Flogging itself to death

[G Kiba]

When I worked on a bigger boat, when we didn't plan to sail for a few days, I would furl the sail and keep going another three to six turns (it was a big boat) and then I would coil the sheets and use the tail of the sheets to hang the coils from the lower turns of the sheets around the sail. I thought it was a good look, and it kept the decks clear. Only now I realize that it also would prevent the sail from unfurling, as long as the coiled sheets were secure.

Once the sheets are hooked at the base of the forestay, I put one wrap on the winch then into the self tailer and pulled snug. The tails go into the rigging bag. The Bay Area has seen several weeks of weather like Al Gomes has posted about yesterday. So far, So good. It has been an unusual winter here.

 

[ignacio]

Late to the party, but apparently I haven't missed anything. I can see the boat flying Dacron shreds off the forestay still. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm paranoid about my sails getting killed like that. I'm down at the dock before and after every major storm.

 

[Kenneth K]

Saw a brief period of snowfall at LAX around 2pm today, followed by a snow/sleet/hail mix. 20 minutes later, in the 30K winds, the ground was dry again. Crazy.

 

[Anzac]

Saw a brief period of snowfall at LAX around 2pm today, followed by a snow/sleet/hail mix. 20 minutes later, in the 30K winds, the ground was dry again. Crazy.

Welcome to the PNW. That's springtime in Vancouver, Wa lol

 

[Gaviate]

whatever absolutely keeps the drum from rotating.

This is what failed on my old furler, actually the damaged connecting rod caused the sail and drum to be disconnected so tho the furling line was secured, the sail was not....and then the a summer squall rolled in and presto, a tattered sail!

 

[Christian Williams]

Roller furl until two wraps around the sail, then tighten both sheets with their cockpit winches. Roller furler control line set.

I don't know why people coil up their genoa sheets and hang them from the pulpit like decorations. It leaves the furled sail entirely vulnerable. Maybe there's a reason. Maybe they need to add wraps to their drum. Maybe maybe maybe.

Leave the boat every time like it will face 50 knots in its slip that night. Turn around before departure and look at it carefully. Half the time something will be wrong, a fender out of place, a dock line misadjusted, a screwdriver left on the foredeck to rust, winch handles in their pockets ready to be filched, a burgee left flying, a shore power cord unconnected, or your cars keys locked below in a drawer.

Personally I learned all that the hard and expensive way, but it ought to come easier.

 

[Alan Gomes]

Roller furl until two wraps around the sail, then secure both sheets to their cockpit winches. Roller furler control line set.

I don't know why people coil up their genoa sheets and hang them from the pulpit like decorations. It leaves the furled sail entirely vulnerable. Maybe there's a reason. It seems quite popular.

Leave the boat every time like it will face 50 knots in its slip that night. Turn around before departure and look at it carefully. Half the time something will be wrong, a fender out of place, a dock line misadjusted, a screwdriver left on the foredeck to rust, winch handles in their pockets ready to be filched, a burgee left flying, a shore power cord unconnected, or your cars keys locked below in a drawer.

Personally I learned all that the hard and expensive way, but it ought to come easier.

100% correct about the furler.

As for the latter point: I have finally given up trying to remember everything I ought to look at or do before I leave. I now use a checklist on my iPhone (in OneNote) that I look at when I close up the boat. As long as I can remember to look at my phone (!) I'll be in overall good shape with most everything else. A good, hard look around before walking away will hopefully catch any stray stuff not on the list.

 

[Kenneth K]

This is what failed on my old furler, actually the damaged connecting rod

What specifically do you mean by "connecting rod?"

 

[Solarken]

Only a fraction of that left now. Completely shredded now.
Been up to 65 knots in the bay a few time. Totally off direction from forecast winds. I measured the 65 on my MFD at mast top. Had a gust heal the boat 32° to port. Winds were forecast for the opposite direction at 15-20. That one gust broke 3 welds and took the BBQ with it. I’d guess easy over 70 knots for 15 seconds. The inches of rain were intense also. I collected 3.5” one night. Had 3’+ swells in the bay also. I put my inflatable on the Lee side per forecast. It ended up getting flipped almost onboard upside down with the motor in the water.

Not been nice here but a few days. Was 38° one morning. Same day as Snow at noon in Brea and Fulleron.

But you can see my jib sheet locked on the winch!!! Will spend today continuing to check for damage.

