We were on our way to Catalina on a one week trip for our anniversary. A beautiful day, with wind 10 knots gusting to 15. Not large seas but confused. A 2 foot wind chop , a short interval west 2 foot swell, and a long interval south 3 foot swell. These all stack up with irregular timing so with the gusts it was requiring a amount of concentration on the helm.
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We were making good time just off a full reach. The 165 jenny and the main set a little full are pushing us close to 7 knots, even with a full boat and the dinghy.
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A loud bang and the aft starboard lower turnbuckle shot up the mast. I started heading into the wind to relieve the pressure on the rig. The mate was starting the engine. The boat was just reaching dead into the wind and I put the engine in gear.... nothing. The engine just tached up, the transmission had not gone into gear. I retried shifting through reverse and neutral.... nothing. The boat has now gone past the point of being into the wind, the big 165 is backing and the main is starting to catch wind. Running through my mind was a funny clunk I heard when putting the transmission into reverse when we started the sail. The mate took over the helm and continued to work at the engine and transmission controls. I cast off the main and jenny. I roller furled the headsail but the main was still pressuring the mast. I heard the satisfying noise of the little diesel picking up the strain, the mate had got it to go into gear. The mate guided our compromised old girl into the wind. The main came down and was furled. I went on the foredeck and grabbed the spinnaker halyard, led it under the spreader and to a deck eye near the aft chainplate. I put as much tension on it as I could and tied it off. I plopped back onto the cockpit cushions, we were back under control. We had a discussion about our options. Heading back to the mainland was off the table because I had promised the mate dinner out for our anniversary. We were still about a hour out of the Isthmus, so I could effect repairs to the shroud and continue sailing or we could just power (uggh!) the rest of the way. Without sails to steady us the confused seas were rocking us gunnel to gunnel.
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We decided that assembling a repair would be miserable. We will power in.
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We grabbed a prime mooring, neglected all other duties, got in the dinghy, and headed ashore. We took Roxi for a mini walk. then stopped by the Harbor Reef to make dinner arrangements and have a drink to toast 46 years of marriage. It was still a little early for dinner so we headed over to the Civil War barracks ( Isthmus Yacht Club) for a longer walk.
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Had a great dinner. The crew at the Reef always takes good care of us. In the evenings they close the outside patio to dinning. They have made an exception for us for many years of anniversaries. Next morning when we took Roxi in we were greeted at the dock by a black-crowned night heron, he showed no fear.
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It is a beautiful morning. The only foot prints on the beach are our own.
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Time to dig in on the rigging task. I have a store of all the rigging supplies I might need. This should be a easy fix. A shackle on the chainplate. A second shackle connected to a heavy aluminum bar. A third shackle connecting the bar to a old turnbuckle. Finally a loop of the shroud made with cable clamps connected to the turnbuckle. I started in.
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I took a break to move some of the halyards around. As I reached for the starboard forward lower I got a surprise. Five feet up from the turnbuckle the shroud had stranded. Long corkscrews of shiny cable were hanging out. I had completely replaced these forward lowers about 5 years ago. The only rigging newer are the capshroud chainplates. Time to reassess. I met with the mate. The turnbuckle failure was undetectable, hidden by the adjustment nut, there was no way to see the condition. We have six of the same age and type turnbuckles in our rig. The forces when the turnbuckle failed were so great as to strand new cable when it took the load. We decided that I am not gong to continue the repair. I'll use the spinnaker pole topping lift to take the place of the lower and steady the mast. We will have to power home when we go. We are faced with a full standing rigging replacement.
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For now we will enjoy the rest of the trip. We snagged lunch at the Reef and headed out for Cat Harbor.
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The blue current runs about 4 knots out to the main part of the harbor. The wind pushes the water into the shallows and this current is the escape valve. It runs close to shore and is a little disorienting to see kelp and rockweed speeding out to sea.
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When we were headed back the clouds were forming unusual patterns.
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These turned into a magnificent sunset.
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