Hi All,
Blowing like stink down here in Turks and Caicos so I decided to take my aging (new to me) Hobie Wave out for a rip. Of course I had no way of knowing that the shrouds were original on this boat and were well aged and, you guessed it I lost the mast about 500 yards off shore with an off shore breeze blowing 17 to 20 knots. I had a cell phone with me but decided I would rig something up and see if I could make it into the shallows dead ahead about 1200 yards with the wind broad reaching. Here's how I rigged up:
The mast had popped off the ball and was lying across the boat with one shroud busted and the bridle and other shroud still attached of course. I managed to pull the sail out of the mast and rolled it up onto the trampoline.
I then pulled the mast all the way onto the boat and ran it under the tiller handle and tied the other end with the haul rope attached to the front beam to secure the mast from getting in the way. I also pulled the halyard out of the mast pulley, coiled it up and had it handy as I figured I'd need it for something.
I then unrolled the sail and put the hook of the mainsheet back into the clew of the sail and tightened it down to the blocks. At the Tack of the sail, I used the downhaul rope and tied a clove hitch and overhand knot around the mast ball. Now I had the two bottom points of the sail tied to the boat and had something to work with.
I rolled up the sail to the third batten from the top really tightly to create a handle of sorts and was able to fill the sail with wind by holding on tight. I sat on the windward hull and steered with my foot while hanging on to this new "kite sail" and was able to sail across wind to the shallows where I jumped off and pulled my boat to a mooring for repairs later that afternoon.
If I had to go a long way, I think I could have used the halyard and tied each end of the wound up sail creating a bridle of sorts and tied that to the shroud stay to take the load off of having to hold the sail by hand.
So, sitting here nice and dry at my laptop I decided to do a search on "self rescue, hobie wave" etc etc etc. Nothing. Which brings me to good old Catsailor forums for advice. Has anyone had a similar experience? How did you rig up to get to safety? Is there a standard method?
I think the keys are obvious:
1. Don't panic
2. Take stock of the condition of the boat and what you have to work with.
3. Determine easiest/closest way to safety with given wind direction
4. Plan how you are going to rig the rescue sail
5. Work quickly but safely
6. ABOVE ALL ELSE: prepare for the worst, let someone know where you are going, how long you are to be out and carry a cell phone in a waterproof bag/box or a handheld radio.
I am very interested to hear of anyone else's experience especially with a beachcat as there is such little rigging to work with.
Thanks for reading.
Pat
