Check those shrouds!

[dscribner]

A bit of advice. Last year, I split my shroud covers to make them fit better, you know how they split, hang off a little and look trashy. I was going to put a bit of rigging tape at each end to prevent this. Anyway . . . When I did, the wire s on one suddenly looked like Phyllis Diller's hair (young Phyllis, before all the, um, help). Of 17 wires (or whatever) there were 4 left. Not a great thing to find on the water. So, we didn't tack much on our way back. It was an inner shroud so I figured that we would be OK in light wind, but the winds were closer to 20 knots. SO, I dropped to main only and motor sailed back. Wait, no, we motor sailed and SURFED back. The waves were about 8' tall but had a period of about 100 feet. We also had to chase down the dinghy when I noticed it 1/4 mile off and heading for the rocks. The ring that the painter was tied to broke.

So, us trailer sailors put our rigging through punishment that the big boys don't. Our shrouds and stays get bending stresses right at the fittings, right were corrosion is worst. MY story could have ended with a dismasting, and probably would have it was an upper shroud.

Check your fittings often.

 

[Joe]

Get rid of the shroud covers! You don't need 'em to protect the sails if you keep the wire clean. You can't keep the wires clean and dry, nor can you easily inspect them with those idiotic plastic covers.

 

[Joe11688]

A bit of advice. Last year, I split my shroud covers to make them fit better, you know how they split, hang off a little and look trashy. I was going to put a bit of rigging tape at each end to prevent this. Anyway . . . When I did, the wire s on one suddenly looked like Phyllis Diller's hair (young Phyllis, before all the, um, help). Of 17 wires (or whatever) there were 4 left. Not a great thing to find on the water. So, we didn't tack much on our way back. It was an inner shroud so I figured that we would be OK in light wind, but the winds were closer to 20 knots. SO, I dropped to main only and motor sailed back. Wait, no, we motor sailed and SURFED back. The waves were about 8' tall but had a period of about 100 feet. We also had to chase down the dinghy when I noticed it 1/4 mile off and heading for the rocks. The ring that the painter was tied to broke.

So, us trailer sailors put our rigging through punishment that the big boys don't. Our shrouds and stays get bending stresses right at the fittings, right were corrosion is worst. MY story could have ended with a dismasting, and probably would have it was an upper shroud.

Check your fittings often.

You were smart to heed the warning when you saw the condition of that stay. I had a lower stay break on me years ago off Newport RI and it caused my mast to bend in half and go into the water. It happened so fast that I never saw it go. I heard a loud crack and when I looked at the top of my cabin, the mast was gone.
As for the spreader boots; I like them but I won't buy the ones made of rubber. They just aren't worth the money that they're getting for them today. What I did was make my own spreader boots out of leather. It's easy really. You just take a piece of thin cardboard or heavy paper and fold it in half. Then place it over the the end of the spreader and draw out the design on one side. Cut it out and transfer it to the leather. Punch out the holes and lace or sew them on to the spreader and wires. Wetting the leather will make it conform to the shape of the spreader. There are a lot of tricks to the trade and there are a lot of Youtubes on the web that demonstrate how to work with leather.
The spreader boot project got me started in leather work and I've been having a blast with it ever since. I'm building a stitching pony right now to hold the leather. Here's some of the stuff that I've made through the years. I made a knife sheath for a Nessmuck knife that I fashioned out of a store bought "Old Hickory" skinning knife and I also rebuilt a knife case that came with a large primitive Bowie knife, by turning the sheath inside out, adding buckskin fringe and resewing it back together. There's no limit to what you can do with leather on a boat. I made a chafe pad for my tiller to keep the ropes from digging into the wood when I tie the tiller off and leave the boat at the mooring or at anchor.
For me, leather work has become a new hobby and I intend on doing some work with fabrics like canvas and Sunbrella.
Joe

 

[jimmyb]

Don,
you crack me up man. when is your book of adventures coming out, i want an autographed copy!

Joe,
Nice do it yourself work! you ol' Yankee. I need a set of those.

jimmyb

 

[dscribner]

Joe,

Nice job. I'd bet with a little marketing, you could have a side business.

JimmyB,

Great to here from you. Should I tell you about the time that my starboard winch snapped it's pedestal in 25 knot winds and landed in my lap on the port side? Or, about the time that I looked up to witness my mainsail unzipping from the mast, every slug snapped? Maybe I could mention the time that I took my dad out a couple of miles in 15 knots when one of my motor clamps split like a banana. I barely caught it before it dropped 100 feet. Once I jury-rigged it I had to one hand it over the stern rail while being pounded by 4 foot waves with a very short period. Na! Maybe next time.

I'm not careless, I'm clueless.

Fair Winds to all!

 

[Joe11688]

Thanks Jimmy. Not bad work for an ole Portugee. Now is the time to get into a new hobby Jimmy.

dscribner,
I sure could use the extra money, but I'm kind of allergic to that word, "work."

Joe

 

[jimmyb]

Joe,

Nice job. I'd bet with a little marketing, you could have a side business.

JimmyB,

Great to here from you. Should I tell you about the time that my starboard winch snapped it's pedestal in 25 knot winds and landed in my lap on the port side? Or, about the time that I looked up to witness my mainsail unzipping from the mast, every slug snapped? Maybe I could mention the time that I took my dad out a couple of miles in 15 knots when one of my motor clamps split like a banana. I barely caught it before it dropped 100 feet. Once I jury-rigged it I had to one hand it over the stern rail while being pounded by 4 foot waves with a very short period. Na! Maybe next time.

I'm not careless, I'm clueless.

Fair Winds to all!

Don,
thats what Im talkin bout, you should put em all down on in a short story book and sell it as spoof on a how to sail manual. Like I said, im down for a copy. I should invite myself up for a sail> I havent had an adreanaline rush like that since I gave up motocross!. We would get along famously.

jimmyb