capsize when single handed

I would go over the gunnel from the side. I say this for two reasons. 1. That is what I have been shown and I have read. 2. If you go over the side, it is easier to pull down on the gunnel, reach over and grab a hiking strap, thwart or one of the sheets (main or jib) and use these to pull your body up on and over the gunnel. When you do this kick your legs vigorously to keep the bottom of your body as close to the water surface as possible.

Here is a suggestion. Take your Mirror out on a safe section of water, have a buddy handy in an other boat and practice capsizing. That way you can try both approaches you question and convince yourself which is the better.

Pete

Here's something i found on another website. I've done a similar setup, but to make the bowline 'stirup' easier to get my foot into I included a length of garden hose and tied it off on the hiking strap mount. I'll take some picts today and post up. Yet to have to use it but in theory it should do the job.

My rescue rope is a 1.5 metre length of 10mm rope. I've tied a bowline in one end as a stirrup. The other end is tied through the starboard transom drain hole so that the stirrup hangs about 20cm below the bottom of the boat. It lives out of the way on the stern tank until needed.

I have adjusted the height so that can I easily get my right foot in while in the water. Then keeping my weight as near to the centre as the rudder will allow, I sort of stand up and push down with my arms at the same time so that I flop over. I then wedge my blubber over the transom and reach for the thwart which I use to pull myself inelegantly in. There is absolutely no way in which I could get myself back into the boat without this loop. And I regard it as an essential piece of safety equipment and it forms part of my pre-flight checks.

Why is it tied to the right hand side of the transom? Well, I m right handed and it just seems more natural to use my kicking foot. The transom dips alarmingly when I flop over it enough to put the right hand drain hole under water. I did need to experiment with the length of the loop, which was something I did in waist deep water before having to do it for real.

I speak from recent experience.
Just after the scene at 10:40 ... 10:48 minutes in the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=xa2zNOLOpqY (in which you can just make out me running downwind before a rainsquall) the wind let up a bit and I decided to gybe to avoid some nets. Stupidly, I'd left the boar right up and the boom vang / Cunningham caught on the board as the sail came across and in the drink I went. It was the second capsize I've had in 26 years or so since I bought "Puffin".
We (of the "JollenFlottille") had practiced climbing back into our boats in warmer weather two years ago and I'd realized that my stern lines (looped into the drain holes) could be use as a "stirrup". If you climb aboard over the corner of the stern, it helps to drain the water out faster as your weight pushes the stern down. I judge that there must have been about 5 litres of water (my bucket size) in the cockpit after I was back aboard.
The irony was that after I'd been planing along running dead downwind in force 7 with just the mainsail set, then capsized and wet, the rainsquall left me and the wind dropped to almost nothing, leaving me to row the last km home.
But I agree with Pete, you should try this on a warm day with not too much wind in swimming-temperature water. A bit of wind helps if you can turn the bow of the boat into the wind before righting it. Once the wind gets under the sail, it lifts the mast and the boat is luffed, so there is less danger of it leaving you if you do lose your rope or other connection to the boat.

I normally have a length of rope through each drainhole when out on a messabout anyway. The normal purpose is to serve as mooring lines. The bit of garden hose is a brilliant enhancement as it makes it easier to get a foot into the loop! I shall copy that immediately. Have you patented it? Do I have to pay royalties?

Cheers,
Gernot H.

Yesterday early afternoon: 21° in the shade, none to light wind - first outing of the year with Puffin around three of our islands - Valentinswerder, Baumwerder and Maienwerder (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=de&geocode=&q=Maienwerder,...) - drifting, sailing, rowing and just enjoying the sunshine! Not many kms but a long time to chill out on the boat.

Was he the one who's administering a million US$s and desperately needs my bank account details to park the money and is willing to give me 10% ? ;-{)
I believe Interpol have given up trying to stop these guys and more recently similar e-mails have been drifting in from Asia and the GUS / Russian region.
Cheers,
Gernot

Is that a recent photo Symo?..... ;-)

http://www.tridentuk.com/sailing/Allen-Plastic-Rudder-Retaining-Clip-AL2...

Yes I had one break too, wonder if the plastic gets brittle over time or something. The new one's been fine for quite a while but I'd have much more confidence in a stainless one - good link! Only minor downside is I can't tell if the screw holes are in the same place.

I have a pulley tied to my centre thwart on my Osprey that has a rope with a loop through it.

The bitter end has a cam cleat so that I can adjust its length.

This way I can use it to get my weight to right my boat, and then shorten it to use it as a step up.

Its got me out of trouble several times.

To stop the boat turning turtle, I have a yellow mooring buoy that i tie to the spreader plate.

I think a plastic coke or milk bottle would be enough though.