A sailboat that suffers a dismasting simply because one swage lets
go is not a worthy vessel. There should be at least two lower shrouds
per side to hold the mast if and when an upper shroud lets go. This
will allow the mast to survive provided the helmsman is on the ball
and takes action to head the boat up or off to save the mast.

Racers are more concerned with speed than safety and seamanlike
behavior. Racers are not real sailors.

CN

"Wally" wrote in message .uk...
"DSK" wrote in message newsk4md.30062

We're in the slow yacht class - "Salmon".

I noticed that you were very close to 2nd on corrected time, and well
ahead of the other Sonatas. Good sailing!

Of the other Sonatas, "So" always beats the rest of us (he won 6 out 6 races
at the National Championships a year or two ago - it's tough to beat the
best in the country!). Our placing against the others tends to vary. They're
all visiting boats from around the Forth - their moorings have been pulled
for the winter, so they're berthing at our marina and joining in our races
(which continue until late December). A little bit of one-design is good
fun!


Also a heck of a story about dismasting. Smart work getting the rig all
aboard & clear before starting the motor. It's a big hassle clearing
this sort of mess up without doing more damage as you go.

About the only collateral damage was having to cut the outhaul to free the
boom, and the top of the outboard getting scratched by a plate at the
masthead. Thinking back, I'm rather impressed with how well we dealt with
it - very businesslike.


One thing that may help diagnose the problem, get a good magnifying
glass and examine the end of the swage where you think the wire just
pulled out. This is a somewhat unusual failure mode AFAIK (I bet Oz1
would know more) but it can happen.

The swage was lost. They use a sort of T-fitting into a slot in the mast,
and it must have gone a-swimmin' when things fell over.


If you're going to re-use any of the
old standing rigging, it would be a good idea to check them all out
carefully.

Not my boat, but, assuming the rigging is all the same vintage, I'd change
the lot.


Does anybody at your club know how to do a dye penetrant test
on these things?

Don't know. If the rigging gets changed, I'd like to get a hold of the old
stuff and try it out.


BTW our local sailing club cancelled races this weekend because it was
drizzly, temps in the 50s ( ~14C), and blowing 20 ~ 25 knots. Wimps!

Girly wimps, more like!



--
Wally