[Rhodes22-list] Murphy's Law revisited

[Stephen Staum]

I would strongly recommend the mast raising system that Stan sells.  It 
costs $800 and is the best money I ever spent on my boat.  It takes all of 
the anxiety out of raising and lowering the mast & can be done easily by one 
person! Can even be done on the water!!

As far as I am concerned, this is an absolute necessity for anyone over 40 
years old who raises and lowers the mast by yourself.

Stephen Staum
'87 R22, Carol Lee
Needham, MA

-----Original Message----- 
From: Joe Camp
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 7:34 PM
To: Rhodes List
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Murphy's Law revisited

Hi All:

The events I am about to recount took place on the July 4th weekend.  I have 
waited a bit to put them down, partly because I was away from a reliable 
computer and partly because leaving them alone for a couple of weeks has 
allowed them to settle in my realization of the validity of Murphy's Law, an 
axiom with which I am all too familiar.  OK...

I moved my boat from NC to PA. I am now back in NC (a bit lonely in sailing 
terms).  And I have had time to digest the worst:  Never mind all of the 
details, but suffice it to say that, while stepping the mast down, it came 
crashing aft without warning and conked me in the head (a glancing blow, but 
still an ouch). Naturally, I tore out the step, and when the mast hit the 
pop top slide, it crushed a 6 inch hole in the grip-ridge (or whatever it's 
called, used to pull the slide up and back) along the aft edge.

Based on what I have read, the mast bracket will be a 1,2,3 fix.  Though I 
would still like to hear from anyone who has first hand experience with this 
repair.  The pop-top slider will be more difficult.  The ridge is hollow 
beneath the surface, and it is broken right through. I don't know if this is 
a "resin" sort of fix.  Is there something more substantial I can use to 
mold a repair thick enough to take the wear and tear this piece usually 
gets?

A long time sailboat friend once told me that owning a boat is a simple 
mater of waiting for crap to happen.   I have the rest of the season to do 
the repairs.  I also want to repair some scratches in the hull gelcoat. 
They are not deep, but through the paint. Are these something I can just 
paint over, or will I need gelcoat for them as well?  I can send out photos, 
but not till mid August, when I am back in the boat's neighborhood.  Thanks.

(the hapless)  Joe Camp
s/v John Dawson
__________________________________________________
To subscribe/unsubscribe go to 
http://www.rhodes22.org/mailman/listinfo/rhodes22-list

For the list Charter and help with using the mailing list and archives go to 
http://www.rhodes22.org/list
__________________________________________________