Mirror capsize recovery.
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Technique
Forum Discription: 'How to' section for dinghy questions and answers
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12794
Printed Date: 25 Jun 25 at 9:25am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Mirror capsize recovery.
Posted By: 423zero
Subject: Mirror capsize recovery.
Date Posted: 15 Jul 17 at 7:01pm
|
Anyone got any tips for getting back in a Mirror ? Righting lines or such, foot loops etc, pictures would be nice. Boat is centre/aft main, using Laser fittings, block twisted and jammed mainsheet, big gust, all over. Easy to flip back upright, boat is high side for a little boat, big heave to get back in, don't know how small kids get back in ?
|
Replies:
Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 15 Jul 17 at 7:18pm
| I always got in over the back. Kids got scooped up when it comes upright. |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 16 Jul 17 at 12:43am
| Tried that, nothing inside boat to grab, from side you can reach hiking straps. |
Posted By: craiggo
Date Posted: 16 Jul 17 at 5:53pm
|
Crew lies in the water right up against daggerboard case. Helm climbs onto centreboard and pulls boat up. As it comes up helm steps over the gunwale and crew is already in the boat. ------------- OK 2129 RS200 411 |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 16 Jul 17 at 7:45pm
|
No crew, boat rigged for solo use. Tried that, board crackled alarmingly, would have broken. Found righting easy, it was getting in over that narrow edge I found difficult, recovering from broken ribs, still ache a bit, didn't want to rest my weight on it.
|
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 16 Jul 17 at 8:16pm
|
Change the mainsheet system to one that works and don't capsize again. I think in 16 years of ownership, Rupertson tipped it in twice, when about 12, and I never did, despite going out in very silly weather.
Otherwise, keep a small solid ladder with hooks to go over the gunwale clipped to the aft deck where you can reach it from the water. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 16 Jul 17 at 8:26pm
|
I am not very good with aft main, certainly would have been unable to sail with aft main in yesterdays wind. Block had actually come undone from boom, one of the screws had pulled out of wood (gone soft) and twisted turning block the wrong way round, have made a new boom today.
|
Posted By: piglet
Date Posted: 17 Jul 17 at 12:14pm
|
Can't you tip it towards you and push the gunwhale down, or does that just pull it over on top of you? I finally sussed out how to get back in the 300, got quite good at it saturday.
|
Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 18 Jul 17 at 9:04pm
| Broken ribs are the key here so you really don't want to pull yourself over anything. Boarding ladder sounds a good option. How about this for a silly idea. If you have an old rudder blade cut a foot hole in the bottom of it which you can then use as a step.....might work:) |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 18 Jul 17 at 9:12pm
|
That is a fascinating idea! Not sure what it would do for hydrodynamics, but worth a try. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: PeterG
Date Posted: 18 Jul 17 at 9:21pm
How about a winged rudder, not sure it's class legal or that a Mirror really needs one  but that might give you something to stand on.
------------- Peter Ex Cont 707 Ex Laser 189635 DY 59 |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 18 Jul 17 at 9:40pm
|
What do wings do on a rudder ? I know about appendages that stop air being drawn down blade, reducing efficiency.
|
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 18 Jul 17 at 11:43pm
|
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....... ------------- Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 19 Jul 17 at 6:41am
|
Thinking of it as an end plate to step on, rather than as a wing might be better, but making it strong enough to support a person could be tricky. Strong enough rudder fittings, too. Don't try it on an Aero... ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 19 Jul 17 at 7:36am
|
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. |
Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 20 Jul 17 at 7:53pm
| Mirrors always make me smile! |
Posted By: Matelot1
Date Posted: 31 Jul 17 at 1:08pm
|
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 |
Posted By: JohnW
Date Posted: 31 Jul 17 at 2:22pm
|
How about one of these: http://www.piratescave.co.uk/flushmount-watertight-emergency-safety-ladder.ir" rel="nofollow - https://www.piratescave.co.uk/flushmount-watertight-emergency-safety-ladder.ir I saw one on a river day boat recently.
|
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 31 Jul 17 at 8:58pm
|
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. |
Posted By: Matelot1
Date Posted: 04 Aug 17 at 12:31pm
|
Brilliant, I want one!
|