Demasted in 24 kt Winds

DaveM

Charlabud #623
My son and I had our 14.2 out on Lake Grapevine, TX yesterday (4/22). Winds were sustained at about 12 to 18 kts; which is about as much as I can handle, but we were doing fine – hiked out. Spray everywhere. Beautiful.

We were homeward bound running a broad reach close to the north shore as the winds kicked up to 24 kts sustained. We were running out of lake so I gybed the boat on to a starboard tack. The boom came across hard. It was touch-and-go for a few seconds while we struggled to get on the new course and get everything under control, then BANG! The mast was down. The starboard shroud had sheered away about six inches up from the pin. The step was a contorted mass still pinned to the foot of the mast. The port side teak was smashed and split in half where the mast crashed down. We got the sails off the floating wreckage and lashed the mast and boom along the center line of the boat when a passing motor boater offered to tow us in.

When I got a chance to check my GPS record I saw we were doing 8.26 kts when we lost the mast.

My boat is an older Mod I and I believe the stays are original. So maybe they were overdue for a failure (they look pretty ratty). However, it was really hairy wind and we had just done a hard gybe, so maybe I just broke the boat!

As a novice sailor, I’m not sure where the failure really was…hardware or skipper! Any advice on gybing, big wind, and repairing a demasted Capri 14.2 would be greatly appreciated.
 
Dave, that was a pretty close call, I have this fear of the mast coming down on my head in a senario like this.

This is just my 2 cents worth but it's my guess that the cable was ready to go. I truly believe that a cable in good condition will rip the chainplate out before it reached breaking point!

You should not have any problem finding information on how to repair the damage and replace the standing rigging, it is well covered on this forum, just do a search and it should all come up.

Cheers :)
 
Big Wind dismasting

I can relate to what you saw on the lake that day. I was helping friends launch a Cat 25 in 25 sustained with gusts up to 40 knots. Reverse could not get the boat off the launch . We waded in and turned the boat into the wind by hand where he was able to power away forward. Several fishing boats swamped trying to get out of the water. I have had nothing but dread trying to jibe an "A" frame main sheet boat. I changed up the point on one boat to stop the misery. What i learner to do on ANY boat when sailing in 20 plus is to do a 180 tack to change course. You must practice this drill so you dont scare your crew, but it works for me. No violent slamming, only a noisu sail for a couple of seconds. Charley
 
I'm happy to hear no one was hurt, and it is nice to know that powerboaters will still lend a hand when someone needs it. I had 5 or 6 powerboaters stop on the lake when I had a Hobie 16 break a hull. The port hull folded and we had a pretty rough capsize, and ended up turtling the boat. We couldn't right the boat with 6' of the hull removed, but we did get towed in by a powerboat.

I have never liked to jibe a boat, it always seems a bit violent on the boat and I'm always scared of getting smacked by the boom. In high winds, I would try and avoid a jibe, unless you have not other options. At the speeds you were moving, everything gets a bit difficult.

CatalinaDirect.com might have replacement wires and a mast step.
 
I lost a shroud in moderate winds when I first got my Mod 2, a simple issue of age and wear. Mangled the mast step in the process. Catalina had the parts in stock and they were relatively cheap and easy to install.

I was tempted to re-attach the step in such a way that it would be stronger than before, but am glad that I did not. Better to have a mangled mast step than a mangled boat.
 
Gibing

Just a little note on gibing specially in high winds. as your boat heads directly down wind pull in on the main sheet so the boom is on the center line of the boat, as soon as the wind catches the other side of the sail start letting out the main sheet. It will keep you from getting that violent boom crossing.
 
Just a little note on gibing specially in high winds. as your boat heads directly down wind pull in on the main sheet so the boom is on the center line of the boat, as soon as the wind catches the other side of the sail start letting out the main sheet. It will keep you from getting that violent boom crossing.

I must agree, controlling the jibe is essential
 

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