1- The leeward shroud broke, not the windward one. We could have lost the mast.
2 - The conditions were calm with flat seas and a full moon, so we could figure out what broke and react quickly.
3 - The moon was bright so we could see.
4 - We have an oversized mast designed to be extra strong because we were crossing oceans with our kids onboard.
5 - It happened at midnight and we are used to bad things at midnight!!
So, we are motoring along with over 100 miles to go to Hemingway Marina near Havana. The conditions have only improved with flat seas and wind now down to 5 knots in the lee of the island.
We have nothing but time on our hands now until we arrive. So, it's a contest! To all of my sailing friends. Design and describe the best jury rig repair for us to install once we arrive at the marina. I have ton's of spectra/vectran line onboard. Lot's of extra blocks, etc. What should I do??
Leave a comment with your suggestion here on the blog and we'll announce the winner and send pictures of the repair tomorrow!!!
thanks,
-Jim
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Diagonal on leeward side can fail from fatigue and break while
ReplyDeletewhipping around. You are fortunate it is on leeward side.
Find a calm spot near shore (hear the coast there is beautiful),
climb up, and take a strong line with Kevlar core or similar (spare
jib halyard should do). Tie a rolling hitch to the inboard end of 2nd
spreader and lead through a strop at outboard end of 1st spreader and
then to turning block on the deck. Then from the deck back to a winch.
Cheating???
G