Illawarra Speedsters (NSW, Australia) - 2014-04-19
Sailor 2 Second Peak (Kts)5 x 10 Second Average (Kts)1 Hour (Kts)Alpha Racing 500m (Kts)Nautical Mile (Kts)Distance Travelled (km)
Eckers
23.812(D)
21.161(D)
4.632(D)
0(D)
17.509(D)
14.301(D)
Mike
the new guy
MT
Liver
bushfire
TERRY
bj
Wilba
mdemol
jdemol
philip watts
Mudcrab
Ken
Pat
JuJu
Windsurfunstu
Chris
Matt R
youngy
Jetlag
Gerry
Witto
Big Z
Mexican Pete
TallPaul
Average
Eckers (12204km):
3631 days ago

What a miserable day in such beautiful conditions due to gear breakage!

Here we go:  (refer map below)

1.  Rig a 8.0 HSM GPS and 158l Freeformula and 58cm upright fin - head out with the NS14 fleet doing their state championships.  Great wind, thinking of going for a distance PB:

2.  Creak, Creak, Snap - mast snaps at the base of the ferrule

3.  Swim, Swim, trying to edge across the wind to hit the point to shorten the walk home

4.  Picked up by the IYC rescue boat supporting the NS14 races and kindly returned to base - thanks Fellas.  Found out they are in need of broke masts for bowsprits on some of the juniors boats so gladly donated my just increased pile of broken masts.

5.  De rig the 8.0, discovering the bottom batten is broken - bummer - no riggin up on an alternative mast.

6.  Ian turns up.  After much umming and ahing, I righ the 7.5 Gaastra Matrix and head back out with Ian hot on my heels.

7.  Wow - Ian's in the water and his sail is flying at a funny angle - Ian has snapped is mast too!

8.  Ian derigs in the water, I float around nearby, helping where I can.  When he's packed up and lying on the board, I dole out a tow-rope and tow him nealy all the way home.

9.  I now can't get the broken tip of the batten out of the batten pocket.  Without the gear breakage, it would have been an awesome afternoon. As it turned out, one of those days I should have stayed home with the kids.



Comments
Karl


NSW
Australia
3631 days ago

Hi,

 

what sort of mast did you break? I broke my HSM Hot Rod Big Wave 97% carbon 460cm mast last weekend at exactly the same spot you describe your mast breaking. The bottom half of the mast, at the base of the ferrul where the top mast slots onto the bottom mast. Pretty annoyed about it but I've spoken to a bloke on the Central Coast who might be able to fix it.