighting bolt striking the water - about 1 mile behind me at the very end.
I and a friend spent 12 hours sailing lake st clair in the fog before getting back to Port 😢, we were exhausted 😩
Glad to see that the tension and conflict created throughout the storyline came to a positive resolution in the end.
You got heart brother - and a strong will to survive!
I have been in a similar situation, as I am sure many others have been as well - including those making snide comments.
You know what the good book says, "Pride always comes before the capsize", lol
Thank you for sharing this experience with us.
Thanks for the kind words champ!
"Fuck yeah dude give me some stability dawg"
It was crazy!! never went back out in such conditions.
Other sailors gave you lots of blames and lots technical details on how-to-fix-this-that.But what's happened already happened and a sunfish is just a sunfish. You know your boat and did your best in my opinion. It's a thrilling, exhausted but exciting experience only after the fact you survived. I knew it because I had a similar experience. The experience is priceless. I'm sure you learned a lot and also prepared better for the next adventure!
One thing I have to point out is that when you have to focus on judging the wind and surviving, talking to a selfie camera could be relaxing but also distracting. It made you less focused and capsized again, but thank you for recording this.
All the best and happy sailing!
Good rush, too. Get back to your truck and laugh.
Any landing that you can walk away from is a good landing... Some days you get the bear - some days the bear gets you... today you got the bear. Maybe it was skill, maybe it was luck -- maybe it was a little of both...
14:33 that’s like 90% of sailing a sunfish
So true, Windigomonster. Sailing. A lifetime of fun.
That was painful to watch. My tips would be hike out a bit better to windward and be ready to head up a bit more during the blows to stop capsizing. Also ease your sheet first when you do capsize and leave it eased until you've raised your sail, then when you've got your hand on the rudder carefully tighten the sheet. Your sail was resisting raising because it was also powered up at the same time. Also, your sail's luff should barely be luffing when your sail trim is right. I was glad to see you have the sail a little lower down the mast later in the vid. That will significant reduce your heeling motion so long as its high enough you can get under the boom when you tack (or gybe).
Saw a fish sail out of Berkley as soon as he past the break water his
mast snapped off ..hilarious !
One does not understand, the force needed on that center-board to bring it back up-right! Been there, done that!!
exhaustion was creeping up on me.
It happens. A little boat can become very scary on a worsening sea.
I know I felt very insignificant once in a severe thunderstorm. I didn't notice it until the wind shifted. I turned around and had a black anvil over my head. Tacking back didn't work out so well. BAMMM BAMMM! At least the stingrays can burrow into the sand.
14:35 That got away from him fast! I know those lighter boats can accelerate, but that's crazy
@@tylergust8881 yea I made sure to to include that insane part during editing. I had a lifeline attached to my wrist which stopped the sunfish --l luckily
Very dangerous situation, when the elements are more powerful than you are... I am happy for you to be alive. How to put a knot on a horn clam is another helpful thing. Turning upside a capsized boat is better done with nose into the wind. Putting the fin down when going downwind is dangerous and not necessary. But overall a great adventure!!!
Absolutely right on all counts!!! (the bad knot was from absolute panic/fatigue)
Great job - wish it continued to getting to shore! Nice recoveries.
Watching this and ill watch again to prep for this situation. Fair winds
No more than 8 knots is comfortable! 3-5 is nice. Not 25.
I made a video to prep people for this exact thing. Check it out.
Just experienced this in 16kt gusting to 35kt scariest thing I’ve done Ina while
There definitely comes a point where if you've only sailed in a keelboat and then jump on a dinghy and reach past 20 knots --you're going to get wet. Unfortunately I have no footage of the moment where it rained and lighting struck the bay behind me, about 1/2 of a mile back. I could feel the static of the electrical pulse! Followed by a really neat series of waves of which I surfed/slid down on --- that was actually my favorite part. I felt invinsible. Last half hour running downwind. No GoPro baterry. 😪
Great boat! Great Fun!
The questions are, did you learn anything? When are you going back?😂
I did, I started sailing a week later. I usually sail KEEL BOATS.... not sailboard. Keel Boats don't flip over. Gravity prevails. :)
what a great adventure! thanks for sharing
Wow, you got lucky on the second time you righted it. If it wasn't for the lines getting snagged on you that boat would have been sailing on its own and you would be swimming.
Treasure Geo that wasn’t a snag -that was my green lifeline attached to my wrist -something I learned from my surfing days -crazy part was that I decided to make that line -that very morning! Didn’t have it before!
Props for the dramatic footage and making it back.
Thank you!!
Loved this video. Sharing with my daughter because she gets it! :-D Great job!!!
(FYI: Tying a single handed cleat knot is very helpful.)
One of the best videos on youtube, but it made me sad when he died at the end.
Almost!!! :)
--"I gotta f***ing hoist this s**t"-- EPIC!
