Hi folks. Can’t resist this subject, very much from an armchair perspective.
Adrian, coming from a windsurfing perpective I would imagine there is quite a merit in getting wind under the sails to right the boat from capsize…….continuing to try to right the boat with the mast to leeward and with the force of wind pushing the hull along the sails must act like loading a shovel……(I take Chris J’s point about releasing the kicker if possible). My brother has used this windsurfing waterstart technique with a hobie cat. I am not sure about its merits in a Wayfarer capsize and intend to remain a long way off finding out.
However the one useful idea that has not been mentioned here is using a drogue as a way of increasing the weight of the person righting the boat….(again this is what my brother does with his cat)….obviously very portable…..any comments??
PS With the regard to the Secumar I would recommend it as a streamline piece of kit that properly looked after is a very sensible and hopefully reliable piece of kit. Once inflated I would imagine most cruisers priorities might have changed to safety at any cost so the increased windage is counteracted by further reefing and a downwind destination.
cheers Dave