On Sun, 9 Nov 2008 15:10:11 -0500, "Roger Long"
wrote:

"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote

It's very easy to figure out why it broke ten foot above deck. Wind the
damned sail up and that's where the clue and sheets end up. Any rocking
and rolling of the boat creates a stress point right there. Stainless
steel work hardens and crystallizes when bent back and forth.

This quite a plausible proposition on the face of it. I don't put much
tension on my sheets when stowing and this is probably a good reason to
continue that practice. I rely on either multiple rolls and/or a sail tie.

I've never heard of a headstay failure at this point though. Has anyone
else?

I also wrap the sheets multiple times around, but don't put much
tension on them. I always use a sail tie when leaving the boat. I made
it into a habit.

I think there must have been some pre-existing damage to that section
of the forestay. The new furler is a clue that something may have
happened to the forestay during installation. I really can't imagine
that a sound forestay would break from mere flexing unless it was MANY
years old - like past replacement time anyway.