Main Halyard Problem

[Ex-Calif]

Ok - We gotta keep the challenges going. Here is one from last week. I got the details second hand by one of the crew on the boat.

You are on a Sydney 40. You have just moved out below the start line for a race due to start in 25 minutes and a thunderstorm is rolling in. The marina entrance is about 200 meters away. You've motored out and are raising the main just when the rain starts. The genny is still stowed. You have an experienced crew of 8 on board. 3/4 of the way up during the hoist the main halyard breaks, the crew hoisting falls back against the lifelines holding the stub of the halyard but thankfully no one goes over, the main sail comes down about 5 feet and stops it won't come down any further by gravity. The wind is now building past 25 knots and it has been raining hard for about 8 minutes.

You are monitoring the race frequency and they announce that the race is delayed - no predicted start time.

So what do you do. Questions to consider

1/ What do I do about the sail & when do I do it?
2/ Is my race day over?
3/ What is my duty to crew and sponsors?
4/ What are my priorities in the next 15, 30 and 45 minutes.

[Chief Engineer]

Make sure the crew is ok, Start Engine, Get your best sail handlers opinion what to do as you head out away from the marina, into the wind

Your Race day is over.
The sponsors....oh well
minute 15...get sail down...put safety gear on deck crew...put your lightest guy on jib halyard and get him up there
minute 30...it is raining...continue

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Ok - We gotta keep the challenges going. .......

So what do you do. Questions to consider

1/ What do I do about the sail & when do I do it?
2/ Is my race day over?
3/ What is my duty to crew and sponsors?
4/ What are my priorities in the next 15, 30 and 45 minutes.

1/ Stay head to wind under motor, manhandle the main down ASAP. If it won't come down with some decent effort, secure as best possible and return to marina as your racing is over in that situation.

2/ Race day is over if race committee says it is or if main remains stuck or these is NO way to rehoist.

3/ Duty to crew to conduct the voyage (however short) safely. Duty to sponsors is to conduct voyage safely and race if at all possible.

Assuming main can be forced down, look at options to rehoist - spare halyard; topping lift. If it can be rehoisted, wait until race committee decides what is going to happen to the race.

Don't send anyone aloft while thunderstorm remains in area due lighting.

[Ex-Calif]

Didn't get a lot of play on this so here's how it played out...

I'll give the volunteer high marks for brass and low marks for cranial lead.

0/ They tied in the reef and put some tension on the sheet so it didn't flog the sail to pieces during the storm
1/ During the tail of the storm they went head to wind
2/ They hoisted Johnny up the mast (still blowing about 18-20)
3/ Johnny cut the halyard and they dropped the sail.
4/ They motored into the marina
5/ They hoisted Johnny up again and he ran a line down the mast
6/ They hauled the line through and only then discovered it was a 2:1 hoist
7/ Johnny went up again and the ran the second lap
8/ Pulled through a new halyard
9/ Motored out and made the start which was 45 minutes delayed
10/ Came in 3rd in class

It's not over until it's over...

I wish I didn't have my hands full with the J24 and had a chance to snap some photos. It was amazing to look up and see this guy up the mast with the pole rocking 15 degrees off vertical each way.

BTW - Are challenges done? Who's writing up the next one?

[Pelagic]

So flying the Spinnaker wasn't the right solution?

[Ex-Calif]

This week at the end of the first race one of the 38 footers had a spinaker halyard jam during the douse. They sorta got the boat under control and flogged the spin for about 30 minutes.

Eventually they too sent someone up the mast with a knife.