Shape of the Jib - episode 4 - The Harp Strikes Back

Saturday 8 May was a day of promise.

I had managed to get a brand new jib sheave box from the local Welsh Harp Shop ( http://www.welshharp.co.uk - thank you, Robert O’Neill), which together with the new jib halyard meant that we had a replacement system for the boat. 

But the day was going to be a strong test - not only for the new sheave block (did I screw it in strongly enough...?), but also for Tom & myself.

The winds were over 15 knots - typically Force 5 with gusts of Force 7. For that reason, the OOD decided to run three races back-to-back, since the forecast suggested that it could get even stronger later on. 

As well as the new sheave box, we also swapped out the genoa sheets for thicker and longer ones to make it easier in high winds. The new genoa was calibrated for 400 lbs tension.

Sailing out to the racing area was not too bad. The issue came when we were hit by unexpected gusts. The trick will be to spot these on the water before they hit us, but that is a skill I am still learning. In some cases I was able to react quickly enough. In others, I was caught out.

As we prepared for the first race, it was helpful to plane along on a reach behind the starting line, just to get used to the feel of the rudder (more sensitive at high speeds) and the boat balance. But I have to say that I am still not very good at keeping the boat flat. 

At that time we had our first breakage - the additional string holding the mainsheet broke away. So we went head-to-wind whilst I replaced it with a piece that I carried in my buoyancy aid. Always carry a spare piece of string !

We made a reasonable start, in clear air, on the committee side of the boat. The course was 2-1-6-5, which would give us (in theory) a spinnaker run from 1 to 6. However, Tom & I decided that we would forego the kite - at least on the first leg. 

Coming off the down-wind leg, we headed up into a reach. 

Our first capsize was due to sheer pressure of the wind and our inability to react quickly enough to it. But I was able to get the boat up reasonably quickly and we carried on. The safety boat was there for us very soon, but not required at that time. 

The second capsize, quite some time later, was more problematic. In this case, the strength of the wind was such that the boat fell back into the water as soon as she was brought up. Again, the safety boat was extremely helpful (thank you soo much, Louise !) and put a line round the forestay to keep the boat head-to-wind whilst she righted, and gave Tom time to untie the "knitting". 

We ended up being lapped in the first race, but were allocated a position anyway. 

For the Second race, Tom took over, and I proposed that we did one lap to number one, before going in, as I was getting very tired. 

Then it happened.

I had only experienced one Capsize to Windward previously, and anyone who knows about these things will tell you that it happens extremely fast, when the wind suddenly drops and the whole rig collapses on top of you. Both Tom & I were out of the boat, which was caught by the wind and pushed towards the muddy end of the lake beyond buoy number 8. 

I tried to reassure Tom (it was his first windward capsize), and then realised that the Mainsheet had trapped me under the boat. I called for Safety, but fortunately I was able to get myself clear before they had to cut me out. 

Trying to right the boat from the centreboard was difficult, and I was pushed back into the water. At that point, my Racing Watch on my wrist was trapped by the spinnaker sheet, and jammed me next to the boat. I was left dangly off the side of the boat with only my wrist watch holding me above water. Inevitably, the watch strap gave way, and I lost my racing watch in the water. The boat then drifted away again, with Tom & myself trying to swim after her.

At that point, the boat was in about three feet of water, and Tom was able to stand in the mud. The downwind progress was stopped by the end of the Main Boom digging into the mud. Tom was able to right her, as I tried to bring the boom free from the mud. Once we were in, it was a case of trying to take her upwind with very little centreboard (otherwise it would be in the mud), and limited rudder. But we eventually got her free. 

Meanwhile, Racing had been abandoned, since we were by no means the only casualties. In fact, we had got off very lightly compared with others.

So Tom helmed the boat back in - a great job by him in strong conditions. 

Net losses for the day: 

• Rope holding the mainsheet to the port transom had to be replaced
• The starboard jib sheet cleat needing to be replaced (probably have to replace both, just in case)
• Some mud to be cleaned off the main boom (and a few other places...)
• A new racing watch required (expensive!)
• Significant loss of dignity !

Net gains:

• We know the boat is basically solid, including the new jib sheave box.
• We know we can (almost) handle Force 5 gusting Force 7

Next time, I will try hiking out more, and pinch up in the gusts. 

Shape of the Jib - episodes 1, 2 and 3

Episode 1: A New Hope

It was back to the water (at last!) on 17th April. 

I know I was feeling a bit rusty, but it was a chance to try out 13941 after a long break due to the COVID lock-downs. 

Luckily, the boat appeared in good shape. A new tie-down was required for the port spinnaker sheet. We have a new bowsprit - to keep the spinnaker sheet from falling in the water - made from an old burgee mast bent back on itself, and the burgee needed to be replaced. Other than that, we were good to go.

