Eric, I very recently had the main sheet attachment actually pull out of the
boom on an older Super Maramu in ten knots of wind. Most of all the symptoms
you mention were present after the fact but none of them were visible prior.
The rig had just been completely disassembled, painted, rewired, new
standing and running rigging.the whole nine yards. I, in addition to my
riggers, who I consider to be top notch, completely inspected and put 'hands
on' the entire rig when the old paint was mostly removed to check for failed
welds, distortion, any evidence of abuse. None was noted. We are repairing
it by welding in a doubler where the old sheet attachment was. Eric, I would
strongly recommend that you do not move the attachment point forward at all.
As you know, the position of the sheet makes it necessary to 'tack' the
opening window/port in the port side dodger. Many customers moved this
attachment forward a few inches to gain more clearance on the dodger
opening. This usually results in the boom breaking catastrophically at the
"improved" attachment point. Jacques Carteau told me to NEVER move the
attachment forward as the downward pull on the boom would cause exactly this
failure. When attached as designed, the pull down is mitigated somewhat with
some of the energy pulling the boom forward. When I give 'new to them'
second hand Super Maramu owners the Amel School on their boats, I always
make a point to tell them about this as it is so attractive to want to make
it easier to use the dodger opening on all points of sail. I learned from
the bad experiences of several SM 53 owners on this issue that, once again,
the more peculiar something on an Amel seems, all the more reason to leave
it exactly as it was designed. I am happy to discuss this with you if you
feel the need. All you good folks who have moved the attachment on your SM
53 main sheet forward, please, move it back!
All the best,
Joel
Joel F. Potter - Cruising Yacht Specialist, LLC
Amel's Sole Associate for the Americas
Mailing Address: 401 East Las Olas Boulevard #130-126
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301
Phone: (954) 462-5869 Cell: (954) 812-2485
Email: jfpottercys@...
www.yachtworld.com/jfpottercys
