For the last year or so, I have been contemplating a professional rig inspection. My boat, according to my purchase broker (and ascertained by the purchase surveyor) had new standing rigging installed in late 2004. Then the boat wasn't sailed but a few times until my purchase in 2007. But since then, maybe about 300 times out on the bay ... much of it in small craft advisory conditions.
My decision to actually open the wallet and order an inspection was made in mid April when my wife and I observed a boat motoring in from the Pacific dragging its mast and sail along side. (The skipper sent a letter about the day to Latitude 38 magazine which they published ... copied below.) This also was the same day as the Farallone Island race disaster.
Anyway, after a thorough 2.5 hours covering everything from the compression post at the keel to the fittings and condition of things at the top of the mast, the rigging pro declared that I am good to continue sailing! No issues that are a safety concern. All looks quite good actually.
The black round thingy at the top of the profurl furler that prevents the halyard from wrapping around the stay is a bit suspect but should be good for a while yet. And while not specifically flagged, I really should get at the inverted U-bolts that secure the split back-stays to the aft end of the hull (as discussed on this forum a few months ago). But otherwise, all the original 1980 fittings such as the gooseneck remain in seaworthy shape.
Good old boat!
A LESS TRAGIC ACCIDENT IN THE FARALLONES RACE
My crew for the Crewed Farallones Race — Jared Brockway, Rich Holden and Paul Martson — are saddened by the terrible loss of the sailors on Low Speed Chase. Our condolences to their families and friends.
We had a bit of trouble, too, but nowhere near as serious, and would like to share the experience with others. We were racing aboard my Corsair 37 Transit of Venus about eight miles outside the Gate when the carbon fiber mast failed catastrophically. According to the Lightship Buoy, which was a few miles in front of us, it was blowing 22 knots with 13-ft seas. We'd just put a reef in the main and were doing 10 to 11 knots to windward on starboard tack. It looked as though we might be able to lay Southeast Farallon on that tack, so were settling in for a nice sunny sail on the ocean. All of a sudden we heard the unmistakable crack of a carbon fiber mast failing.
The initial break was about four feet up the mast. After it landed on the port netting, it broke again about four feet farther up. I immediately checked to see that nobody was injured, and used my cockpit handheld VHF on 16 to call the Coast Guard to inform them about our situation. It seemed like only five minutes later that there were two Coast Guard 47-ft motor lifeboats roaring up to us. They know all about the Farallones Race, and were out there watching for problems.
With the rig hanging out to port on the starboard shroud and backstay, my crew and I assessed the situation. Cut the rig away? There were far too many high-tech lines to do it quickly. So Rich and Jared scrambled for lines to pull the rig up onto the port aka, while Paul and I got the engine running. Alas, we sucked our spinnaker into the prop, as it had fallen through the port netting when the mast landed on it. Paul cut it away and we got the Honda started.
As Jared was communicating with the Coast Guard, and Rich was finding more clever ways to secure the rig, we got underway back toward the Gate. Motoring slowly against an ebb, we continued to secure things. After 2.5 hours, we were back in what seemed like more-lovely-than-ever San Francisco Bay. It was fun to see all 10 of the 72-ft Clipper boats tack out under the Golden Gate bound for Panama. The mess they saw on our boat couldn't have been a good omen.
When we got to the dock in Oakland, Guy Stevens, my expert rigger, showed up to help us sort things out. I was happy enough to have made it safely back to port, but the entire crew must have had some additional adrenaline coursing through our veins, so Guy directed us in sorting out the mess. After several hours we were able to get the sails off, and the boom and mast onto the dock. I cannot thank all of them enough for their diligent, safe work.
Lessons learned? Unfortunately, we don't know why the mast failed, but we were sailing conservatively with a reef in and not in the process of a maneuver. It was good to have a handheld VHF near the cockpit because the masthead antenna for the main VHF went into the water. Having plenty of extra line around helped secure things. I keep a knife at the maststep, but that went into the drink during the dismasting. The cockpit knife and a good tool kit made up for its loss. Larger bolt cutters, even if we have only one stainless rigging line (forestay) to cut, would be nice.
The Coast Guard has seen it all, and seemed to always ask the right questions while standing by. They offered to tow us several times, but they left the decision to our crew. Then they were called away to Low Speed Chase.
