We have put it through a test

 

Thanks for the info on the 350 rig tension.

Have written them down.

 

As far as the handling of the main halyard jamming I need to say Hetterschijt have done a good job in making an appointment for me to go to this rigger (called Neut-Mast in Middelharnis) while this guy is very busy.

I know the guy and I know he is very good. He is a dealer to Sparcraft and accepts no compromise for quality.

 

There was just not enough time to talk to him about rig tension. There were three other boats with all sorts of mast problems waiting to be helped.

 

I will need some more time to inform you about the rest of the items.

 

Regards, Willem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I realise my response to your reaction on my post is a bit late , but I have been very busy and did not look at the answers on my posts very good.

 

The main was of course reefed twice ( had no third one) and according to our expectations about the weather we thought we would not need a third reef.

 

Then the question about lowering the main and sail back with the jib:

 

Lowering the main was impossible due to what I discribed before and I don't think you would like to run into a port with the main up ?? in these conditions. I thought `if this sail does not come down, I will go back inside to get my knife (which I should have on me) and cut the main to ribbons`and I would have. We are talking about trying to make it out alive you know.

So once we decided it has to come down one way or the other we were happy it did. I went forward to pull it down with all my force (110kg) on a lifeline and it almost  came down. ( not all the way, but good enough).

 

We then got the jib out half way I suppose and the boat was very controlable. You can imagine being pulled forward by the jib only half out with 8 knots speed. If in these conditions you were to rely on your main and jib or main only you then are not pulled forward but pushed forward and the boat becomes a bit unstearable. This is my experience from previous occasions. We use to say with conditions like this you would dig yourself in, meaning nose down, rear up and no proper stearing no more.

 

It of course is a balance between the different sail settings I know but in this case it had to do with trying to survive ok?

 

I do agree with you that the fact the boat brought us home is a very big +++++ so next time I go out I will not be worried no more. Broken stuff is totally unimportant ( altough the wife thinks different) but as I stated in my previous post broken stuff can be very dangerous too.

 

Thanks for the input Panos.

I do like this forum !!

 

Regards, Willem