Another dismasting, in the Atlantic and a carbon mast

[TheDragon]

‘We lost our mast 1,000 miles from land’ - Yachting Monthly

When the Wennberg family set off across the Atlantic, they didn’t think they would need to motor most of the way without a mast

www.yachtingmonthly.com

Story is a little weird, not least in the method of failure, mast snapping at the gooseneck.

 

[DDW]

I don't think breaking at the gooseneck is all that weird. There can be big compression in the boom, depending on rig and vang. It is not an uncommon breakage.

 

[TheDragon]

I don't think breaking at the gooseneck is all that weird. There can be big compression in the boom, depending on rig and vang. It is not an uncommon breakage.

Ok, never heard of it myself. Glad I have a very strong mast, inconceivable it would break that way.

 

[jmh2002]

Ok, never heard of it myself. Glad I have a very strong mast, inconceivable it would break that way.

It's less about the 'strength of your mast' and more about the possible loads from other directions that can occur at various times, eg: at right angles to the mast.

As @DDW mentioned, vang loads (sometimes also connected with gybing, or dipping the boom end in the sea during heavy offshore conditions) are often related to mast damage around the gooseneck area. Gooseneck fittings themselves often show signs of wear and damage over time too - they can be bent and/or misshapen. It's a commonly accepted vulnerable area.

So I would be cautious of using words such as 'inconceivable' - especially if you are not very familiar with these types of issues (and also because aren't you on downwind / trade wind passages?). It's not especially rare or uncommon and is probably the next cause of dismastings after a fitting failure somewhere in the standing rigging.

 

[Zonker]

So I would be cautious of using words such as 'inconceivable'

I don't think you're using that word correctly.

 

[jmh2002]

I don't think you're using that word correctly.

Me, or Dragon? I was quoting Dragon's use of that word.

(inconceivable: impossible to imagine or believe)

 

[AnIdiot]

Whoosh...

 

[mgs]

well it’s a quote and people don’t get quotes anymore. Besides it’s missing a fake Spanish accent

(And it’s a little off as well)

 

[Zonker]

This may help explain

 

[jmh2002]

Seems to be an attempt at humour or derision or simply derailing of the thread.

I don't see how it's relevant. Was there a point? Perhaps it needed some emojis or purple font?

I've never watched that movie. It seems like rubbish, but tastes can vary just like with boats.

You do seem to have gotten a couple of bites out of it though (that also didn't add anything to the thread), if that was your intention...

 

[knh555]

I thought it was funny.

(The quote, not the dismasting)

 

[TheDragon]

The PSC mast is extremely sturdy and the gooseneck is thoroughly welded onto it, not just riveted or bolted as I see on lots of other boats. Okay, it is my first, and last, big boat and I am partial to it, so perhaps "inconceivable" is too much, perhaps "hard to imagine" would do. And yes, I have not dipped the boom in the water, yet. But at least I don't have a vang.

 

[mgs]

Seems to be an attempt at humour or derision or simply derailing of the thread.

I don't see how it's relevant. Was there a point? Perhaps it needed some emojis or purple font?

I've never watched that movie. It seems like rubbish, but tastes can vary just like with boats.

You do seem to have gotten a couple of bites out of it though (that also didn't add anything to the thread), if that was your intention...

Not an attempt at humor. It was humor.

 

[jmh2002]

The PSC mast is extremely sturdy and the gooseneck is thoroughly welded onto it, not just riveted or bolted as I see on lots of other boats. Okay, it is my first, and last, big boat and I am partial to it, so perhaps "inconceivable" is too much, perhaps "hard to imagine" would do. And yes, I have not dipped the boom in the water, yet. But at least I don't have a vang.

Yeah, I get that the PSC34 is a stoutly built and rigged boat (but not really a big boat... ) and is less likely to have a problem like this.

In any case, just something to be aware of, that goosenecks can and do come under a lot of load at times and are a common wear point on many boats.

 

[Panoramix]

Story is a little weird, not least in the method of failure, mast snapping at the gooseneck

In the era of spaghetti masts, it was the failure mode if you were gybing with the vang really too tensioned.

 

[lom]

Perpendicular loading of the mast at the gooseneck wasn't something I really thought about but we went aboard SV Rocketscience (riptide 55) before she sold in Anacortes and that boat had a very interesting solution to this.

It was a deck stepped carbon rig, but the step on the deck was like a giant 3 and a half foot trapazoid off the deck. The boom then connected to the trapazoid, just below the mast. Being entirely of carbon construction, the huge deck pedestal was supremely robust, designed specifically for perpendicular loads, and the mast was essentially above it.

Are there other boats out there which have this? Aside from the semi irregular looks I'm not too sure what the downside would be. Presumably you could do a keel stepped version as well if you wanted, having the mast just go through the pedestal.

 

[Zonker]

Some Open 60s had the boom gooseneck essentially at deck level. With huge wide beam and full beam travellers they didn't need a vang.

Seems to be an attempt at humour or derision or simply derailing of the thread.

I don't see how it's relevant. Was there a point? Perhaps it needed some emojis or purple font?

I've never watched that movie. It seems like rubbish, but tastes can vary just like with boats.

Thread derailment is a time honoured tradition around here. You should watch the movie. It is very well regarded. You might also learn why it's a bad idea to get involved in a land war in Asia.

 

[_samwise_]

Seems to be an attempt at humour or derision or simply derailing of the thread.

I don't see how it's relevant. Was there a point? Perhaps it needed some emojis or purple font?

I've never watched that movie. It seems like rubbish, but tastes can vary just like with boats.

You do seem to have gotten a couple of bites out of it though (that also didn't add anything to the thread), if that was your intention...

the princess bride is a cinematic masterpiece... that's like saying captain ron isn't also a masterpiece... simply inconceivable

 

[Zonker]

When we lived in Annapolis, the Black video store clerk couldn't understand "Captain Ron".

He said "all you white people come in and rent it. I took it home and watched it. And it sucked"

I said "it's not a white thing it a sailing thing"

 

[Talchotali]

It's a technology thing. Riveted, hot rolled iron masts never break.