by dbk0630 » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:10 pm
So last week while competing in a race, single-handed with winds in the 15-20mph range, I tacked my DS2 toward the windward mark and the jib sheet snagged on the downhaul cleat (which was located about 6" below the boom on the mast). I was moving rather well and as I moved up to free the jib sheet, the bow dipped and next thing I knew I was standing on the side of CB trunk... and the boat went over. Although it replays in my mind in slow motion, at the time, it seemed to happen really fast. By the time I swam around to attempt to grab the cb while the boat was on it's side, it turtled. It is amazing how big the bottom of the boat looked from in the water.
Anyway, a wonderfully-kind powerboater stopped and asked if I needed help. I said yes... and he threw me a line... which I pulled across the turtled hull of the boat (just before the cb) and attached around the stay/shroud on starboard side of the boat. Due to a combination of things (including me attaching the line to the shroud, him probably accelerating too much, the mast head apparently caught in some mud at the bottom), when the boat rolled over and the mast started coming up just above the water line...we heard a couple of pops... and although the boat righted (with a lot of water in my cuddy cabin), the mast was off the boat and in the water. With the help of the powerboater's son, we laid the mast and boom and sails on the boat... I then got in the boat and he towed me back to my harbor.
A quick inspection showed that the chainplate for the stay on the starboard side had come off (the original SS bolts apparently broke... and the backer plate was gone), the starboard-stay and front fore-stay were bent, and the rivets attaching the top part of the mast to the mast hinge (aka tabernacle) had popped off. The good news was the mast was not broken or bent -- the bottom of the mast and the holes in that section that go into the mast hinge were fine, the hull was fine, and the rudder assembly was intact (the rudder did come off when I turtled but thanks to an additional line I tie to the top gudgeon from the stern cleat it stayed with the boat). I did lose some old tools and random things that I had in the cooler on the port seat but it wasn't anything I couldn't easily replace.
The next day, I contacted D&R and ordered a complete new set of stays (I got the upgraded ones with the full turnbuckles), new heavy duty spreader bars, and new backer plates for both the starboard and port chainplates. I also spoke with Rudy about reattaching the mast to the mast hinge. He suggested that since my hinge had a hole through the deck of the hinge (i.e., I could get at the inside of the hinge) that instead of using rivets that I should through-bolt using 10x24 SS bolts with locknuts (i.e., using offset needle-nose pliers to hold onto the locknut).
It took most of the day, but on Saturday I got everything re-assembled and adjusted this past Saturday; and on Sunday my son and I got the boat back in the water and joined in on a couple of races. It felt good to get everything put back together and install the new beefier, upgraded stays. It was also therapeutic to get back in the boat and sail it again (i.e, to get back on that damn horse!).
As a final part of my therapy, and to contribute to this forum which has helped me greatly since I got my boat, I wanted to share what I learned through my capsize adventure.
1. I should have uncleated the main before going forward to unfoul the jib line. I was in a race though... and have been able to unfoul my lines many time in the past... and it wasn't that far... bla, bla, bla...
2. I should go ahead and install buckles or eyestraps on the side of the hull (below the stays) or on the side of the cuddy cabin... which, as others have noted, I could have used to tie onto instead of the shroud. Alternatively, though it was have been hard to do because it was under water, I could/should have tried to free one of the haylards... which would have been better to tie on to instead of the stay.
3. I should have communicated better with the powerboater... and encouraged him to pull gently when righting it.
4. I should have upgraded my standing rigging a while ago... at the least, I should ahve changed out the through bolts for the side chainplates. Redoing the rivets would seem to be prudent as well.
Ok. I think I'm cured now. The important thing is I'm sailing again and all the wiser for the experience. Thanks for letting me vent.
Dave K.