 |
| |
Be prepared - ready made Jury rigs By Fred Barter |  | | |
There are many more things that can break on a boat other than the main mast. A complete collapse of the rigging and the subsequent chaos are the most dramatic events normally associated with a Jury rig. Preparing for such a situation is practical up to a point but you certainly can't carry a spare mast on board and you probably don't have room for the many of the products intended to sort things out when disaster comes. Some obvious tools are necessary: A powerful set of bolt cutters for freeing the broken rig, which might do more damage to the hull if left to its own devices, is mandatory.
Rigging
If you can't carry a spare mast, you can certainly have a length of spare wire on board equal to the spec of the headstay on your boat (often the first to fail). It's a good idea to have measured the length of your backstay, forestay and cap shrouds. You can then mark your spare so that it can be cut accurately and quickly, knowing that the length will be correct. You should also have some Norseman type terminals matching those on your boat. Its good practice to also have some spare 'Fork' type terminals so that a stainless steel 'link plate', predrilled at a number of centres, can be used to extend the length of a broken section. Have a word with your boatyard rigger who will know which bits are the most vulnerable and will be happy to sell you the parts you need. If your boom breaks, take heart, a quick and simple solution is to get rid of the broken bits and sheet the loose foot of the sail to a strong point aft. You can adjust the leech tension with a down-haul.
|
 |
|
The aftermath from a hurricane hitting a harbour. Picture taken by Bob Sheffield from Northern Yacht Surveyors. To visit his site go to www.yachtsurveyor.co.uk.
|
| |
Smashed windows
Offshore sailors often carry storm covers ready to be fitted in really bad weather. If a window or hatch breaks then the ingress of water can't be controlled and the boat could soon be swamped. Your preparations should include buying a spare sheet of marine ply, marking it up and cutting the various sizes you might need. These can be stored in convenient spaces depending on your boats configuration. You will also need some threaded rod or longish bolts, butterfly nuts and and some short lengths of aluminium L section. Some form of robust fixing is required: you can use the threaded rod to pass through the ply and the L section, The cover can then be fitted and adjusted inside with butterfly nuts. All of this measuring and preparation can be done onshore in comfort before you go cruising.
Sail repairs
You should carry a band aid in the form of an eight inch wide strip of sail material equal to the heaviest weight you have on board. After you been able to dry the damaged section (if you can) then apply the spare material to both sides of the tear and apply some instant contact glue. A few stitches to keep it in place initially will do the job. Try it out beforehand to make sure your glue is compatible with the sail materials.
A basic survival pack should include:
Long bolts for window and hatch repairs
Cheap brushes you can afford to throw away
Contact Glue
Pre-cut window and hatch covers
A roll of eight inch wide sailcloth
Replacement headstay
Pre-cut and drilled stainless plate
Some galvanised seizing wire
At least 150 metres of 8mm polyprop rope
Bolt cutters
|
|
| | Want to send this article to a friend? Please join here | | |
| | Discuss this article, 1 of 14 messages, read more: |  Roxanna Maynard | |
| Posted: 10/10/05 11:39:57 57 | | After reading this article, I found myself being slightly surprised that no one has ever thought of thinking up a retractable mast! If you had it like the aerial for a radio and it could fold into its self, then it could be a very useful piece of kit. Am I going mad, but is there method in my madness? |
| | Related articles:
| |
| |
| |
