'The BayRaider is a two masted ketch and has the huge advantage over a single mast rig of allowing a quick and massive reduction of sail. Dropping the mainsail completely takes only moments, leaving her well balanced, very stable and able to tolerate virtually any weather - even making to windward under jib and mizzen alone'.
So the designer/builder of the Bayraider20 tells us on their website and when admiring her in the comfort and safety of boat shows etc.
We all nod sagely and agree. Yes, in theory such a huge reduction in sail will be a huge safety factor. But is she really as manageable with just a jib and mizzen as we are told, and very importantly in strong winds - by which I mean F7 plus gusting up to F9. Higher than the design spec of the RCD cat C (Wind speed upto F6, significant wave height of 2m), possibly the sort of conditions you may be unfortunate enough to be caught out in. There is only one way to find out..
The opportunity arose at Rutland Water on Monday 28 January 2013 to test Matt's confidence in his boat.
The weather was for a good F4-F5 SW, sunny, temp at 4-5 degrees C until about midday. The wind strength forecast then to increase through the day to an expected F9 (50 plus knots) later, with heavy rain.
After a deal of careful consideration Peter Cockerton and I decided we would rig his Bayraider (GRP) 'Joybells' with just Jib and Mizzen and launch with full ballast tanks.
We fully appreciated that we were taking a risk, but it was a considered risk. We were both confident in each other's sailing abilities and are fairly experienced in heavy weather in a Bayraider up to and over F6. Peter's boat is well founded and equipped. We both were wearing suitable heavy and cold weather clothing and life jackets.
We were able to slip into fairly sheltered water and the first test was to beat south into the main body of the lake. After the initial sorting out of the boat after slipping, we found that with the wind well forward of the starboard beam we were still able to make progress upwind. Clearing the lee of the land we were hit by the full force of the wind and we eased downwind slightly into a beam reach. We were happy that with our combined weight and that of the ballast there was little risk of capsize. Wave height was about a metre.
We quickly found the sail combination to be well balanced and we were making good progress fairly comfortably, to be honest, more comfortably than I had expected, to the extent we soon felt relaxed and fairly confident.
Allowing plenty of sea room - as we knew leeway would be considerable - we attempted to tack, and failed!
Try as we might she just wouldn't go through the wind, ending up in irons at each attempt.
As anticipated we were being blown downwind at some rate so we managed to gybe around without any drama to reach off away into open water.
Analysing what was going wrong with the tack we surmised, correctly it turned out, that the Mizzen was to blame.
We again headed up wind, alternatively pinching and bearing away with the gusts to maintain speed, we found that as claimed, it was possible to make progress up wind, even in these conditions (I estimated about an F7-8, gusts slightly higher, unfortunately our anemometer had failed). Time to try a tack again, bearing away to pick up speed we turned into the wind, this time we reckoned, by pulling the Mizzen windward as we went through the wind, the stern would be blown around, swivelling on the centreboard and pushing us through the wind. Success! She went about as easily as you could want.
To prove the theory we did it again, and again. Problem solved. We were happy that she could handle the wind conditions and safely tack, gybe and sail on all points quite happily with the reduced sail plan even in these very strong conditions.
Our confidence in the boat and and our somewhat bizarre enjoyment levels were high and we settled into taking advantage of the conditions and sailed confidently around the lake for the next few hours.
The lakes rescue RIB buzzed around us on a couple of occasions (we were the only ones out - again - needless to say!) but seeing we were ok he disappeared with a cheery wave.
As predicted the wind strength continued to build in the afternoon and it began to rain. We had proven our point - or rather Matt's point - and turned to head in. On final approach we furled all the sails and were blown down wind to the slip on bare poles!
Not an exercise to be undertaken lightly but I do not think we were being foolhardy. Nothing had been damaged, neither the boat or us.
You have to bear in mind that wave action was not as extreme as it could have been at sea, but it was a fair test I think, in any case it is unlikely that many Bayraider sailors would be in open sea in those conditions. And we were able to find shelter in the lee of trees that grow up to the shore line - where we stopped and rested for lunch! I probably wouldn't have done it at sea but certainly if the worst ever happened and I was stuck out I would feel a lot more confident in my own and the boats ability, that's why we thought to share it with other owners.
Andy Dingle BR20 'Psalter'
Pete Cockerton BR20 'Joybells'
Jonathon - I'm not sure if this should go in the Library area for others information or on the forum - please feel free to move it if you think fit. Andy