Hi Howard. Our M15 is rigged with a reefing line run from the headsail to the cockpit (as well as a headsail downhaul). Just that doesn't solve all your problems, but it keeps you off the bow. You still have some minor details, like rigging sheets (pre-rigging these and tying the ends together would likely work) and eventually securing the headsail at the reef points (which you could heave-to and do), but it's a step in the right direction. That all being said, I'll quickly admit I've only done this at the dock. I find that reefing the main is sufficient for most of my sailing. If it's howling, I'll reef the main, douse the jib and run for home... t Tom Smith & Jane Van Winkle Sandpoint, Idaho M15-345, Chukar -----Original Message----- From: Howard Audsley [mailto:haudsley@tranquility.net] Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 5:03 AM To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: M_Boats: M 15 Knock Down The closest I've come to a situation like this is when sailing up a channel blanketed by the adjacent hills, only to come around a point and be surprised by an accelerated blast of wind off the point. It almost always happens when I'm flying too much sail for the conditions and way to much sail to handle the blast. Going from heeled 15 degrees to almost 30 and dipping the rail has always been a test of my pucker factor. At that point, the boat is fighting more than she is sailing. I doubt any of us would keep sailing until she went over in steady winds, but the sudden blast of wind would do it. So the lesson I've learned, since I almost always sail alone, is to err on the side of caution and reef early. For me, going forward alone to reef in too much wind is spooky. If someone has an easy way to do this, I'd like to hear it. When Thomas Howe owned the boat, he rigged her port hatch to lock down from the inside, so that is covered, but stuff on the cabin sole still flies around when she slams over. One thing I've not done in heavy winds, but may start, is to install the hatch boards, and lock down the hatch cover. That way, in a knockdown, you could get her righted or she would right herself before she could fill and sink. If not locked down, the hatch boards could simply float out of the "V" shaped opening. But as far as reefing, It's been my experience that in a blow, she sails just as well, if not better, when reefed down. Skipping over the whitecaps at 5+ knots and heeled 10 to 12 degrees is fun, whereas fighting to stay upright is not. Howard M17, #278 On 1/16/03 10:45 PM, "murray" <murray@sonic.net> wrote:
Hi All, Here is the information on the "knock down" I experienced in my M15 on August 26, 2002 (not Fall as I stated). 1. My hull number is 241. 2. I was close hauled on a port beat. 3. Two of us were on board. My crew of 1 was about 300+/- lb.. He said " I will go forward and prepare to lower the jib." While he was standing on the forward deck, the gust of wind hit, causing the boat to lurch over on a port heel. He lost his balance and grabbed the bow pulpit, but he was not able to hold himself onboard. I was sitting on the starboard stern rail with my hand on the tiller extension. The boat tipped over so rapidly on its port side, that it threw us both in the water. The seat locker on the starboard side of the cockpit suddenly opened, dumping its contents in the water which now had risen over the port gunwale and the port seat locker door flipped open and rested against the port gunwale. I believe the knock down without recovery was primarily caused by the weight and momentum of the crew falling on the on the forward deck which was caused by the sudden lurch to port, while he was grabbing the bow pulpit and teak rail on the port gunwale.. 4. While swimming in the water, I released the sheets, and my crew swam to the keel which was out of the water. The center board had retracted into the pocket keel, so he grabbed the keel and lifted himself out of the water. This caused the boat to right itself. I would definitely install hatches on the seat lockers and place all tools etc. in a waterproof floatable vinyl bag. I hope you find my experience instructive. If nothing else, I have learned that all crew must stay put until we are about to come about, then they may proceed forward to lower the jib. Murray.
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