Mirror capsize recovery.

How about a winged rudder, not sure it's class legal or that a Mirror really needs one 

Edited by PeterG - 18 Jul 17 at 9:21pm

The fast boats use then to alter trim at high speed usually, I believe, to help prevent nose diving and the subsequent, almost inevitable, pitch poll.......

Think I will stick with short ladder.
Makes me smile 😊 never thought I would have such a laugh in a titchy little boat like this, actually look forward to sailing it.

Hi,

I don't weigh much and am not particularly strong so use / have fitted the following for recovery single handed :

1. If it's windy and I think I may capsize - a short length of three strand nylon rope with a spliced loop, the 'stirrup' held open with a length of plastic tubing put on before splicing. I tie this into my BA and to use it, tie it to a shroud from the water.I know others who have these permanently tied to either side of the thwart but you have to either reach in from the centreboard if you're lucky enough to be on it, or lob it over from the water and swim round - OK if you don't think the boat is about to invert...- obviously the lines need to be longer. Personally I would rather have something on me. The length of line needs to allow you to get a foot into the stirrup and give you enough purchase to use it like a ladder rung. And allow enough length to tie to the shroud (or other convenient fitting - some use rowlock sockets). If you can't splice, a bowline would work.

2. I also have a large loop of rope threaded through the holes in the transom, shortened by a double sliding knot arrangement. You can pull a long loop down from outside the boat to either side of the rudder, and get a foot in that. The down side is, entering from the transom you may turn the boat off the wind and off it goes in some conditions, hopefully with you still attached so hang on!

3. I haven't yet, but intend to fit righting lines , which again you could tie in a loop at the appropriate point (not a slip loop in this instance that could go horribly wrong) to help you into the boat.

The ladder arrangement sounds good to me too....I think I might fit that in the future.

You could also try the dunking method... force yourself underwater and your buoyancy aid will force you up like a cork, giving you a bit of momentum. This works best when sailing with a crew and someone else does it to you even as far as pushing your head under water - you come up like a rocket...it makes you temporarily easier to pull in.

Small kids get back in because one will have got in from the centreboard via a dry capsize(or be fit and light enough to leap up) and they will scoop the other one into the boat as the boat comes up.

It's worth experimenting on a calm day if you can moor the boat to a mooring buoy (but make sure the tide doesn't carry you away from the boat, so preferably when other people are around and aware what you are doing). Then you can just keep flipping the boat, experimenting with line length etc until you have something that works for you. It can be tiring, so don't push it all in one session if it doesn't work on the first few attempts.

If anyone has better methods, I'd be pleased to try out others...always good to have multiple plans!

Enjoy your Mirror, great little boats!
Matelot

Lot easier getting back on a Sprint, only a couple of inches above water.
Going to try a loop of rope through drain holes, pull it into cockpit with a bungee to keep it tidy.