Hi all, I've just joined & really enjoying this great forum. I bought a used Getaway (around 3yrs old) which had very little previous use. I have absolutely loved the boat since buying it.
Anyhow, today is our national holiday - a day on which the most patriotic thing you can do apart from eating meat pies at the Cricket is to go sailing and have a barbie (BBQ)
. My plans on the former came unstuck only 20 mins into the sail!!
Conditions were 'fresh' 15-20 knot breeze, and having just made our first tack anbd proceeding along towards Sydney Heads "whack" - all of a sudden the hole mast flys over to leeward!
Once I managed to extract one of my wife's uncles from under the main (at first I thought he had been smothered) I survey the damage and sure enough the port shroud had come loose at the junction with the connector which attaches to the hull (sorry I'm sure it has a techie name).
As the main priority was getting safely back to shore, I haven't been able to investigate what exact part gave way, but I suspect it's where the shroud attaches to the hull attachment.
Bottom line damage bill (that I know of so far): 1 x broken shroud, 1 x bent mast footing (from the force), 3 battons protruding from the sail due to the sail being stuck under the boat on the tow home (could not drop the main) and what appears to be a bent mast float attachment.
Sure there was a bot of wind about, but nothing more than normal. I imagine those shrouds handle quite some load. Has anyone else had this happen? Anything I can do in future to avoid it?
I will see if insurance will cover and hopefully the boat yard will turn it around quickly.
Gav from Sydney