This is largely subjective and different people steer better in different positions. You need to find a posture in which you can both comfortably grasp the wheel or tiller and also easily feel how the boat is moving under you. When steering in large waves, body position is particularly important. Even if you are not a naturally talented helmsperson, you can learn to do this with a bit of practice. The best helmspersons do exactly the same thing-they feel the boat under them as they steer and instinctively scull the waves, whether they are conscious of what they are doing or not. The best modern autopilots automatically scull waves as they steer a boat through heavy seas. Powering up the boat as it heads into the troughs in both cases increases control and speed, so you can more easily avoid obstacles and negotiate the next wave crest as it approaches. Sailing off the wind, it keeps the hull flatter as the wave crests approach, reduces torsional twist on the stern that can lead to a broach, and sets the boat up to potentially surf down the front of the wave. Sailing to windward this allows a boat to get over the top of each wave with less resistance and reduces the chance of it flying off crests and slamming down into troughs. The end result in both cases is the same: at the wave crest the boat is depowered, with the bow or stern closer to the eye of the wind heading down into the trough the apparent wind angle is increased and the boat is more powered up. As a wave crest approaches the stern of the boat, you should bear away a bit, and once the crest is past you should head up. Sailing off the wind, to achieve the same result, you need to reverse the pattern. When sailing over large waves at an angle, the fastest, smoothest course is not a straight line, but more of a scalloped horizontal course that matches the vertical shape of the seas. This attitude minimizes rolling, reduces the chance of a sail being backwinded, and makes it easier for the helmsperson to maintain control and steer around the breaking portions of waves. The safest way to transit large seas is by quartering them, sailing upwind or running off on a broad reach, with the boat running at an angle to the waves. Not only will the boat roll badly, but a following sea may throw the stern far enough off line to backwind a sail, which can in turn lead to a bad broach and perhaps a knockdown or a capsize. Sailing dead downwind in very large seas can also be a bad idea. Each passing wave may roll the boat badly, and the threat of a knockdown or capsize will increase as the seas grow larger. Once wave heights are equal to or exceed your boat’s beam, sailing on a beam reach becomes both less comfortable and less safe. For experienced sailors, helming a boat through heavy seas is exhilarating, one of the peak experiences in the sport, and is something to even look forward to. Knowing this, there are a few things we can do to prevent these emergencies.Some people are intimidated steering in big waves, but once you get the hang of things, it can actually be a lot of fun. Prevention of Boat Capsizing and Falls Overboard One of the good things is that these small boats usually stay afloat, giving the boaters who are now in the water something to hold onto for support.Ĭommon causes of falls overboard and boat capsizing include: being caught off guard by a wave or sharp turn when moving around in the boat, carrying too much weight in the boat or unevenly distributing weight in the boat and bad weather conditions. Capsizing occurs most often with small boats like canoes and sailboats. Let's start by learning more about these emergencies and their causes.Ī capsizing is when a boat overturns or is swamped with water. So the number one way you can be prepared for these potentially deadly emergencies is to always wear your lifejacket. Coast Guard, eighty-five percent of people who drown while boating are not wearing a lifejacket. Did you know that the major cause of fatalities in small boats is from drowning after a fall overboard or a capsizing? And according to the U.S.
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