Fun with CD30 Cutter

[neil]

The other day my friend Alex who got a CD30 cutter for $4500.00 and restored it (he did an OUTSTANDING job!) asked me to go take a look at his standing rigging (he dosent like heights and he knows that I love them) so up I went finding problems all the way up (this is where I got stupid....) at the spreaders I had already noticed that his wire had a good amount of rust and found a few cracked fittings, and up I kept going... oy vey!
His inner forestay fittings were cracked as well, and sill I kept going up, see where this is leading?
At the top of the mast, standing on the last two steps I informed him that the wire looked bad and that the fittings for one shroud and his outer forestay were cracked and began to remove a jury-rigged topping lift: SNAP TWANG BOING BOING BOING! the port shroud snapped and I was whipped back and forth like a flag in a hurricane, both my legs locked onto the mast so hard I have had cramps for days.
When I came down and got to the deck I got a good case of the shakes, he gave me a huge bottle of rum (HIC, HIC, HIC) and we both had a nervous breakdown.
He was going to put the boat in the water the next day and go sailing off to the Caribbean.... Now he has a new project.

Hows that for fun?
Thought you all might get a kick out of that.

Cheers!
Neil


PS: Heres a question: where can he get his rigging replaced (he wants it done by someone good), and how much should he expect to pay to have it done?

[capt alex]

Neil saw your write up on that days adventure. I am still having nightmares! Glade you enjoyed the rum. I will be back in Key West in about a week and maybe by then we will be able to laugh about it!

[Steve Laume]

Got to love a story like that as long as no one gets hurt and huge amounts of money are not lost. I think you may well have stumbled on a new stress test for rigging. You would preferably be out at anchor somewhere so if the rig does topple it doesn't impact anything hard. You would need three or four of your larger more intrepid or drunk friends to send up the mast. They could rock things around and have some yahoos. If the rig holds up you are probably good to go for and offshore trip.

Damn, forget about the leg cramps how long did it take to clean your pants? Alls well that ends well and you have one more story to tell, Steve.

[neil]

Neil saw your write up on that days adventure. I am still having nightmares! Glade you enjoyed the rum. I will be back in Key West in about a week and maybe by then we will be able to laugh about it!

ALAX!

I am going in the water tomorrow, GET TO THE YARD!
Also, get yer rig and I will install all the high points (and help with the low bits if needed)... ok?
We are in a race to get in the water, remember??? HA!
Im gonna win!
And I will always laugh about it, you said some great things that day, like about my moms title, and telling her you snuffed her son? I have been laughing about that since and most likely always will!!!

I am sailing my boat tomorrow, gimmy a call!

Cheers Alax!
Neil


Ps: I need some fancy woodwork done, and you need a lunatic to run amok in yer rigging and help poison yer bottom paint.

[capt alex]

Congrats! I wish I could be there for the splashing. Unfortunately I am still offshore and my arrival back home in key West has been pushed back to the 31st. Jess will be by the yard this week to set up the crane to remove my mast so I can finish up the rigging next month. Hopefully you will still be around and not sailing off to parts unknown by then! (though I would not blame you and would catch up!) Hope everything goes smoothly try to send some pictures this sat. seems to work really well! out of cell range though till late next week.