Do you step on the boom when capsized, to get over the gunnel?

cskudder

cskudder

Active Member
In the video in this thread ( http://sailingforums.com/threads/experimental-transom-mounted-camera-steadycam-w-true-horizon.29689/ ) at 7 seconds, it sure looks like Don steps on the boom, to climb over the gunnel onto the daggerboard to right the boat.

Does anybody else do that? I'd be afraid of breaking to boom.

I've often climbed over the gunnel to get onto the daggerboard to right the boat without getting wet below the knees. But I always do that lickety-split fast before the boat gets to far over towards turning turtle, and wouldn't want to risk the boom by stepping on it.

But all that said, if lots of people have been stepping on the boom without breaking it to get over, it looks like it might be fast & easy, and you might be able to do it at some times where I haven't been able to climb over in my usual way.

thx
 
cskudder said:
In the video in this thread ( http://sailingforums.com/threads/experimental-transom-mounted-camera-steadycam-w-true-horizon.29689/ ) at 7 seconds, it sure looks like Don steps on the boom, to climb over the gunnel onto the daggerboard to right the boat.

Does anybody else do that? I'd be afraid of breaking to boom.

I've often climbed over the gunnel to get onto the daggerboard to right the boat without getting wet below the knees. But I always do that lickety-split fast before the boat gets to far over towards turning turtle, and wouldn't want to risk the boom by stepping on it.

But all that said, if lots of people have been stepping on the boom without breaking it to get over, it looks like it might be fast & easy, and you might be able to do it at some times where I haven't been able to climb over in my usual way.

thx
Click to expand...
While I haven't done that myself, it seems unlikely that the boom would be harmed. To put it into perspective, if you use a 15:1 purchase on the vang, 25 lbs. of pull on the vang loop handle will result in a force of 375 lbs. pull on the boom (although not normal to the axis of the boom - some where around 45 deg.). I've never tried to measure the pull force on my vang handle, but I suspect it takes over 50 lbs. of force to get the block to block setting with my 8:1 vang (450 lbs. pull on the vang tang).
 
Not I & I....
Up over the gunnel way before the sail gets wet, usually diving back in as soon as I get there..
Old boy said to me " it takes longer to fight & then right the boat, than it does to recognise its going and gunnel it early"
 
@Rob- thanks yup the math makes sense ... all the more-so if you step near the vang tang, that is where the reinforcement sleeve is.

@voodoo- makes all the sense in the world, gonna keep that in mind next time that point is fast approaching!

thx
 
First of all I am not advocating standing on the boom as a dry capsize recovery technique.
I saw a couple of other videos of people doing that and thought "that can't be right!". The
first time I did it was kind of by accident...

However, here are my thoughts (using what limited engineering skills I have). If you notice
when I step on the boom it barely moves downward in the water. Which I find curious since I
weigh 195lbs (86kg) you would think my weight would immediatly drive the clew end of the boom
directly under...but if you notice it doesn't. In fact it looks like the boom is being supported by
something (although nothing is cleated). When my wife saw the video she asked if was just practicing
in a couple inches of water.

So here is what I think is happening. When the boat is on it's side with the sail in the water
and slowly going under, that sinking is slowed by the upward pressure of the water under the ENTIRE
surface area of the sail. When I first stand on the boom my body weight is dispursed to either
ends of the boom. The tack end is attached by the gooseneck and that weight is dispursed up the
entire length of the mast (luff). While the clew end of the boom is supported by the clew strap
and dispursed up the entire lenght of the leech.

At this point my entire body weight is being briefly supported by BOTH the hull and the entire
surface area of the sail in the water. If you spread my entire 195lbs over this entire surface area
maybe only about 1/2 of my weight is on the boom. Consider also that when you vang "on" block-to-block
the enormous pressure that causes on both the boom, mast and Vang tang are enormous - compared to the
pressure about 1/2 my weight will cause by standing on it. (following Rob Hair's logic)

I think the weakest link in this scenario would be where the clew strap is attaching the clew end of
the sail to the boom - while supporting 1/2 the boom load. Since my clew strap has a plastic connector
I have to believe if something is going to break a plastic piece would go long before the aluminum
spars.

...I'll be the first one to let everyone know if I really FUBAR...
 
Tom Slingsby took a couple of steps on the boom moments after he won the gold in the Olympics. You can see the footage here at 47 minutes, 17 seconds. Don't know why YouTube won't allow me to do a time stamp right to that spot in the video.

- Andy
 
andyatos said:
Tom Slingsby took a couple of steps on the boom moments after he won the gold in the Olympics. You can see the footage here at 47 minutes, 17 seconds. Don't know why YouTube won't allow me to do a time stamp right to that spot in the video.

- Andy
Click to expand...
Nice find!
And, BTW, that's one of the most exciting Laser videos ever IMHO.
 
There is a method for using the cockpit wall as a ladder if you happen to fall into the water between the boom and hull. It saves a bit of time rather than swimming around the boat and then pulling yourself up on the dagger board.

Purposely stepping on the boom isn't a good idea simply because it could possibly deform the goosneck hole in the end of the boom. They get messed up after a couple of decades of typical use without some yahoo standing on it. The better question is why would you stand on it.

I agree that Slingsby match racing that dude from Cyprus is some of the best Laser footage. His lee bow tacks are beautiful. He also dominated here in Perth for the Worlds. Simply destroying the field.
 
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