[Rhodes22-list] Sacrificial Toothpicks

[Michael Hellyar]

Thanks Ben. Might surprise you to know the 70 to 80 mph Sandy winds and five days of nonstop rain ripped Northeast Ohio and my genoa. Many sailboats were sunk along the shores of Lake Erie. But to your point. I just wrote Stan and my conclusion was as you stated that the issue is the unique non-sailing risk of error with the DIY mast raising.  Take your experience. If the mast had been through bolted would it have changed the outcome ? No. It only matters if the mast comes down in an uncontrollable manner as when a DIY mast raising without help or experience.

I hope you are back on the water again.

Mike Hellyar
sent from my iPad

On Jun 21, 2013, at 12:58 PM, Ben Cittadino <bencittadino at gmail.com> wrote:

> Michael;
> 
> One more "sea story":
> 
> As "Sandy" bore down upon the Jersey Shore my Rhodes 22 "Susan Kay" was
> safely up on jack stands in the yard of the Carriage House Marina in Sea
> Bright. Sea Bright is a narrow strip of low land located between the ocean
> and the Shrewsbury River. The storm surge from the ocean side flooded the
> entire town. Sea Bright was among the worst hit. The first floor of every
> building was flooded and many were brought down completely. The surge
> plucked my boat off its jacks (did I mention the standing rigging was up
> with the sail neatly furled inside the standing mainmast) and she went
> sailing by herself around Sea Bright, grounding herself safely against a
> fence in somebody's front yard about four blocks from the marina as the
> surge receded. She was dry inside, upright, and not a single stay was
> damaged. The mast was upright and just fine, with the mainsail still furled
> neatly inside. She has afew dings and scrapes, and the railings will all
> have to be replaced (they are all bent from her playing "bumper boats" and
> "bumper house" and "bumper who-knows-what-else). She's being repaired as we
> speak (line has been pretty long into the shop), but she will sail this
> summer.
> 
> In conclusion, don't worry about the seating of the mast. It ain't goin'
> anywhere, unless you do it while raising it.
> 
> Ben C. 
> 
> 
> 
> -----
> BenC
> S/V Susan Kay (Rhodes22 '93 recycled '08)
> Highlands, NJ (Homeport)
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