Dismasted at sea in the Bahamas, now what

[boat driver]

Originally Posted by SV_Lusca

Thanks for all your support and suggestions. Most seems to suggest to head back to FL. Our insurance just told us that the mast isn’t covered because it is over 20 years old. We will be looking for used parts, wonder if the French islands would have any?

Dave
SV Lusca

For the rest of the readers-review your insurance. ask the broker your questions and get any policy answers in writing. A twenty year old mast is not covered? how unfortunate. check engines as well. with the pollution controls issues- new for old will be the insurance one wants. three cases of 15 year old tier 1 engines replaced this past month due to unavailable parts-
just suggesting.

Find a good anchorage, have a drink, and start calling for a new mast. The location of the new used mast will be your next stop.

[Aquadome]

Good luck heading back to FL. You have 100% made the correct decision. While not exactly in your situation I have all major parts and service done in FL.

[Observation]

I had my mast repaired at CJs welding in Marsh Harbour after Damage done by Hurricane Dorian. They have masts there in the boat yard might be worth calling them and seeing if they have any lieing around your size Lots of parts and rigging there as well. They charged me $4000 to sleeve and weld and was like new after.

[CaptainGeo]

Ouch...... I would head back to Port Salerno or Stuart or perhaps Indiantown rather than expensive Ft Lauderdale....... just sayin

[rick bertram]

I agree with others that this area should have plenty of parts available due to past storms that hav destroyed boats. Don’t give up the journey this is just an unfortunate chapter. Look around, find a rigger and keep sailing.

[Sidney777]

A thought.. https://www.sailboat-cruising.com/ya...-trinidad.html

[Paulywog]

Originally Posted by SV_Lusca

Hi guys, our mast came down yesterday, (Beneteau 36cc 1997) about 3nm off the shore of Mayaguana Island in the Bahamas.

We are now safely at anchor at Abrahams bay. Luckily no damage to the hull (but one of our cats wasn’t so lucky) he was sleeping in the cockpit and I guess jumped in panic and we never saw him again.

I was able to cut the lines and rigging to free the mast from the boat before it damaged the hull. Calm sea’s, 10 to 16 knots of wind. No idea what let go.

But for now the most important part, whats next. We are trying to decide if we should motor back to Florida or continue our way down to T&C or another country further south to try and get another mast.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

We are Canadians and left Lake Champlain last September for an undetermined amount of time. But now our trip will probably end sooner than anticipated.

Dave
SV Lusca

Hi guys.
So sorry to hear this fluke and in great winds. My call is South Florida for repairs. I’ve been thinking of a rig inspection and now will schedule one in Ft Lauderdale- Lake Worth area (appreciate recommendations of a Riggor for an Amel Maramu)
Wishing you the best luck as we head up to Lake Champlain. Cheers. SV O’Magog Martin & Michelle

[SailorKris]

The other advantage of Florida is its home to US Spars which supplies masts to Beneteau. Used is good. New and built for boat best for continued trip. Best of luck.

[Sidney777]

Mack sails

[Paulywog]

Excellent recap and options Tim.
Having just come up from Grenada via St. Martin and Turks, I would not want to think about motoring all that distance in those waters to go to PR or beyond. That is the main reason for heading a few hundred NM to south Florida.
This Forum can have great experience to leverage.
Hope someone can recommend a good riggor for an inspection in Lake Worth area after reading SV Lusca's de-masted disaster.
Cheers

QUOTE=contrail;3596761]I haven't had time to read the whole thread, so maybe a good solution has presented itself. If not, and coming from one who actually HAS replaced a mast in the Caribbean, as opposed to just hearing about it, I would say:


1) First, I would check carefully with the insurer. Often there is a residual value, after all depreciation has been taken, and it may well be 20%. That is worth fighting for, so I would get serious about that and really read your policy.


2) There is technical assistance as good as there is in Florida in a number of islands. Specifically, this would include Puerto Rico, the BVI, and St. Maarten, and, maybe the USVI, although they are not that well set up for this. I replaced my mast in the BVI.


3) I doubt if it will be cheaper in Ft. Lauderdale, although it might be, elsewhere. And, none of the places I mentioned is going to charge an exhorbitant duty. There will be some, in the BVI. The USVI will charge for a mast not built in the US, and they will ask for proof. I have had to pay for Trojan batteries there, which were made in Mexico.



