    
OBSERVATIONS ON CAPSIZE EXERCISE
The exercise took place on Saturday
August 30th 2005, near Totleben island and was performed with a Gig
“Dignite”
Cox – Ivan Pugachev
Crew – 13 people + cox
The safety of the exercise was assured by other gig «Enchante» and motorboat
“Amur”
“Enchante” cox - Alexey Doubinine
“Amur” cox – Alexey
Weather conditions:
Wind west-north west Force 0-1
Waves 0,25-0,5 m coming from the same direction
The exercise was aimed to:
- find “doable” way to recover after capsize
- find a way to help such recovery from another gig
- give to the crewmembers the experience of recovering the
boat, pursue them do everything possible not to capsize
The gig was prepared for the exercise as follows:
- anchor removed
- buckets(bailers) attached with a rope
- all unnecessary items removed from the boat
- oars lashed to the thwarts as it is done under sail
The crew has rowed the gig to the open and deep enough water, shipped
and lash oars, put on standard life vests and make all sails.
The capsize was caused by the crew (14people) moved to the lee side upon
readiness of all other boats (another gig and motorboat).
The gig went over very easy. It was
expected that sails went touching the water will keep the boat lying
on the lee side with sails flat on a water surface (as it was in a real
experience) but it did not happened. When totally swamped the gig with
sails up turn 90 degrees against assumed wind direction until laid with
sails flat on the water. The reason of such behavior might be the attempt
of the crew to claim the windward side of the boat when she was going
over.
The crew then:
-
stabilize the boat by holding to the gunwale (must/sails up)
-
then upon cox's order they are counted themselves starting from
the bow: first, second and so on. We think this help the cox to
- make sure that all crew is present
- better understand crews status
-
the boat was positioned with it's bow into the wind
and waves by the crew swimming around pushing/pulling upon cox's
commands
-
at this point another boat was close to the swamped
one and arrange a line going from it's stern to swamped boat bow
-
the second boat then have made an attempt to help
to position the swamped boat into the wind and waves, by rowing against
the wind/waves gently, but swamped boat crew swimming was doing a
much better and gentle work and the line was kept “Just in case”
-
then the fore and main sails we taken down. It appeared
that it is easier to take the yard with the sail off the mast hook
instead the “regular” and proper lowering by slacking the halyards
-
when down, the sails were moved to the “rescue” gig
by crew keeping one hand on a “tow”-line and swimming
-
then the fore and main masts were lowered, which
was difficult to accomplish – the mast are heavy to be taken down
by two people plus the boat behaves unstable swamped and with two
people inside
-
the musts were also sent to “rescue” boat as well
all oars, floors, rudder, joke, tiller
-
while lowering main and fore mast the missen sail
was helping to keep the boat against the wind/waves. But later it
was also lowered and together with must/boomkin transferred to rescue
boat as well
Totally unloaded with a crew holding
to the gunwale the swamped boat was floating with the lower point of
the oar-port in midsection almost flash with a water. The bow and stern
(less) were well over the water surfac.
Then the actual recovery was started:
- at first, the crew have made a few attempts to remove the
water by quick side-to-side pushes, then by swamping the
stern and pushing the boat quickly forward. Both attempts
were unsuccessful
- then the people were send inside the boat to bail with
buckets while the rest of the crew was pushing against the
open oar-port to prevent the water from coming in
- after a few minutes it was understood that the every new
wave rolling from the bow brings much more water inside then
could be removed by two buckets. At the same time sending
more people inside with more buckets would not be efficient
as well – this would lower boat sides even more
- never the less the solution as found: two crew holding
a big flat piece of flooring was used it as a bulldozer bucket
to push water over the side. This way they manage to push
away enough water to raise the boat side level enough to
have a third person in a boat to start bailing with a bucket.
Bailers were changed every 10-20 second of bailing because
it was a very difficult job
- later on another two (forming total number of four) buckets
were taken from the rescue boat and the bailing continued
- by this time the crew spent in the water more then 30-35
minutes and start filling cold, so there were many volunteers
to bail with a buckets
It took about 15 minutes to totally
(up to dry racing state) bail the gig starting from the point when a
floors were used to remove\push water outside the gig.
The total time of exercise was 45 minute.
Lessons leaned:
- two buckets per boat is not enough
- plastic/metal bucket handles should be removed by rope to make
buckets more comfortable to bail
- the key to success recovery is to remove big amount of the water
from the boat very quick in order to raise the sides high enough
to keep water from coming in with every wave
- it is helps to keep the boat into the wind/waves. May be an anchor
could be used for this
- everything should be lashed to the boat tightly
- if the boat would be any heavier (personal backpacks, tents and
other gear) it would be almost impossible the recover. Additional
flotation near mid section would probably increase the chances to
recover
- if the waves\wind would be real it would be almost impossible
to recover
- even in a warm water (+20C) after half an hour people getting cold
- DO NOT CAPSIZE!!!!: teach the crew to respond to the hill of the
boat, distribute the body weight in a boat thoughtfully, take reefs,
keep experienced sailors on a sheets, look up for wind gusts, use
a rudder to come into the wind when gusting
Report completed by Misha Plekhanov
on Sept.28th 2005
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