Sudden Emergencies

Status
Not open for further replies.
Don Guillette

Don Guillette

.
May 17, 2004
2,111
Other Catalina 30 Tucson, AZ
Mates: This is a spin off of the "pre planning" discussion. Suppose your out on your little beauty this weekend, sailing along peacefully and enjoying a "tinny" and one of the port side shrouds break? Your saying that won't happen to me, well think again. What immediate action would you take to save your rig? Assume you have a split backstay and one side snaps? What action would you immediately take? The whole idea is to have a plan. Fortunately, your sitting in the comfort of your home reading this and my purpose is to get you to formulate a plan before it happens. To get you to develop a plan, just visualize the world of hurt you'd be in without one if one of those things happened. If it took you more than 10 seconds to explain what you would do, your too late!!
 
Seattle Scott

Seattle Scott

.
May 6, 2004
916
Hunter 37C Seattle
Well Seriously

I'd head up and go for the spin halyard to back up any standing except back stay. For that I would harden vang and/or mid boom sheet, and then before my tired main became a loft project, I would back up with spin halyard.
 
M

Mike

Drop sails and make repairs

I think I would turn so that the broken shroud was on the lee side, to put the strain on the intact side;s shrouds. I'd then roll up my furling gennoa, and drop the main. If I was close to my marina, I;d then take my spare jib halyard and use it as a spare shroud. I also carry my old forestay and sone small U bolt type cable clamps which could be used to fasj=hion a repair of the shroud. I probably would motor back to the marina.
 
K

Kevin

TwWwwang!

“Suppose your out on your little beauty this weekend, sailing along peacefully and enjoying a "tinny" and one of the port side shrouds break? Your saying that won't happen to me, well think again. What immediate action would you take to save your rig?” TACK! And hope I am fast enough before the whole thing comes down. I took a sailing class last year from Peter Damisch at Bluewater Sailing (Marina Del Rey) – he is one of the few IYT trainers on the west coast. He actually had this happen to him – felt that fast reaction and luck saved the rig. He felt that most of the time even an expert would have trouble saving it. “Assume you have a split backstay and one side snaps? What action would you immediately take?” Luff up to get the forward pressure off? Then get the sails down or furled? I think this would put one in deep doo-doo with a deck stepped mast – unless the shrouds could hold it for a few seconds. Oh – and no tinny until after sailing is done and tied to the hard. Or, for me, with the little guys and a drive home, none at all till home.
 
B

Bill O'Donovan

Tack and fix

I have lengths of cable on board to ubolt in place as sister shrouds, just in case. Back to the tinny, whatever that is.
 
G

Gary Wyngarden

Release the sheets immediately!

I would release the sheets to dramatically reduce the sail pressure on the rig, and then assess the situation. Tacking first could actually increase the stress on the inadequately supported mast depending on what point of sail you were on when the shroud broke. I would use a halyard as a jury rig to replace the broken shroud and limp home on the opposite tack or drop the sails entirely and motor home. Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust H37.5
 
Don Guillette

Don Guillette

.
May 17, 2004
2,111
Other Catalina 30 Tucson, AZ
Sudden Emergancies

Mates: I wonder how many sailors carry a good quality bolt cutter on board for emergancy use? Many years ago a dock neighbor of mine lost his mast. It was blowing like stink at the time and the sea condition was very, very choppy. The side of the boat was a mess from the banging of the spreaders plus he had cable all over the place. They tried cutting the rigging away with a hack saw but that was just a waste of time. He was afraid the rigging was going to punch a hole in the boat. I don't know if that could happen but the most important thing to him was he thought it would. He told me he'd have given $100 for bolt cutters. I thought about his comments and promptly went to Home Depot and bought one. If his situation happened to me I would not even think twice about it. I'd cut the whole thing away and let it sink. The insurance company is going to mess with you and nickel and dime you if you bring it back anyway. My dock neighbor was very lucky as it was just him, his wife and 12 year old son on board. Fortunately, there was a power boat near by with 3 couples on board who came to his rescue. I have a great deal of respect for the sea have been lucky to get out of a number of situations by the skin of my teeth but I know so many guys that have a devil may care attitude about it. Those types just scare the devil out of me.
 
G

Garry@S/V TASHTEGO

What's a Tinny

Just FYI to our antipodal brothers and sisters in OZ and NZ a tinny is a metal runabout.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top Bottom