Whooooooopp... ...uh-oh... ...CLANG!!!

Newbie mistake this afternoon.

Had a great few hours on the bay, putting around in 10-15 kt winds. Came in and rolled her up the beach on the beach wheels, put her on the trailer and began to de-rig.

Everything was going smoothly until, yep...



...mast pin wasn't in correctly. I was distracted talking to the guy next to me about exactly that, the mast pin and how it makes life so much easier during rigging etc. Got up on the tramp with my mate at the forestay, ready to do the deed. He let it go and I began to lower the mast back when it all came crashing down. It really was like slow motion; the way the base came out of the cup.

I could hear the jib halyard whining over the front of the tramp frame and then clang. The masthead landed on the ground behind me.

At this stage there doesn't appear to be any damage. I'm just so thankful that there was no-one walking behind the boat at the time. Could have been a disaster.

In the meantime, I have managed to find a second hand mast for $300 with full rigging (halyard, traps etc.). I might grab it and restore it to new as my current one has a couple of spots of pitting from where the wire halyard has sat against it for prolonged periods.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my story and remind us all to be ever so vigilant with our rigging procedures. Sheesh... ...it still makes me shudder thinking about it now.

Cheers,

Rob.

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'97 Hobie 16.

Skype: rob_arnolda

Thats scary, one thing I never want to happen, God forbid!

Seen it happen several times and you're right, it's scary. Always make sure the area below the mast is well clear of people before lowering it. Don't let the person catching the mast stand below it until you've got the mast down and under control. Even if you remember to pin the mast, sometimes things break or you simply lose control of the stick. A falling mast to the head could easily kill a person.

sm

I've done the exact same thing. I was as lucky as you in the fact that no one was hurt.
I did it the second time I derigged the boat, now I'm always super careful to check the pin.

i learned that lesson on day one. This being my first sail boat let alone a hobie I am really learning alot by trial and error. This was a big error. I was at home setting her up for the frist time just to make sure i know what i was doing (I didn't) and that I had all my parts. Lets start with rigging.... I had my daughter (10) and her freind(8) on the ready with pins in hand and instructions to not be fancy just get the pins in the shrouds as soon as i get the mast up. yes you read that right I lifted the mast and tried to balance it erect without anything attached. Everything ended well except for me twisting my back out of shape trying to keep it balanced while 2 kids are yanking on the shouds. I found afer the shrouds are attached its much easier to keep things under control (big surprise) and then quickly realized "you know I could probably attach the shrouds BEFORE i lift the mast and things would go much smoother". So now we are up, i raised the sail and everything was looking good. The wife says to me "OK take it down the neighbors are starting to stare at you". So I drop the sails and leaving the shrouds attached this time I had my daughter release the forestay. All is good as i start to lower the mast until before I had a clue what happened the mast base began gaining altitude. I grabbed ahold of the mast with every attempt to muscle it back down (wishful thinking i know) as the head crashed on the driveway giving me a jar through my shoulder never to be forgotten. Luckily the only thing that was hurt was my pride, as I mentioned before the neighbors were watching this idiot rig a sail boat 20 miles from any sailable waters.

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'73 hobie 16 restored 2011
'00 Seaswirl fishin boat

Yeah, I did the whole "rig-it-at-home" thing too. I'm lucky in that my apartment complex has a massive area out the back where I can use as much space as I need, to play around. It was the only time I have sweated in 15 degrees Celsius. That time it all went successfully and I am now able to rig it single handed thanks to the assistance of a rope tied to the jib-halyard, run through the rear eye of the roof rack on my 4x4 and tied off on the base of the mast.

These days it's a lot more straight forward (my last attempt not withstanding) but there's still a small part of me that always thinks "Man, I hope those shrouds and forestay are gonna do their thing right...".

I assume it's an experience thing.

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'97 Hobie 16.

Skype: rob_arnolda

I was derigging my boat with the help of my crew (AKA wife) which was always a chore becuase she hates the amount of time it takes to setup and break down the boat.
I was standing aft of the mast holding the halyard for the jib when I asked my wife to pull the pin to release the jib from the shroud. She pulled the quick release to drop the mast instead. My favorite part was the eyeroll before she did it. Since I was holding the halyard for the jib I tried puling it to get the jib to take the weight of the mast but it was too late. The line was dragged across my shoulder giving me a rope burn as the mast crashed into the dirt and sand behind me also knocking me off the tramp.
Lesson learned? Make sure you AND your crew cares and knows what they are supposed to do even if they had done it a couple dozen times already.

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Corey
82 H16 project complete

You still married, Corndog?

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'97 Hobie 16.

Skype: rob_arnolda

Yes I am but we have a 7 week old daughter now so she doesn't sail with me much anymore. I have a new crew member now that is far more willing to sail and set up the boat.

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Corey
82 H16 project complete

Well, congrats on the newborn!

Any girlfriend or ex grilfriend of mine knows that I am passionate about any hobbie I get in to. In the past, once I took an interest in a new pastime, I may as well have been single cos they wouldn't see me for dust. My current lady is great, but she's only been on the boat once so it's still early days. She did helpnwithe forestay and allmwent well, but It'll be interesting to see her feelings toward it in 6 or more months!

I know the feeling already of that sense of impatience from others while I'm rigging. Thing is that for us, I guess, it's all part of the fun but I can understand why others don't see it that way. I'm an ex-mechanic by trade and so is my crew (he's also been my best friend for over 20 years) so we relish the opportunity to get in and get our hands "dirty"... ...as long as things are going smoothly! Sunday however, was just embarrassing, not to mention scary!!!

Rob.

Glad you were able to find another crew member; I bet it makes a huge difference to how you feel when your out with the boat.

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'97 Hobie 16.

Skype: rob_arnolda

Rob,

When you want to raise the mast alone, tie a line about 8' long to the jib halyard and to the bridle.After raising the mast lean into, reach down and uncleat the jib halyard, pull it tight and re-cleat it. It will hold the mast up and pull the bridle up making it easy to pin the forestay. I think you will find it easier than tying to your vehicle.

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Howard

HRT, that makes an incredible amount of sense.

I started with the 4x4 because it looked like it had a lot more leverage with the rope at that angle, but now that I know how little force is actually required to hold it up (once the lifting work is done) tying it off to the bridle and jib halyard makes good sense.

I always had to do a bit of a "hand to mouth" thing with the rope using my (half) free arm and teeth to feed it through, but this just sounds so much easier!

I knew I came here for a reason!

Thanks!

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'97 Hobie 16.

Skype: rob_arnolda

I wish I could take credit for that idea but actually I read it in an old Hobie Hotline years ago. Lowering the mast is obviously just the reverse procedure.

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Howard

I somehow with my first Hobie dropped the mast on my then new, long departed, VW Scirroco breaking the windshield. I don't remember exactly the situation (1981) but needless to say, it was an inconvenience and not the end of the world.

Man I can imagine what a scary moment !!!
I never lower the mast without a rope tied from the crossmember to the mast base. The pin can be there, but the pin base can break ( mine is ) and there goes the mast. The rope will never allow this to happen.

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Every second that passes cannot be recovered, so make good use of every one of them that you have left.