4) The big problem is shipping. Your mast is over 40 feet, so it will be shipped in two parts and then spliced (quite routine) unless it goes deck cargo, which might be pretty vulnerable. Check shipping schedules.


5) In the PR, USVI, BVI, St. Maarten area, don't expect to find a pile of used masts. They were almost all used after Irma, so you are probably talking about a new one. I have no idea about the Bahamas, so can't comment, but don't be surprised if there aren't many. In hurricanes, masts are very vulnerable to damage, and are one of the more costly things to replace, but, as I said, I have no personal knowledge, regarding the Bahamas. As has been said, you might well find one in the US.


6)With regard to heading back to the US, or continuing on East, the worst aspect of going East is not that you will be motoring; you would probably be mostly doing that, anyway. But a lot of a monohull's stability is provided by the inertia of the mast. When dismasted, a boat is way more rolly, sometimes to the point of abandonment. So, take more than the usual care with weather, and really avoid periods when the northern swells are big. If you could arrange some sort of jury rig, it might not help you sail, but it could help you steady the boat, maybe quite a bit. The worst bit will be before Puerto Rico. If you can go around the southern side, everything should be manageable, through the BVI. Crossing from there to St. Maarten will almost certainly be a bitch.



7)To some extent, the same considerations would apply, heading back to Florida, but there is more shelter from everything, and you would be doing more downwind work than going the other direction. But, be careful timing your crossing of the Gulf Stream, due to the vulnerability from rolling in beam seas.



8)Be carefully if you head east and plan to use Ocean World, in the DR, as has been suggested. It is super rolly. Boats break docklines there!


Hopefully, your kitty has just buried itself somewhere safe, rather than overboard, and will emerge. Best of luck with that, and with everything else.


Cheers,
Tim[/QUOTE]

[Dieseldude]

Originally Posted by NYSail

I would sit with a drink in hand and make a bunch of phone calls. You would think with all the salvaged boats over the past years there would be a well stocked used parts yard somewhere down there.

Best of luck!

Sorry to know of your losses, especially your cat ship mate. I think that NYSail offered good advice. With no insurance help, you probably want a used mast. This means locating one, and basing your plans around getting yourself to it. Not sure what else is lost or destroyed, but they should be small items that can easily be shipped to any location if not available wherever a used mast might be located. Odds are though that any port area that has a boat scrap yard should also have local marine supply shops and crane and rigging services. But of course all this must be confirmed as well. If local supplies and services are an issue in the Caribbean area though, Florida seems like the best bet. Major breakdowns "on the road" can be a a gotcha opportunity for shoddy operators. Quality of work and padded bills can be a concern. Try and get references once you locate a mast and start considering plans.

[st paddy]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Horrid thing to happen and it will be forever on your mind. Its one of the reasons we don't take our cats with us.

As for the mast. I doubt your get one in the Caribbean, After a hurricane the mast tends to be the ting that gets damaged. Even if you do find one its unlikely to be a perfect replacement. As for insurance, Your mast might have been twenty years old but the rigging should have been changed. 10 years is the accepted in the UK. Hunt the invoice to prove it.

[argonauta1]

Check with Moorings/Sunsail located in Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island. Also at Exumas marina in Nassau. They charter a fleet of Beneteaus and would no doubt offer some suggestions. Tell them a previous Moorings yacht owner referred you. Who knows, perhaps they might point you to a used mast locally. Local phone number should be findable down there. Good Luck, Hugh

[4runner]

Sorry to hear that!

100 gallons of fuel would/should get you back to Florida non-stop. But, you certainly could follow the islands and refuel along the way.

I’d start with a full onboard tank AND 10- 5 gallons jugs, along with a hose that you could connect to the spout of your fuel jugs to tech the deck fill and still being safely from the lifelines. That would minimize spillage. The key is to dump a jug into the onboard tank whenever it’s calm AND you can fit it in.

Plenty of much bigger racing sailboat are motored the ~600 nm back from Bermuda to the US Eastcoast following the various Bermuda races. They use a fuel bladder or a fuel drum either strapped on deck or in the cockpit.

Best of luck—

[4runner]

Don’t accept that from the insurance company!

They took your premiums, they can pay for a new mast.

Does your policy indicate an age exclusion?? I doubt it….