capsizing

[chris pearson]

OK, what is the best way to right a sailing canoe after capsizing? Do you try to right it and bail it out? Or, do you swim it to shore, uhg!

 

[Pernicious Atavist]

-Release your sheet(s) so the sail doesn't carry water. If need be, or possible, you may be forced to unstep the mast as a last resort.
-Right it. If it floats with the rails dry, try getting back in to bail. If it immerses when you're in it, get back out and bail until you can do it from inside. That has a lot to do with what your boat's made of, amount of flotation, etc.
--A point about flotation--it populates areas where water may otherwise be, so it helps the boat float higher when full of water. Flotation: good.
-Be prepared before you wet the wrong parts! See http://canoesailingmagazine.com/index.php/Issue-3/REEF-KNOTES.html and http://canoesailingmagazine.com/index.php/Issue-3/Wet-Exits-Wider-Boats.html
Hope that helps!

 

[Benson Gray]

Yes, you do usually right it as Ed mentioned previously. A good safety drill is to pick a hot day and deliberately tip it over near shore to see which recovery methods work best for you. The usual options are to: sail it to shore full of water, take everything down to paddle it back, bail it out, or some combination of these three. Another safety option is to get some of the big float bags like the play boaters use in white water and strap them inside for extra floatation until you are more comfortable sailing. The attached images below from the 1933 Old Town catalog confirms that you can sail it home with sponsons.

Benson