Yep... dismasting... my typo. Oh well.

"The Captains Master" wrote in message
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First its a dismasting where I come from.


As I said, that's what I would fault him for.

No handheld is a blunder at todays prices.

I don't think they sat in the cabin. My impression was that he
got the helmsman out of harms way until he could assess the
situation.

You've got a good point about cutting it loose immediately,
however. I guess it felt somewhat stable but it would be hard
to tell. I'll pass along the insight.

Getting a mast of 30' back onboard is almost impossible and dangerous.
Getting clear of it is really important ASAP. Sitting in the cabin is
just not on!
In deep water, cut it loose ASAP, you'll note that the stick was
vertical not long after it went over the side, it could easily have
slipped down a little and started punching holes in the hull.
In shallow, you might think of a line and bouy tied to it for later
recovery, usually not worth the effort as most sticks when the fall
break in a few places as they come down and destroy the sails in the
process.

Pretty sure this happened.

Make absolutely positively that there are no trailing lines before you
put the motor in gear. They are easily overlooked in the confusion and
may even be under the boat as it drifted onto them.

I've salvaged brand new virtually undamaged sails from a 35' mast in
reasonably calm waters with only a crushed finger to show for it. The
mast was dumped. I don't think I'd try it again.

As far as I could tell from the last time I had the boat out, the rigging
was right on.

Prevention is the rule but you can't guarantee even that will work.
One of the biggest causes of failed mast and rigging in cruisers is
slack rigging. It's gotta be tight to stop the impact loads in chop.
They nearly always fall down in chop.


Oz1...of the 3 twins.
I welcome you to crackerbox palace,We've been expecting you.