Yesterday I found the AIS antenna shook loose in its base mount at a point glued my Shakespeare when it was made. Only a year old!!

 

[Alan Gomes]

View attachment 46134
Only a fraction of that left now. Completely shredded now.
Been up to 65 knots in the bay a few time. Totally off direction from forecast winds. I measured the 65 on my MFD at mast top. Had a gust heal the boat 32° to port. Winds were forecast for the opposite direction at 15-20. That one gust broke 3 welds and took the BBQ with it. I’d guess easy over 70 knots for 15 seconds. The inches of rain were intense also. I collected 3.5” one night. Had 3’+ swells in the bay also. I put my inflatable on the Lee side per forecast. It ended up getting flipped almost onboard upside down with the motor in the water.
View attachment 46136
Not been nice here but a few days. Was 38° one morning. Same day as Snow at noon in Brea and Fulleron.

But you can see my jib sheet locked on the winch!!! Will spend today continuing to check for damage.

Yesterday I found the AIS antenna shook loose in its base mount at a point glued my Shakespeare when it was made. Only a year old!!

Wow! Thanks so much for this report!!

I texted my good friend Ron who works harbor patrol to ask about that unfurled jib and why no one did anything about it, but I didn't hear back. Seems like someone would have tried to do something, granting that it went on for days! (In fact, I *still* see a scrap of it out there flailing about.) I'd imagine it made a fair racket! Judging by your photo I take it that you are moored fairly close to it?

What was the date when you were clocking those winds? And what was the direction? That sounds incredible! I made a quick trip to the marina on Wednesday mid-afternoon (San Pedro) to check on my boat and it was blowing like crazy. My boat was also just starting to heel over in the slip in the gusts. But it certainly wasn't as high as what you saw--more like the mid-30 kt. range, perhaps. Wind direction then was from the NW.

In December of 2021 I was in Fourth of July Cove when a strong southerly storm blew through. Although Fourth of July was theoretically a good place to be, the wind wrapped around and I got gusts in the mid-40 kt. range. I, too, had my dinghy flip upside down with the motor attached and it was ruined. The insurance covered it, thankfully.

I was planning to head over to the Isthmus next week but I'm delaying in hopes that the temps will go up. Right now I'm shooting for Mar. 13. I wonder what I can expect. The great Isthmus mooring rates expire on Apr. 1, so I really wanted to get in a good trip. I'll be watching the weather forecast closely, though.

 

[Solarken]

I don’t recall the date. There has been so much wind it’s been crazy. But the direction was E/SE when forecasters said NW. swell was up to 3’ and breaking on shore. Good rates end here Palm Sunday and then go to the secondary rate till June. The water and pumping station has been down for weeks here. Supposed to be rebuilt in 2 weeks from start. I gather it’s a month now from what boaters have said.

I used to anchor at Isthmus for weeks at a time in spring and never had any issues. Now I guess they want you on two anchors.

also used to anchor down here for weeks but never had this kind of weather. Would need 400-500’ of rode!!!!!

 

[Alan Gomes]

I don’t recall the date. There has been so much wind it’s been crazy. But the direction was E/SE when forecasters said NW. swell was up to 3’ and breaking on shore. Good rates end here Palm Sunday and then go to the secondary rate till June. The water and pumping station has been down for weeks here. Supposed to be rebuilt in 2 weeks from start. I gather it’s a month now from what boaters have said.

I used to anchor at Isthmus for weeks at a time in spring and never had any issues. Now I guess they want you on two anchors.

also used to anchor down here for weeks but never had this kind of weather. Would need 400-500’ of rode!!!!!

Right. I'll be making some Avalon trips in April and May to take advantage of those rates, which will still be in force. But I really like the Isthmus in the spring, and their rates end sooner--unfortunately.

I hadn't heard of a requirement for two anchors at the Isthmus, but I'm assuming if that's true it would be for the anchorage area in Little Fisherman's and not the large area outside of the mooring field, where anchoring on two hooks would be untenable--at least if you are talking bow and stern. I don't know anyone who would ever put out two anchors in that area. On the other hand, I would always use two hooks in Little Fisherman's anyway, which you really need to do if other boats get the same idea as you and want to tuck into that spot.