I was pretty nervous and the thought of dying did cross my mind. I usually never swear so much. :)
@@CarlosAguila Just a man, being a man, doing what men do: survival. (much respect from Mexico)
@@The1stGurehaundo Mil gracias campeón. Somos paisanos. :)
Enjoyed your video. Congratulations for getting yourself back in under your own steam. I've struggled to get boats back after suffering capsize after capsize, and as exhaustion sets in..it is no picnic. You did a good job of remaining calm and improvising to get back. If you took a proper turn around the block it may have helped you more hoisting the sail, ditto comments about the clove hitch, finishing wrapping the block properly and hiking out! Also wear gloves! The dagger board and the rudder can be paddles too- but you were right to stick to the sail power while you had it in some form or other. I am not a fan of your 'lifeline'...is it on your wrist watch???? Tie it to your BA or life-jacket or whatever you call it. You kept a good attitude and did a good job though.Thanks for the video.
You know, I'm like, researching sunfish so I can rent one for my birthday.
THIS ISN'T HELPING!
scary, but that looked like fun.
Not quite MacGyver, but definitely skill based save.
Rock on
Gotta go out an sail. It's all adventure.
People always go on abt tipping sunfishes, ive been sailing my neighbors 45yo sunfish for the last 4years and haven’t tipped it once,
Ive tipped lots of others boats ofc, but I’d certainly be scared to tip my sunfish especially since its so old 😂
great video! and i think i learned some too
Sometimes I can watch and laugh, but then I hear myself panting , am quickly reminded, and then totally stressed out. lol.
I also find the need to temper my fears in some conditions. You did well and we all appreciate learning from the experience! BestRoy
ty!!
Definitely a strong wind , not for the inexperienced. Sail was set to high on the mast for that wind ,too; you risk bending/breaking the mast. Untie/slide the halyard on the top spar further up until the clue rides about 6 inches above the deck when the sail is raised.
Let out your sheet when raising the sail .
Kudos to you though; that was some serious wind. Lots of fun when you get more experience.😎👍
I sailed nearly out of sight off the Beach at St Lucia on a heading toward to St Vincent with one of the Resort's Sunfish sailboats. I know this because once I finished beating my way out into the St. Vincent's Passage I looked back at the beach and the other Resort Sunfish on the beach was barely a Speck of the blue and yellow striped Sail. Then slowly came louder and louder the sound of a small boat outboard motor grinding its way towards me and in about a minute I looked under the shell and I saw the two Beach Boys but they were men... Manu and Clive, with Manu standing in the bow of the rigid bottom inflatable holding on to the bow strap and ass they bounced towards me Manu says in a big white grin..." okay ...okay ... you're pretty good sailor... You're okay right?" I said yeah sorry I got carried away I'm on my way in. It took me over an hour running before the wind. I figured I was five miles out and in over 2,000 feet of water. Check out the chart the same vintage passage between St Lucia and St Vincent's is the valley between two volcanic mountains reaches a depth of 4000 ft. The wife took pictures from the beach but it was necessary to point out in fine detail what the subject of the photo was
I watched this video for the first time today. If you are still alive, consider taking sailing lessons. Start first with knot tying and then learn how to lock down your line on a horn cleat.
Ha ha ha you're awesome. 1. I'm still alive. 2. Not sure that knot tying will help in NOT capsizing a sunfish in 25 knot winds. Part of the amazement of the video (highly edited) is to demonstrate that when you are exhausted and in panic mode you can't even clear or, let alone, think straight. When I watched the video to edit it, I was utterly amazed. Of course I know how to sail and of course I know at least a half a dozen knots. But after three capsizes and rushed with adrenaline, I couldn't remember my own name. I shook for at least 36 hours afterwards. That's the magic (to me) of this video.
Regarding your comment that the Sunfish is not intended to sail in winds 20+ knots....good advice for newer Sunfish sailors, but not quite true for the more experienced. Admittedly, anything over 18 knots is a handful. However, national and international competitions in Sunfish have been sailed in winds to the mid-20s with higher gusts, and the case of the Sunfish Worlds in Columbia (I think) a few years ago in 6-foot plus waves. That is not my idea of fun, but I am amazed by how many great Sunfish sailors there are who are capable of sailing all points of sail in those conditions. And, I just remembered a video showing the paddle with the mast technique. It is part of our yacht club's intro video. The paddling technique was used to get a boat back to shore in a near dead calm: ruclips.net/video/1IkgSclPCvk/видео.html
Also dont sit on the stern.
Use a clove hitch and tie your top spar off to where the tack of the sail is just inches from the deck, it will make the boat more controllable. Learn to make a jens rig.
Your halyard wont come undone if you learn a proper cleat hitch.
Use a milk jug tied to the top spar to keep from turtling
All you say is true, what I didn't know was happening was that I was taking on water (through the coaming screws). So, as I was finding it more and more difficult to head back home by tacking against wind AND current - I was poorly executing the tacks (tired) which then lent me to do incomplete ones-- kept the sail tucked in-- turtled. I think it happened 4 times yet I recorded only 3 of them. By the fourth one I was water logged. I have to look at my sail plan and post record. But the panic came when I accepted the harsh reality that I was going to have to sail downwind across the entire San Pablo Bay. Running with the wind and current---over an hour drive from where I lived. So, after scuttling and securing the boat to a marsh post near land. I made arrangements for pickup only after having survived the mile trek over protected marshland falling into sink holes. So fun.
one can add reef points on a sunfish sail (or a brailing line). I added two sets to mine, and run the halyard different - from a loop with parrel beads on the mast, to a pulley on the yard (where the halyard normally ties), up to the block on the top of the mast, then down.
