This weekend I was participating in a 225 mile (naut) race
that turned out more dramatically than expected.

Crew incl. skipper 6 (3 two-man teams).
Watch : 6h on deck 3h below starting at 15:00, 3 hours
after racestart.
Expected race time in average conditions 40-50 hours.

The weather forecast for the first 24 hours were 270-300
degrees 10-15 m/s.
235 boats were registered but 46 did not start, probably due
to the weather forecast.
17 boats finished the race.

Our start was at 12.00. The wind was 9-15 m/s 270-295
degrees.
The course for the first 30 miles (naut) was. ca 175
Main and Genoa. 1.reef in main when wind 270 reefing out
when
wind from 285 Wind increasing to average 13 m/s (10-17) Reef
in and out several times during first hour. Speed average
8.5 knots ( 9-10 over ground)
Spirit high. Doing well: 3. 4. or 5. in start and maybe
leading on handicap. Only 2 surfing boats were pulling away
a bit.
Squalls or small thunderstorms shifting with sunshine.

After the first hour the average wind seemed to increase to
16m/s (11-19) but the wind were staying in 285-300 so wee
kept
full main and genoa now doing 9 - 11 knots through the
water. Less current now. In some of the gusts we had to
slacken the genoa to be able to fall of to the course. The
main were as far out as it could come most off the time the
apparent wind being abaft the beam. The log showing 12
knots when going slightly under the course in the gusts.
The seastate were not worrying since the seas were from
maybe 40 degrees abaft the beam and we were only a few
miles off a windward shore and the current going south now
less than 1 knot.
The helm had to work the wheel but were able to control the
boat fairly well except for in the most powerful gusts were
we had to let out the genoa sheet.

2 hours out we were hit by a prolonged gust that were
slightly stronger the helm were still controlling the boat,
but slowly it luffed and the rudder couldn't turn the boat.
The genoa were let out and the rudder won the battle
and got the boat back on a low course.
But the sails were acting strange and I thought that the
genoa was let out way to much and the main looked strange
too as if the kicking strap (boom-vang ?) were loosened. But
before I reached any conclusion as to what was going on the
mast came down. Fairly slowly it seemed. It was broken
somewhere close to the upper spreaders and just above or at
the decklevel. The boom were in the air and some on almost
were hit when it came down over the companionway/cockpit.
Another crew were hanging in the slack leeward lifelines and
were pulled in by to others and nearly fell overboard on the
windward side instead.
Now everything seemed to happen slowly. The mast was in
the water at a angle of maybe 45 degrees held by the leeward
shrouds and grinding at the leeward rail the lover spreaders
being in a reasonable distance to the hull but with a
spreader pointing dangerously in the direction of the
hullside. And getting closer when the boat is rolling
(more violently without the mast)

We tried first to save the rig, but quickly gave up getting
the mast on board. Then gave up the mainsail. Tried to save
genoa, but gave up. We did loosen (and save) the boom and
vang from the mast while cutting the stays and shrouds (some
shrouds vere slack and were loosened by removing the splits)
A strange moment when looking at the mast rig and sails
disappear into the dark

We were relieved that there were no person damage, and we
could motor back to our homeport in less than one hour.

Boat: 34' Cruiser racer.
Length 10.23 m
Width 3.25 m
Draft 1.85 m
Displacement arround 4.5 - 5.0 ton (4.2 ton light I think)
Balast 1.950 kg
Masthead 2 spreader rig'. All shrouds in line with mast.
Adjustable babystay. Adjustable checkstays on genoa rail.
Mast-section: not slim.

--
Peter S/Y Anicula