Next up for Transit of Venus? The insurance settlement, a new rig and sails, some minor fiberglass repairs, and getting back sailing as soon as possible.
Rick Waltonsmith
Transit of Venus , Corsair 37
Saratoga
My decision to actually open the wallet and order an inspection was made in mid April when my wife and I observed a boat motoring in from the Pacific dragging its mast and sail along side. (The skipper sent a letter about the day to Latitude 38 magazine which they published ... copied below.) This also was the same day as the Farallone Island race disaster.
Anyway, after a thorough 2.5 hours covering everything from the compression post at the keel to the fittings and condition of things at the top of the mast, the rigging pro declared that I am good to continue sailing! No issues that are a safety concern. All looks quite good actually.
The black round thingy at the top of the profurl furler that prevents the halyard from wrapping around the stay is a bit suspect but should be good for a while yet. And while not specifically flagged, I really should get at the inverted U-bolts that secure the split back-stays to the aft end of the hull (as discussed on this forum a few months ago). But otherwise, all the original 1980 fittings such as the gooseneck remain in seaworthy shape.
Good old boat!
A LESS TRAGIC ACCIDENT IN THE FARALLONES RACE
My crew for the Crewed Farallones Race — Jared Brockway, Rich Holden and Paul Martson — are saddened by the terrible loss of the sailors on Low Speed Chase. Our condolences to their families and friends.
We had a bit of trouble, too, but nowhere near as serious, and would like to share the experience with others. We were racing aboard my Corsair 37 Transit of Venus about eight miles outside the Gate when the carbon fiber mast failed catastrophically. According to the Lightship Buoy, which was a few miles in front of us, it was blowing 22 knots with 13-ft seas. We'd just put a reef in the main and were doing 10 to 11 knots to windward on starboard tack. It looked as though we might be able to lay Southeast Farallon on that tack, so were settling in for a nice sunny sail on the ocean. All of a sudden we heard the unmistakable crack of a carbon fiber mast failing.
The initial break was about four feet up the mast. After it landed on the port netting, it broke again about four feet farther up. I immediately checked to see that nobody was injured, and used my cockpit handheld VHF on 16 to call the Coast Guard to inform them about our situation. It seemed like only five minutes later that there were two Coast Guard 47-ft motor lifeboats roaring up to us. They know all about the Farallones Race, and were out there watching for problems.
With the rig hanging out to port on the starboard shroud and backstay, my crew and I assessed the situation. Cut the rig away? There were far too many high-tech lines to do it quickly. So Rich and Jared scrambled for lines to pull the rig up onto the port aka, while Paul and I got the engine running. Alas, we sucked our spinnaker into the prop, as it had fallen through the port netting when the mast landed on it. Paul cut it away and we got the Honda started.
As Jared was communicating with the Coast Guard, and Rich was finding more clever ways to secure the rig, we got underway back toward the Gate. Motoring slowly against an ebb, we continued to secure things. After 2.5 hours, we were back in what seemed like more-lovely-than-ever San Francisco Bay. It was fun to see all 10 of the 72-ft Clipper boats tack out under the Golden Gate bound for Panama. The mess they saw on our boat couldn't have been a good omen.
When we got to the dock in Oakland, Guy Stevens, my expert rigger, showed up to help us sort things out. I was happy enough to have made it safely back to port, but the entire crew must have had some additional adrenaline coursing through our veins, so Guy directed us in sorting out the mess. After several hours we were able to get the sails off, and the boom and mast onto the dock. I cannot thank all of them enough for their diligent, safe work.
Lessons learned? Unfortunately, we don't know why the mast failed, but we were sailing conservatively with a reef in and not in the process of a maneuver. It was good to have a handheld VHF near the cockpit because the masthead antenna for the main VHF went into the water. Having plenty of extra line around helped secure things. I keep a knife at the maststep, but that went into the drink during the dismasting. The cockpit knife and a good tool kit made up for its loss. Larger bolt cutters, even if we have only one stainless rigging line (forestay) to cut, would be nice.
The Coast Guard has seen it all, and seemed to always ask the right questions while standing by. They offered to tow us several times, but they left the decision to our crew. Then they were called away to Low Speed Chase.
Next up for Transit of Venus? The insurance settlement, a new rig and sails, some minor fiberglass repairs, and getting back sailing as soon as possible.
Rick Waltonsmith
Transit of Venus , Corsair 37
Saratoga
