Bent and stuck antenna, how did that happen?

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by bccoast

we bought the boat in December, is a 2013 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey that had 50 hours on the engine, essentially a new boat. I am assuming that the rigging would have been done by the dealer that commissioned it down in the states where we bought it. In March, we had the local official Beneteau service provider fix a few things on the boat including check the rigging. they said that everything was good and just needed to make some small tension adjustments, not sure if they went up the mast though.

I am not totally sure if I am seeing what you are, will send the drone back up today to take a closer look. so basically just want to make sure that the triangle has both bolts in for the back stay and cotter pins secured? Will try and get as detailed as possible photos and post back up here.

I'm not seeing what everyone else is seeing. I see twin backstays. The port one however looks very funny, like the eye at the end is broken or some part missing.

If it is twin backstays then the rig is fairly safe sitting at the dock and can be repaired.

And No. It wasn't a bird. OP says he was sailing in waves and wind. I'd have to say that the antenna just bounced under the arm of the Windex. This happened to me this spring only my VHF antenna got caught under the B&G wind speed cups and stopped them dead. An hour later it came loose and they were fine.

[bccoast]

Here are the drone shots from today. What do you guys think?

[bccoast]

Here is a few more from my DSLR from underneath

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by bccoast

Here is a few more from my DSLR from underneath

Hey, way better pics, thanks, the swage fittings look good, I agree that the pins are a bit long however that's not the end of the world.
I really thought that the fitting was compromised from the original pics, but hey I was wrong.

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Hey, way better pics, thanks, the swage fittings look good, I agree that the pins are a bit long however that's not the end of the world.

I really thought that the fitting was compromised from the original pics, but hey I was wrong.

Yeah the original pix looked pretty bad

These are much better and clear up a lot of confusion

[Knotical]

Looks fine on the latest photos, I think the sun was playing tricks on the first ones.

Btw, you got pretty good drone skills 👌

[bccoast]

Originally Posted by Knotical

Looks fine on the latest photos, I think the sun was playing tricks on the first ones.

Btw, you got pretty good drone skills 👌

Thanks but I did cheat and put on propellor guards so if I did hit something getting close, it would just bounce off and not crash. the cables don't always get picked up by the sensors and with the wind will move around a little.

[Knotical]

Originally Posted by bccoast

Thanks but I did cheat and put on propellor guards so if I did hit something getting close, it would just bounce off and not crash. the cables don't always get picked up by the sensors and with the wind will move around a little.

Propeller guards are not cheating IMO

I start sweating if my drone comes anywhere near the rigging 😳

[Tetepare]

Back to the original question, it was a bloody heron. They're dumb enough to land anywhere, and big enough to bend stuff.

That's how our wind indicator got busted. I saw it happen.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Back to the original question, it was a bloody heron. They're dumb enough to land anywhere, and big enough to bend stuff.

That's how our wind indicator got busted. I saw it happen.

Birds! I love them but I hate them. Around here we've had plenty of problems with Frigate Birds, big and dumb. They love wind instruments. Many folks around here have had their wind instruments broken by Frigate Birds. Frigate Birds also leave glacier like piles of guano on mast heads, masts and deck below. They are awful.

Mine were broken by an Osprey, I saw it happen as we were returning to the boat in our dingy.

Once before a crow broke the windex and flew down to watch me as I picked up the pieces.

No Herons or Pelicans have been observed landing at the top of masts around here though, thank God.

My anti bird device for the mast head unit: one piece of Stainless Steel wire secured to barrel of wind direction unit. They won't land on this (2 versions see photos)

[wrwakefield]

We are also in the NNE Pacific.

Here is a photo I took of a friends boat documenting a common occurrence..

Mystery solved.

Cheers! Bill

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

We are also in the NNE Pacific.

Here is a photo I took of a friends boat documenting a common occurrence..

Mystery solved.

Cheers! Bill

No, I don't think that solves the mystery. Neither of those eagles is trying to sit on the VHF antenna, nor would they. The windex, however is toast, and the owner is lucky that they have not landed on the wind instruments (this time). Those talons can break it, as can the weight. In this place either every mast-head device needs a strong, sharp, probe, or everything needs to be taken down between uses.

[robertmfranklin]

Manatee,

Would you explain more fully and clearly what you mean by attaching the topping lift to the spar but not to the standing rigging.

My P36 has a substantial topping lift of ss wire and might be able to hold the mast if the back stay failed, but I do not see anyway this topping lift would be useful while it is purposed to hold the end of the boom.

[Talbot]

Don't have the problem with your bigger birds, but in my marina you can expect to lose the wind direction and speed at least every 2 years. we have starlings and lots of them. I'll take your one big bird and willingly swap for 50 odd starlings perched everywhere on all the rigging, mast windex, wind sensor etc. and all of them taking the opportunity to defecate. One day is enough to make the boat look abandoned. Leave it for a week, and the result is terrible. No point in changing marinas as this is a common problem in southern UK

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Talbot

Don't have the problem with your bigger birds, but in my marina you can expect to lose the wind direction and speed at least every 2 years. we have starlings and lots of them. I'll take your one big bird and willingly swap for 50 odd starlings perched everywhere on all the rigging, mast windex, wind sensor etc. and all of them taking the opportunity to defecate. One day is enough to make the boat look abandoned. Leave it for a week, and the result is terrible. No point in changing marinas as this is a common problem in southern UK

If you're living aboard you may be able to train them. We don't have Starlings but we have Barn Swallows. They arrive here every November and they land on all of our masthead equipment in masses. If I whack the cap shrouds they all fly away. In a few minutes they come back. If I whack it again they fly off then they don't land, on that day. Repeat for two or three days and the problem is solved for the season. Neighboring boats, yes, my boat, no.