DSII stability

[phil]

OK I'm confused. I read many of the postings on the forum and it seems there are many dfferent opinions regarding the stability of the DSII. I read posts that talk about not doing this or that , not moving about, using ballast etc. Also i read many posts about how the DSII is inherently stable and not a problem. I intend to cruise in my boat,alone, with a little camping gear or on other occasions a cooler and a companion. Here's the question: how much attention should I pay to forcast wind speeds and wave conditions. Should I restrict my sailing to inland lakes or can I venture out into the gulf (barring thunderstormes or hurricanes)? I bought this boat for relaxation and don't really want to go sailing in a boat that requires constant vigilance and intrepidation. Any help will be appreciated.
thanks

[jpclowes]

Phil
That is kind of a hard question to answer. When comparing the DS to other centerboard boats of about the same size, apples to apples, it is very stable. However like any un-balasted boat, it will capsize in the right (wrong) conditions. I don't know if "constant vigilance and intrepidation" are what is required to sail it, but it does require pretty close attention. How much depends on your skill as a sailor, the combination of conditions (wind, waves,) the amount of sail area, and the amount of attention you pay to the actual sailing of the boat. I frequently single-hand my boat. Occasionally in winds up to 15-20 knots, but I have been doing it for a long time, and know my limits. I am also usually on an inland lake where if I do capsize, assistance and the shore are not far away. Of course, that is also the only kind of sailing available to me in this part of the country. I think I would be just fine sailing my DS anywhere on the coast I have sailed other boats.

[phil]

thanks for your insight. I guess trial and error are going to be the word of the day.

[GreenLake]

One big variable is also how steady your wind is. If you are sailing very close to (high) land, you can pick up eddies that will come at you from unexpected directions. I've had my scariest moments in such conditions.

[PG]

I moved up to the Daysailer from a Force 5 dinghy. On the one hand, the Daysailer seems a lot more stable, but I have been out in gusty conditions and if I hadn't been ready to release the main sheet in a hurry, I'd have taken on water or capsized. As someone explained to me recently, the Daysailer is a "large dinghy" because it has "no ballast, no head and you can't sleep on it (sober)". If you plan to sail alone, a tiller extension is a must. When it's really breezy and I'm sailing alone, I use just the mainsail and it seems to work fine. One last thought: once I had four people in the boat, and it handled very differently. It sat lower in the water and the 600-800 pounds on the rail meant it never really heeled very much at all.

[talbot]

Because the DS is an unballasted boat, its performance is necessarily going to vary a lot depending on the load and the ability of the crew to balance the craft. There are a lot of posts about heavy weather sailing on this forum to refer to. From these posts and my own experience, I'd say that in general:
-- The DS sails well with a reefed main. It's worth the investment if you want to sail in heavy weather. Performance with reefed main and jib is much, much better than with main or jib alone.
-- When Daysailors capsize or swamp, a stuck jib sheet is often involved. The boat has a strong weather helm and will usually round up under mainsail alone. The important thing is to have the jib sheet in hand at all times.
-- My personal guidelines for sailing on my own lake are:
Wind < 5mph: A good day for rowing.
Wind 5-7mph: Gentle sailing
Wind 8-12mph: Brisk sailing, some white caps, reefed main if alone.
Wind 13-18mph: Lots of whitecaps, reefed main with one crew.
Wind 20-24mph: Whitecaps and spray, reefed main and no jib if alone.
Wind 25-30mph: Generally too much for me. Maybe with an athletic crew of three. Around this wind speed you hear whistling in the shrouds. That's my signal to give serious consideration to cleaning the garage.