Help!!!!!

[tom lee]

It is normal for an AC to be swamped after a capsize, mine almost fills up to the gunwales.
to empty it, open the transom flaps and the bailers, sit back (the deck might be under water at this point), go on a reach and sail fast. lifting the centerboard half way and pulling the jib in tight helps counteracting the weather helm produced by the swamped boat and allows you to bear away. Most of the water should escape quite quickly the rest takes a bit longer.

hope this helps

Tom
N3258

[John Meadowcroft]

I think the answer may be in your original post.  "IT WAS GUSTY"

A single floor 12 will come up swamped and provided that there is enough wind it can be very quickly sailed dry (within 45 seconds) if there is enough wind by sailing on a reach and planing.  Tom's advice is very sound.  The technique is get helm and crew up on the high side as far aft as possible and go for it.  The hardest bit of water to shift is the first bit an it then gets easier and easier.  You have to go for it.  If there is not enough wind it can be very difficult to shift the water.  If there is not enough wind it will be difficult to shift the wind without a bucket.

Evidently the heavier that you are the lower the boat will float and the more wind you will need to be able to sail the boat dry.  You should have less problems with it nosediving though.  Weight should actually be useful - you can get the boat up easier and can use your strength to get it going to get the water out.

Double bottomed boats are excellent for recovering the light wind capsize that should not have happened.  In a lot of breeze they are much more of a handful as when you get the boat upright it is immediately ready to go and it can be difficult to be properly organised to avoid the multiple capsize.

Without pictures of the rig/sails (old and new) it is not possible to comment.  I think they are unlikely to be a problem - they come from a sailmaker who really does know the Class.

Hope this helps

John

[janeysailor12]

The "smart" answer would be Don't Capsise!  But we ALL do it.  And our AC does fill up to the gunwales too!  I agree with the previous advise.  Go onto a FAST...and I mean FAST reach.  Open the bailers and the transom flaps and BLAST!!!!!  Ours will empty in a matter of seconds as opposed to minutes in the right conditions...also blasting is fun!!

Jane

[Jimbo41]

Pete,
Similar experience had, but stick at it, 'cos these jots are really worth it. The only trouble with an AC is in a light breeze, when it gets more difficult to drain 'em out.

Cheers!

Jim.

[icecreamman]

Pete I think you have hit the nail on the head when you say that you were beating when trying to get the water out. I appreciate you did not fancy the ideas of sailing away from the club, but as Tom and John said previously, if you sit on the high side and bear away the boat will empty in seconds. In fact it will happen so quickly that you will think that it was almost instantaneous. Without the water in the boat she would have been loads easier to beat back towards your club.

Regarding the capsizes, the gusts and your weight differential may well have had something to do with the oscillations especially if you were on a broad reach or run.

[Roly Mo]

My AC Chapter was much improved, flotationally, by the addition of a very small buoyancy bag inside the transom.  Just displayed enough water to make the difference between unmanageable and manageable when recovering from a capsize.

RM

[hairy dog]