Yeah, Imma have to look that up. All the points of sail are the same, obviously, windsurfing, but there are pulleys n' stuff involved.
I attached a air tight plastic jug to the top of my mast to prevent it from going mast down in the water
I've stored that info, thx.
Great idea!!
My mast floats. Why doesn't his? This keeps the boat from going turtle.
...just bought a sunfish. My first dinghy after sailing keel boats for the past several years. I think I'll stick to 5 knot days for a while.
incredible video, I need to do this, better performance at risk, calmed down and focused, brilliant attitude in this situation on this little sailboat. It's an old video, but a great lesson for me. but I'm would do something different on the first breaking sail. thanks for the lesson. greetinggs from brazil.
You have earned a good beer
That is a truly hardcore journey, thank you for posting this!
A freaking champ
I dont know if i could recover from the capsize
Id get e panic attack
ha ha thank you!!! I'll be honest there was definitely a good 15 minutes of massive panic. There was so much more in this 4+ hour journey than just the twenty minutes. Even a coast guard plane was sent to asses my situation (reported by a ferry that spotted me) I was already 50 yards of landfall when they swept over me. At one point I was so afraid I could not even feel the coldness of the water. A combo of panic and extreme adrenaline. it was not a flight or flight response--- it was Fight AND Flight response.
Impt thing is you never gave up, worked with the broken hardware you had, and kept righting the boat.
Kick the sails, right the boat, bail, reduce sail area, and keep on going.
I had a mast base snap off once. OOPSIE!
Used to sail one out of Marina del Rey California in the 70's want fun that was. Took it to Catalina Island and back 54 nautical miles in one day in 8 foot swells, now that is fun.
I loved this video and the commentary. Thanks for posting.
love the U-123...are you making a reference to U-Boat U-123 Captain Reinhard Hardegan?
Ja!! Meine Held!! Along with U-48 it was one of the most successful.
uboat.net Great site. hardly any of those guys made it back, they weren't whining like some of the little bitches on here.
Good what not to do instructional video. I believe your a lot more skilled than this.
That's correct. One thing to consider is that after the second or third capsize, the fatigue and panic start to get to you, regardless of your expertise. Turns out the hull did take on significant quantities of water (via the daggerboard slip) as I discovered later on in a calm lake--lending to easy capsize. The boat was restored (1974). The only part of the video that had a "to do" tip is having the leash/lifeline. That came in handy twice during the 4+ hour ride. Cheers.
@@CarlosAguila The water is cold there all the time, right? It sapped me of almost all of my energy in just a few minutes. Strength drops quickly. As much of a concern as righting the vessel, or in my case waterstarting. I was too weak to do it. In a bay though, that wuddnt no bay.
***STORYTIME*** I had a tiller break on me right before i entered open water LOL i dropped my sail and laid on my belly on the side of the cockpit (with the daggerboard in the cockpit) and one arm paddled to a nearby sandbar. My fam was there to tow the boat back (and me). Fun times. 13 foot sunfish. AND THEN my dad's 13ish foot sailboat (tub) towed the disabled sunfish back, where the daggerboard(now resting in the hole) fell down to its downward most position under the boat, which promptly caught a crab cage and dragged it on the sand(underwater). I jumped from my dad's sailboat back onto my sunfish and pulled the daggerboard out and back into the cockpit where i had it earlier; the crab cage was free. Then i leaped back onto my dad's boat (and almost slipped) where we continued the struggle of towing a small sailboat with another small sailboat. :D
That is crazy!.. Broken tiller.. I bet it snapped close to the rudder.
@@AguilaEmplumada yeah it did! Right at the mounting brackets. Me and my dad are building a new one right now. hopefully this won't break lol
My rudder had a crack too... and i filled it in with epoxy... it's the strongest point now. But yea I can see that hampering your experience. :) I'll taken the sunfish out to Lake Sonoma a few times... inspired to go out on the bay again. This time I'll seal the coaming and screws with water-tight sealant. so that when I do capsize, I won't take on water.
@@AguilaEmplumada yeah sunfishes have massive sails for their tiny frame, capsizing is for sure inevitable. Just make sure your always sitting on the side of the cockpit to control the tilting of the vessel with your own body weight, and you'll pick up some nice speed😀.
I'll catalog that, too. Thanks.
Y esta fría el agua???... 😒
Ese dia si, pero tenia el wetsuit puesto. Entonces no sufri mucho. :)
Wow,very bad situation, it gave me some useful info.
Don't mess around on the bay if you
Don't know what your doing ! Looks like spring time !!
It was in May. Yup