You're knocked-down - what's your plan of attack?

bigfishbigsea

bigfishbigsea

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You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

I've not been knocked down (yet) during my short sailing life. In trying to prepare my brain for when this might happen, I've been trying to think through the series of manoeuvres you'd do as part of your immediate reaction. Assuming you and your crew are already clipped on, I presume the first would be the let off the main sheet to minimise the water weight working on the main sail as the boat tries to right itself??
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

Been over quite a long way. Main thing is to hang on, don't get hurt by falling, let alone leave the boat. These were spinnaker broaches not proper knockdowns.
Maybe it would be best for the main to slow the righting of the boat? up to a point...
I don't wish to try this!
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

The boat'll come upright . . . the rest depends on the cause with varying priorities . . .

1. Recover people trailing in the water on the end of their bits of string (mending or stowing anyone who's broken)

2. Remove cause of knockdown (Excess sail?) or, if racing, re-set sail more effectively

3. Recover sheets, ropes, sails, dinghies, liferafts etc trailing in the water

4. Swear next time to tie the washboards down so they don't jump out

5. Pump

6. Find calmer water

7. Replace floorboards which you didn't screw down.

8. While you're at it, same with batteries

7. Clear galley contents off the ceiling, from under floorboards, from bunks etc etc

8. Re-stow cooker to its gimbals

A really good knockdown can occupy two people for five or six hours . . . and you'll still be wiping marmalade off the roof three days later, clearing cornflakes out of the limber holes . . . whatever. And rice swells when it's wet . . .
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

Some prior responses have some good thots. However, it is not at all guaranteed that the boat will right itself. That's why the RNLI spends millions on self-righting design - to survive knockdowns....

During many 'breaking wave action' knockdowns, the vessel is thrown sideways into the trough. That crashing action can and does smash in windows and has even smashed coachroofs loose. ( See 'Once is Enough' by Miles and Beryl Smeeton and 'Force 12 In The North Atlantic' by Sir Robin Knox-Johnson, in 'Heavy Weather Sailing' ). Those crews and others fought back, and they used materials to hand to block off the breaches.

Carrying some cheap medium-weight ply sheets, trimmed to fit under berth cushions, and already marked out with the shapes/sizes of windows, deck hatches, companionway washboards, locker covers, etc., that might need emergency covers is a time-honoured precaution - and quite cheap. For a smashed cabin window, a pair of oversized 'shapes' sawed from the ply, clamped inside and out by coachbolts and large washers - or 'strongback' timbers - is relatively easy and quick. Foredeck hatches, for example, are quite frequently torn loose. Often, they've been inadequately fitted in the first place.

See also the RORC Race programme handbook for some very good guidance on 'emergency preparations'. You don't have to be racing to need some of those ideas.... And don't imagine such breaking seas occur only in distant oceans.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

Take care before you release any sheets. Check first that the other crew are safely clear.
Some years ago on a racing half tonner we executed a classic Chinese gybe and fell over. The mainsheet was holding the mainsail up in the wind and preventing the boat from coming upright, so without thinking I released the mainsheet and track. The boom scythed round and SO nearly decapitated the two crew who had just struggled out of the water!
The surprising thing for most knockdown virgins is how high out of the water most modern cockpits are when the masthead is in the water. It can be a long way down to fall in! Hence short harness strops are advisable in the cockpit.
Just don't panic, there is normally time to sort things out in a measured manner, even if a change of underwear is needed later....
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

High five the crew, dump the mainsheet, and sheet back in when upright, power away grinning like loons!
Thats what we did when we put the masthead in the water when attempting to sail back onto the mooring in a F7 gusting more!

Obviously if anyone isn't holding on even after you shouting 'BIG GUST HOLD ON!' then you may need to tweak the method a bit!
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

Jim's about got the measure of it... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Your biggest challenge will be working out where the heck everything came from and how you put it back.... from floor boards, charts, tins of beans through to engine spares and spanners... it'll be everywhere!

You'll also discover the small sliver of wood wasn't enough to hold the battery in place, and that the tiny amount of diesel in the engine compartment does in fact cover an enormous area when everything is wet, and renders down below uninhabitable.... so you can't even go fishing for the battery that is now floating around somewhere......

As for the short term measures... only happened to me the once... and I was too busy hanging on to worry about what to do, and in the mean time the boat sorted herself out....
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

Do you suffer from total memory loss?
I can't remember...


Been swept sideways in big seas in a bilge keeler several times. (ok a Virgo Voyager). The beauty of this was the boat popped upright in the broken water. Been knocked over in a deep keeler once, and the same thing happened- except that the skipper was hanging onto the rail with the rest of him outboard.

I've found that trusting the boat to come upright by herself is the key. If she stays watertight, just hang on, and she'll right herself ok.

Never been rolled or pitch poled - this is undoubtedly a lot more scarey.
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

Think if the knock down is due to big breaking wave, then its important to keep the boat moving under control and get the eff out of the area. Dumping everything and bobbing about will inevitably leave you beam on for the next yin.
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

When I first started I was full of swagger and self confident pride in the obvious cat like reflex that i displayed subconciously being able to read a big gust, apply all my massive strength to the straining tiller and bring the ever increasing heel on the boat to a stop as she rounded up and became upright once more.... obviously a natural born Cape Horner.... then I learnt what a broach was... I am just glad boats are stronger and more reliable (so the wife says) than me!
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

P~ssing the night away
P~ssing the night away
He drinks a whisky drink
He drinks a vodka drink
He drinks a lager drink
 
Re: You\'re knocked-down - what\'s your plan of attack?

I just looked that up before opening the thread, tee hee.

<span style="color:blue"> I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down

(Pissing the night away, pissing the night away)
He drinks a Whiskey drink, he drinks a Vodka drink
He drinks a Lager drink, he drinks a Cider drink
He sings the songs that remind him of the good times
He sings the songs that remind him of the better times
(Oh Danny Boy, Danny Boy, Danny Boy)

I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down

(Pissing the night away, pissing the night away)
He drinks a Whiskey drink, he drinks a Vodka drink
He drinks a Lager drink, he drinks a Cider drink
He sings the songs that remind him of the good times
He sings the songs that remind him of the better times
(Don't cry for me, next door neighbour)

I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked, down but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing) but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing) but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing) but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing) but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)
I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)
</span>
 
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