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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Mast Failure under sail

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/18/2005 : 18:23:39

No one was hurt, but a Capri had her mast fold over at about a quarter of the way up during a race. Cripes, that will wake you up!
http://www.geocities.com/aero_hockey/

Rick

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 07/18/2005 : 18:38:14

Rick,

What (if anything) was attached to the mast at the point where it failed?

-- Leon Sisson

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 07/19/2005 : 09:33:12

Leon,

I don't know enough about the boat, just that they were trying to get a replacement mast and were trying to get some help finding one through the Capri 25 group on Yahoo. My understanding is that a new mast has been located.

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2005 : 09:48:12

Andy Spence who is the jib man on the boat in question posted this to the Capri group and gave me permission to use it here. Tought there might be some lessons to be learned.

Any Spence's post:

>OK. Here's the story on the Jalapeño dismasting. I'm the jib
> trimmer. Skip to the last three paragraphs for the gory bit.
>
> The forecast winds were in the 15-20 mph range at the start.
> Conditions were definitely going to be tough, but nothing we had
not
> been through before. We had a great crew of six, five of whom
> campaign the boat regularly.
>
> Pre-race we checked everything we could think of: the rigging
> including all 6 sets of clevis pins and ring-dings at the chain
> plates, every shackle, all the locking nuts on the shrouds, back
> stay, head stay, every line, even tested the throwable life
> preserver. Life jackets on, knives at the ready, radio on. You get
> the picture.
>
> The spinnaker was not a viable option. Our sails have hanks, so no
> chance of a peal to allow the 110% for the upwind. So we make a
> compromise: depowered 140% headsail and meat-on-the-rail hiking
hard
> for the upwind, and wing-on-wing with the spin-pole on the
> downwind.
>
> First upwind was a rough ride with the helm feathering into the
wind
> to depower. Uneventful mark rounding. Downwind went by in a flash,
> with a jibe of the main before a heavier gust arrived just in time
> to trim in to round the mark.
>
> The wind was now steadily increasing to 20-25. Not particularly
> gusty, just heavy. We made a few tacks without incident. During
> the final tack, our fordecker went to skirt the low-side, held
onto
> the shroud which was not as firm as expected! The mast snapped as
> you'll see from the photos. The top section of the mast went over
> the starboard side. The pressure of the water caused the stump of
> the mast, including the mast step to rip out of the deck.
> Fortunately nobody was hurt and we kept all of the gear on board.
We
> cleared our lines and motored back to the club.
>
> According to an eye-witness on the boat behind, the mast
> just "exploded". From on-board the top of the mast appeared float
> down before hitting the water. Sort of like slow motion I
> suppose.
>
> It appears that the upper shroud on the port side became detached
> from the chain plate. Possibly the ring-ding, that we had
> previously checked, worked loose or failed. The rest is history.
>

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2005 : 12:17:06

Something to note:

Deflecting a wire in midspan puts tremendous strain on the system. You've got an awesome amount of mechanical advantage out there.

When the crewmember grabbed the leeward shroud it very likely overloaded the already highly-loaded windward shroud fitting and there was a 'ping' followed by a 'bang'.

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johnsonp
Admiral

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USA
606 Posts

Response Posted - 07/28/2005 : 19:02:10

I was sailing the Striaght Of Georgia in 15 knots winds 4 foot swells and the port side lower stay came off(pin and wire ring were lost?)mast slamed back and forth, anyway my grandson said let's use the mast raising baby stays.........fast thinking kids ....temporary fix saved the mast ....headed back to port for repairs...bent tabernackle bolt and the stays all had to be adjusted.
I taped all the the fittings on the boat with rigging tape.

paulj

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 07/28/2005 : 21:49:29

a critical clevis should not be made off with a ring, cotter pins are the only safe way for high risk clevis like standing rigging.

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.