I've anchored many times at the Isthmus, both in Little Fisherman's and outside the mooring field NW of that. Especially in the latter location it takes lots of rode to get any kind of scope, with depths of around 80-110', give or take. It's OK in settled weather, but you can get a nasty swell through there, especially in the morning from the east. Cat Harbor probably has the best anchoring--or at least used to in years past, before they clogged up the really good spots with additional moorings. Really, Catalina is pretty poor when it comes to anchoring locations, especially Avalon. To me it's just not worth the hassle, particularly during the off-season when the rates are attractive

 

[Anzac]

View attachment 46134
Only a fraction of that left now. Completely shredded now.
Been up to 65 knots in the bay a few time. Totally off direction from forecast winds. I measured the 65 on my MFD at mast top. Had a gust heal the boat 32° to port. Winds were forecast for the opposite direction at 15-20. That one gust broke 3 welds and took the BBQ with it. I’d guess easy over 70 knots for 15 seconds. The inches of rain were intense also. I collected 3.5” one night. Had 3’+ swells in the bay also. I put my inflatable on the Lee side per forecast. It ended up getting flipped almost onboard upside down with the motor in the water.
View attachment 46136
Not been nice here but a few days. Was 38° one morning. Same day as Snow at noon in Brea and Fulleron.

But you can see my jib sheet locked on the winch!!! Will spend today continuing to check for damage.

Yesterday I found the AIS antenna shook loose in its base mount at a point glued my Shakespeare when it was made. Only a year old!!

That looks like a Columbia 50. The question is why hasn't someone secured the jib?????? I would have done it if I was there.

 

[Gaviate]

What specifically do you mean by "connecting rod?"

Well, probably the wrong terminology, but the first connection where sail feeder was, separated and the extrusion, with the sail luff, was able to rotate about the headstay freely while the furling drum below didn't move.

 

[Alan Gomes]

A week and a half later....still flogging!

 

[bsangs]

A week and a half later....still flogging!

I'm starting to think "Harbor Patrol" doesn't mean what I think it means...

 

[Loren Beach]

I'm starting to think "Harbor Patrol" doesn't mean what I think it means...

They probably have their legal and liability limits to consider. We have dealt with occasional unrolled/flogging headsails in our moorage, for decades. We have not had a serious injury so far.... but have had to caution members about boarding surging/yawing boat in 30+ kts of wind to attempt to secure a flogging/dying jib. The risk of injury or being tossed OB is very real. At that point in the storm it's difficult enough to safely board, without also dealing with the sail problem.

Everyone wants to help, and often will do so. Past a certain point (a windy gray area, to be sure) no one should board a boat in rough conditions to do this.
The emphasis is on notifying the boat owner and the onus is on them to corral that jib. Often as not the sail is (functionally) destroyed by the flogging, even before it finally comes apart and nothing but scraps are left behind.

 

[Alan Gomes]

They probably have their legal and liability limits to consider. We have dealt with occasional unrolled/flogging headsails in our moorage, for decades. We have not had a serious injury so far.... but have had to caution members about boarding surging/yawing boat in 30+ kts of wind to attempt to secure a flogging/dying jib. The risk of injury or being tossed OB is very real. At that point in the storm it's difficult to safely board, without dealing with the sail problem.

Everyone wants to help, and often will do so. Past a certain point (a windy gray area, to be sure) no one should board a boat in rough conditions to do this.
The emphasis is on notifying the boat owner and the onus is on them to corral that jib. Often as not the sail is (functionally) destroyed by the flogging, even before it finally comes apart and nothing but scraps are left behind.

All good points, Loren. However, in this case the sail has been flogging for well over a week (i.e., since I started tracking it), and there have been many periods of dead calm when anyone could have safely gone aboard and secured the sail in anticipation of future wind events. So bsangs does raise an interesting question. And it's certainly not the case that the Avalon Harbor Patrol will not board an unoccupied vessel. They do so all the time for any number of safety reasons. It would be interesting to know what the story was in this case.

 

[Loren Beach]

All good points, Loren. However, in this case the sail has been flogging for well over a week (i.e., since I started tracking it), and there have been many periods of dead calm when anyone could have safely gone aboard and secured the sail in anticipation of future wind events. So bsangs does raise an interesting question. And it's certainly not the case that the Avalon Harbor Patrol will not board an unoccupied vessel. They do so all the time for any number of safety reasons. It would be interesting to know what the story was in this case.

And you make several excellent points. One can only wonder why they did nothing for so long a time, given those lulls in the winds.
It's a mystery.

 

[KS Dave]

The suspense is terrible... I hope it'll last.