World ARC - Day 69 - 17th March - Pole Dancing in the moonlight
Nina
Steve and Lynda Cooke
Sat 19 Mar 2016 04:20
World ARC - Day 69 - 17th March - Pole Dancing in the moonlight
It was continuing to be a great days sailing. 20 to 24 knots of wind, wing-on-wing, with the foresail poled out on the windward side, the self tacking jib pulled tight as a staysail back against the mast, Nina tonking along with the wind well behind her. Steve had just come on watch, 21.00 hrs. All was well, as Steve made out the log for the watch change and had the kettle on for a cuppa. Suddenly it was a big bang, a lurch to Starboard, and Nina started to sail with a peculiar roly motion.
The block had come out of the jaws on the end of the pole, the foresail was flapping forwards of the forestay, making banging and slapping noises as only a big uncontrolled sail can manage when left to its own, un-sheeted devices.
Steve put the sail away, rolling it up from the cockpit with the roller furler, then Peter and Steve had much head scratching to do up on the foredeck as they investigated and tried to discover why it had happened. Nothing was obvious, except for the only theory that the motion of the foresail had worked the webbing strap to open the pin on the end of the pole. The big waves and rollers here in the Pacific have a peculiar effect on normally secure fittings, knots and ropes, with the continuous and incessant tugging, pulling and rolling causing normally stowed and secured things to magically want to come undone and part.
The pole was re-set and pulled tight, the foresail sheets were re-secured via the block at the end, with an additional webbing strap, and the sails were re-hoisted and adjusted. We continued whooshing on into the night towards the Marquesas.
Later that day a funny squeaking was reported by Lynda from the mast. One that needed investigation.
The pole track was found to be parting from the mast, with the thick aluminium section pulling off the front, and the rivets that secured it to the mast pulling out and broken. An enormous amount of force was being generated every time Nina went over the biggest waves, and the sail sagged and flapped before banging and cracking back into full shape on the wind.
It was decided that it was better to retire the pole, as it would be difficult to repair via the bosun's chair at sea. Much better to wait until arrival in Hiva Oa, when a proper repair stood more chance of success.
Nina is back on a broad reach, wind 140 degrees off the port quarter, and we are back to crashing through the waves at 7.5 knots, with 770 miles to go.........