Cruising the San Juans again

[David Patterson]

Hey, Tim, I'm pretty sure I got that at rig-rite, though I think Z-spar has them too. Others, no doubt. Very easy to install. Cleats may need to be added to the mast, below. A single bail can, of course, take a double block, I'd guess. If you look at that photo of my mast head you will see that I have a double block for my topping lift. The second line in that block can be used as a mast-head flag halyard, or a spare topping lift, naturally, depending on the line size. For awhile I thought I was over-doing it to have that spinnaker bail rigged, until...I was single-handing up President Channel in November of 2012, in the pre-dawn darkness to benefit from my tide. I was booming along in the very strong current there, in 17 knots of wind, gusting into the mid-20s, my speed over the ground at 7.4 knots in my little 25D! My jib halyard wore through at the splice, up at the masthead. Pandemonium! Down came the genoa jib, over the side into the water. It was raining heavily as I headed CLOUDIE up, went forward, and dragged the heavy wet sail into the pulpit to secure it. Unfamiliar waters, low light, uncomfortably close to shore in the currents (even though it was not my lee shore), a small charted but unmarked island very close, wind waves to 3 feet. Anyway, you get the picture. I lowered the reefed main also, and motored. Once at anchor at Fox Cove of Sucia Island, the narrow entrance of which I entered under power, I found my jib halyard would have to be reeved again to the masthead before I could use it. But...I had an extra halyard on that double spinnaker bail. I got the genoa back on the roller furler foil, using the spare halyard. Up it went nicely, and I was able to complete my planned counter-clockwise circumnavigation of Sucia Island, primarily under sail, as I had hoped. Not to mention then sail back down President Channel and onward. I didn't get that primary genoa halyard back up until 10 months later. The spare served me well. (Doesn't take long, when sailing, to gather a few story-worthy experiences.) The truth is, I should not have let my halyard get into that condition. I was the cause of that event, not the conditions. It is easy to ignore checking jib halyards, at the point they enter the sheaves at the masthead. The main comes down regularly and the halyard can be inspected, while a roller furled foresail can stay up a long time without having the halyard inspected. A word to the wise. P.S. I've added a couple of photos to this post. One is of the jib halyard mentioned above (worn through by the masthead sheave edge), the other of a reef at the entrance of Fox Cove, Sucia Island. The view is south toward Waldron Island, over the November water. A similar reef is on the other side of the entrance, making for a relatively narrow space. And you might infer that I am yearning to be back cruising, from my recent postings.

[David Patterson]

I'm shifting my postings to a new topic, titled Salish Sea Cruising 2014, under the Cruisers Corner. Thanks again to all who viewed my photos and read my comments last year. And thanks to all who communicated with me, helping to solve some cruising problems. May your own cruising be as satisfying to you as mine is for me. David on CD25D #85, s/v CLOUD GIRL, Friday Harbor.