KNOCKDOWN. Need an answer

[stevecal]

On Tuesday I was knocked down in the Vlicho storm. For the duration of the strong wind my boat,a Bavaria 32, which had rolled to stbd. lay with the toerail in the water.I kept on expecting it to weather-cock into wind and right itself then maybe get knocked down the other way.Did not happen. Others report being knocked down several times. I was anchored in 6m on 50m chain and dragged 500m. Can someone please explain why she stayed down.

 

[nimbusgb]

With her laid over and dragging the hook there was enough drag to keep her beam on but not enough to make her round up. Almost on her beam ends the centre of resistance must have been very different to normal. The centre of pressure must have been well forward. Mast and furled foresail?

???

Must have been bloody scary!

 

[silver-fox]

Here's my theory!

With the sails down most modern yachts weathercock stern to the wind because most of the windage is forward of the keel. Tethered by the bow your boat normally has no choice but to turn bows to the wind.

In the extreme conditions you found yourself in, your boat tried to weathercock stern to but was prevented by the anchor. Had the anchor held, then the behaviour you expected of yawing at anchor first on one tack and then the other would be expected. But your anchor dragged and it appears you ended up in some sort of equlibrium with the boat trying to weathercock stern to, but being partially restrained by a dragging anchor.

I must admit I have never heard of this happening before or experienced it myself.

On the other hand .............your keel could have fallen off

 

[lenseman]

. . . . On the other hand .............