Winds were light - F1 with gusts of no more than F3. 

The day was three races back-to-back: A, followed by B, followed by the final A race.

Romek Kowalewski offered to crew for me, and he made a good job of keeping the boat flat. Romek is currently learning how to fly the spinnaker, and he preferred to just crew today, so we "cruised" around the "B" race, but were able to keep track of the rest of the fleet. 

For the third race, we apparently fouled a Laser being helmed by a friend of mine - I guess neither of us were properly paying attention, as I was not even aware of having been in anyone's way. That third race was compounded by snagging the bow of the committee boat with the main halyard on the downwind spinnaker run.

Apart from that, it was good to get out in the water. Hopefully, the cobwebs have been cleared out, and we can look forward to a season of learning how to sail again.

Episode 2: The Phantom Menace

I was looking forward to the following racing on 24th. The plan was A, B, with a tea break and final A race.

Winds were F3-F4 with some exciting gusts. Tom Lohan was crewing for me, and looking forward to his own race later on in the afternoon.

In the first race, we had a middle-of-fleet start, and were taking time before we got control of the boat in the slightly stronger winds compared with the previous week. Although I have never been front-of-the-fleet, I did feel that we were holding our own on the beat to the Eastern part of the lake.

On the spinnaker run down towards the number 2 buoy, we were still holding off a few other boats. Then a  gybe round number 2, down to number 1 on a quick reach, and back into a beat heading east again. Then it happened.

As we got onto the beat, the boat did not feel right. Looking at the genoa luff, there was a huge curve where the rig tension luff wire should have been. It was as if the rig tension had been let off going downwind. I do sometimes let out the genoa tension downwind (something that is more common in a boat like a Star than a GP14, I know...), but could not remember having done so this time. Nevertheless, I yanked on the rig tension - to find that nothing was reponding. Clearly something was very wrong. 

It took quite a while as we drifted around trying to master the boat and get back on the beat. Then it became clear what had happened. The pulley sheave block for the genoa - that controls the entry of the genoa halyard into the mast - had completely pulled out of the mast. 

I guess that was primarily a case of "wear and tear" - to boat itself is 14 years old - and the rig tension that I had put on had simply pulled the sheave out of the mast. The block was only held in place by two self-tapping screws. Maybe my enthusiasm with the halyard had been a last straw. Game over.

We abandoned the race, sailed back, and tried to repair the damage with some help from some parts from my friend "Scooter". We parked the boat under a building, so we could work on the block from the balcony. But to no avail. 

My attempts to work on the rig tension of the mended block had a worse effect - I pulled out some metal from the mast.

So we took the mast off the boat, and I went home, contemplating several hundred pounds needed for a replacement mast. 

Episode 3: Revenge of the Jib

During the week, a Force - in the shape of Craig Sanders - intervened. 

Craig had seen my issues, and during the week he pop-riveted two pieces of metal onto the mast and re-connected the block. In so doing, he saved me a significant amount of money. 

So all looked well. It was time to try out the boat again on 1st May.

The conditions looked promising for a shake-down of the new halyard setup. Winds were F1with a couple of gusts of F2. Although the wind was veering and backing quite a lot. At one time it was Northerly, and later on it became more Westerly. Tom Lohan was keen to have another go.

When setting up the boat, it appeared that I could not pull on enough tension - something I put down to the different sized pulley on the sheave block. And bearing in mind the light winds, there did not seem to be a problem with having only 350 lb of pressure, rather than the normal 400 lb. Little did I know what had happened.

Due to an approaching storm, the decision was taken to do three races back-to-back. 

The races were reasonably uneventful. I was able to get a fairly good start in both of my races, and Tom did a blinding start, and was 4th up the beat. However, we were both a bit slow on the rest of the race, and so we slipped back. 

I think my biggest problem at the moment is a lack of focus / concentration.  My aim in the weeks ahead is to improve my focus over the duration of a race, starting at the starting, and then focusing on making sure I am strong on the first leg - then build on that. I don't expect to do any "Open" events this year - if I can focus on improving my fleet position in the Harp, then I will be content this year. Maybe the Worlds in 2022 ? But only if I can improve in the meantime. 

So we returned to the jetty with a relaxed approach. It had been a fruitful start. I was confident that I was on the start of a learning season. 

But I could not let down the genoa. The rig tension was stuck up, and would not release. And that was in addition to the fact that I had not been able to pull it on earlier. The penny dropped - the genoa halyard was jammed into the sheave block. 

Sure enough, when we turned the boat over, we had to struggle to unjam the halyard. 

On inspection, it became clear that the existing block and pulley were too far worn. In addition, when examining the jib halyard, the metal had frayed, and had gained a "memory" kink. It was time to order a replacement for each. 

So it was back home to crack open the laptop and try to source a new Jib Halyard and Sheave block. 

The next episode will follow shortly....