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SJ23 Safe Handling & Crew Weight.

This simple question prompted many answers I thought worthy of publishing in this Tech Tip since it affects safety and performance.

A1 - Officially the carrying capacity of an SJ23 is unknown because the boat doesn't have a capacity plate.  If it did I would have added it to Tech Tip H02.

Unofficially I've had two adults and three kids onboard while sailing.  The boat didn't sail very well since most of them preferred to sit in the aft end of the cockpit.  An SJ23 doesn't like having its aft end squatted in the water!  I got a tad nervous when a power boat went by and nearly swamped the cockpit with the wake.  Needless to say I returned the troop to shore soon after since I didn't want to answer questions to the kid's mothers!  This is also not a good reason to appear in a newspaper.  Its the one and only time I've had that many people on board while sailing.  Bob, SV Panache.
 

A2 - I had 2 adults (including me) and 3 kids on a brisk day and had to fish one out of the water.  An accumulation of bad decisions, as usual in incidents like that, but a total of 3 adults or 2+2 kids is all I want anymore.  Experience plays into it too (it helps if they know where to sit and that hold on means hold on and what to hold onto).  But in this incident the fault was all mine for not educating, communicating, planning, etc.  Fortunately the rescue went well and my nephew still talks to me!

Just be careful that people on the bow know what to hold onto.  That's where I've had trouble.  I definitely like people to experience the bow (nothing beats sitting up there while underway!), but when tacking, or worse, jibing in strong winds, the people on the deck need to know what to do.  Again, that's where I got into trouble.  Kids thought they were too tough to really hold on tight ahead of a jibe that flattened the boat pretty hard and we had a MOB.  But again, the responsibility lies with the skipper to have a safe outing.  It's not the kids' faults. Things sure happen fast when they go wrong.

One more thing, I'm sure many of you have noticed that it's also hard to control when the entire crew goes to the bow leaving the helmsman alone in the cockpit.  The bow can dig in hard, making it hard for the rudder to bite.  That can be uncomfortable too.  I hope this doesn't sound too preachy; I'm sure you are all better sailors than I.  Just sharing a few experiences!  Quinton
 

A3 - We don't like having more than three adults in the cockpit and prefer two adults.  It gets too hard to move around to tack and otherwise manoeuvre.  But we've comfortably sailed with four adults if one stays in the cabin talking to us through the companionway and/or one stays on deck, up by the mast.  I can't imagine either the discomfort nor the handling issues with four large adults in the cockpit.  Bill, SV Knotless II
 

A4 - We have always had a saying around here, "Darwin also works on weekends".  As we see the snow melting it is much more pleasant to think about gentle breezes, sailing my boat in lapping waves and ten fingers and toes on everyone at the end of a lovely sail.

About bows and passengers: I nearly choke every time I see passengers; usually small children, carelessly frolicking and jostling about on the bow of a powerboat, often without PFD's.  Imagining the outcome of a slip into the drink and about 20 feet aft is a "Vegematic" on the ass end of the boat waiting to sever femoral arteries or limbs, ending a lovely cruise.  Clark bought a boat company (made the predecessor of the SJ34) from a guy whose kid lost two lower extremities in a related mishap.  It has always given me pause to consider boat safety as a constant practice.  A SJ23 gives you 23' before the "Vegematic" kicks in.  Given that situation:

• Could a helmsperson respond in time? 

• How long does it take to hit NEUTRAL from the steering position? 

• You do not want people on the bow of a powered boat in motion, ESPECIALLY WHEN APPROACHING A LANDING?

There have been a few limbs and lives lost on the foiling boats in MOB's, so there is data to support this.  I have often expounded on my reasons for setting an anchor from the cockpit, rather than the bow.  This is another one.  I am a foredeck crew by trade.  Jeeze... it's really skinny, bouncy and slippery up there!   A soggy, less-than-able-to-help-themselves MOB is a real challenge to fish out of the water on a SJ23 with the relatively high climb over the rail.

I just hope my wife has both the skills and INCLINATION to return to pick me out of the drink when I fall in.  Hope everyone on board can wear the hat of every crew position on the boat.  Gleno
 

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