floatsome 0 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I figure there must be some stories on this subject out there. I would also say there are a few hardluck stories as well as good luck. I have been relatively lucky (touching wood) having only been on two boats to loose masts. One was Midnight Express in the early eighties and the other Starlight Express (one of the many) in Sydney in the nineties. I was lucky not to loose my mast on a Ross 40 when the forestay broke because we were going down wind at the time on race to Te Kouma. Seems to me there a fewer breaks than there was, myth or fact?? Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I blew a spruce one to bits at GT Barrier.Lost an intermediate shroud plate and the lower middle of the stick , about 15 or 20 ft ,blew to shards. Noisy. Link to post Share on other sites
203 0 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 have been on a boat when a alloy rig decided to give way noisy too... Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 It was pretty weird, I think we went from 7kts to 0 and a full circle before I figured out WTH had happened. Link to post Share on other sites
203 0 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 It was pretty weird, I think we went from 7kts to 0 and a full circle before I figured out WTH had happened. boats tend to do weird things when their missing something important Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 ain't that the truth. The other funny part of the story was I jury rigged it by socketing the top half into the bottom section and two boats lifted the rig in with their halyards, one either side. I needed it because we didn't have a motor. I then forgot the names of the helpful boats over 25 years . It took me over 2 years to realise that a mate had bought one of them ( in about 06 or so), and we'd been cruising up and down the coast together etc. I'd even done a Coastal classic on it before I worked it all out. Only spotted it when I was looking at some old pics. Link to post Share on other sites
Deep Purple 512 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I've had three significant ones. 1st was on my little 15' Caribou trailer yacht on Huntly Lake many years ago. Big squall with the kite up, boat planing, gasps of glory from the shore, then the whole lot over the bow. 2nd was on Snark (now Crowded House) in the 1997 Coastal Classic, brand new boat, first race, runner block let go and our race was over by Rangitoto Light. Still features in most CC footage. 3rd was on Sundreamer in a night race Nov 2000, middle of the gulf, just off close hauled, no idea what let go but the one month old kevlar sails we had on, that had just won the Coastal for multi's, went to the bottom with the rig never to be seen again. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Rocket Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Dropped one in Blackfun off Rangi. Bag up huge puff speedo off the dial then it all went quiet. I was quite excited cos the runner that failed was between my legs cos I was facing backwards calling the puffs. The block that exploded was by my head.... Only one I've ever been a party to dropping under sail in a keelboat! (though not really a keelboat as it didn't have a keel... Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Dropped a few rigs. None quite like Mr. R. in the RNI last year though. I described it on our blog http://www.mrrooseveltracing.com/roosevelt/blog.asp#postid123 Link to post Share on other sites
johnMi 2 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I've been very lucky with loosing masts, twice, I should have lost them. !st was many years ago on a Hartley Trailer sailor. While unfurling the main, instead of the furler unfurling the double ended screw unscrewed. I still can't understand how the mast stayed up, I think it was the main halyard going through the mast step that held it. 2nd time was when I was T-Boned, when the prod came out of the side of the Elliott 7 it caught on the outer side stay, and broke it. The mast was supported only by the inner sidestay. We were on Starboard and had to stay on starboard till we got to shore. We couldn't motor because the hose on the petrol tank fell through the hole that momentarily opened up between the hull and centrecase when the prod hit the centrecase. Luckily we could stay on that tack right to the trailer. Link to post Share on other sites
203 0 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 While unfurling the main, instead of the furler unfurling the double ended screw unscrewed. I still can't understand how the mast stayed up, I think it was the main halyard going through the mast step that held it. how does that work so there was no forestay or anything? strange... Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Aww this post brings back painful memories of a fiscal kind. Mast we talk about these things? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 now this sounds like my kinda thread Link to post Share on other sites
B00B00 310 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Yeah 7 in total.... The best ine was in the southern ocean on an open 60- 3000nm from nz, 1870nm from cape horn. Did the 1870nm in 10 days with a boom as a mast before getting towed into ushia after cape horn. Link to post Share on other sites
PaulR 3 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Yeah 7 in total....The best ine was in the southern ocean on an open 60- 3000nm from nz, 1870nm from cape horn. Did the 1870nm in 10 days with a boom as a mast before getting towed into ushia after cape horn. Yes BOOBOO qualifies for the "been there done that" certificate. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Midnight Oil - 11m in Tauranga. Masthead bag and it inverted. Supergroove. Hit the mud, knot in the m/h halyard, boat head to wind and kite filled out the stern Link to post Share on other sites
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