Do Light Schooners sink???
The gaff rig keeps the leverage of the sails low, so she normally stays on her feet without problems… but yes, you can capsize her. Expect to do so if you’re foolish enough to drive her into a southerly buster or equivalent, with all sail up and the sheets tied (speaking from experience). In a capsize, the wooden structure itself has some buoyancy, the buoyant wooden masts and gaffs prevent her from going right over, and with enough underdeck flotation she’ll normally sit high on her side without swamping. With the sheets loose and without too much wave, she’ll right herself even in knockdown conditions without the need for someone standing on the dagger board and similar dinghy-style tricks. And no, the drop-in masts do not drop-out in a capsize. If you’ve been mad and ended up totally swamped, you may have to remove the masts to get her to retrievable condition. Trailering: The all-up weight will vary depending on the timbers used. Flying Tadpole II is at the heavy end, a tropical
