RE: SJ23 in heavy weather

["Chuck VandeWetering" <wwp62@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Doug,

My only SJ23 knockdown experience was similar to yours. I was about to
finish the Around San Juan Island Race, coming down San Juan channel headed
south and cutting across from Yellow Island to Friday Harbor with a
starboard wind but losing my wind as I approached San Juan Island and the
harbor because it was coming off San Juan Island. As I slowly rounded the
point to enter the harbor and cross the finish line (in my usual back of the
pack position) I was racing another boat and was not concentrating on the
source of the wind. It was roaring out of the harbor and hit me at about 40
knots. As I stood on the side of the cockpit trying to steer and dropping
the  150 jib, the mast dipped past 90 degrees but I didn't take any serious
water. It sure did help to clear out the arteries for a minute there though.
But more importantly the other guy won the race. 

Chuck Vande Wetering