Well I had my first 'mast drop' this weekend. The wind was great, just around 15knots, both out on the wire A friend had decided we should race to a bouy out near to where the ships wait offshore. On the last tack to make the bouy all was good until...'peacefully' the mast decided to take a break.. The swell was small, and packing up everything took 20min. Luckily a 40ft cat was motoring past, and towed us back in light drizzle to the beach. Nothing appears broken and no-one got hurt..so I'd put in the 'experience' chapter and look back on it with a smile
The cause: the threaded pin below the 'toggle twist' that goes through the lipped hull to the small bar under the lip sheared completely. Think I'll just replace both now in case