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Re: [Amel Yacht Owners] Amel rigging

Bill Kinney <greatketch@...>
 

James,

I am quite sure that if the main mast came down, in short order the triatic connection would bring down the mizzen as well—or break itself!  If the mizzen rigging failed, we would have to figure something out.  It would be an ugly tangle...

On this topic and others, I learned a lot watching the Yachting Monthly Crash Test Boat videos, available on Youtube. 

The dismasting, and the fire on board segments were especially instructive, but all are well worth a look.  Certainly, the hacksaw did a bang up job in their testing.  For wires laying across the deck, a premium set of bolt cutters might be fastest, but it would be awkward or unusable for those that go directly over the side.

So much of what we read and discuss about emergency procedures is speculation, or guesses about what might work that is presented as authoritative fact by “experts".  I learned this while I was putting together a demonstration for a Man-overboard recovery class.  Somethings that were presented as “best practice” barely worked at all, other things which nobody expected to work were first rate.




Bill Kinney
SM #160, Harmonie
Annapolis, MD
“Ships and men rot in port."





On Oct 13, 2016, at 09:12, lokiyawl2 lokiyawl2@... [amelyachtowners] <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:


Ian and Judy,

   I think that you are right about the bolt cutters based on my own experiences in cutting large stainless cable....   On my own boat I like to use silicon bronze Cotter pins which unlike their stainless counterparts are pretty easy to straighten and remove.  I always thought that removal of the clevis pins where possible might be faster than cutting in such a situation but I  thankfully so far I have ever had to test the theory.   I also carry a good hacksaw and spare blades.

   May I ask a question that has been worrying me?   If one mast comes down on an Amel,   it seems that the head of the downed mast will be held out of reach by the triatic stay.   I wonder how one could safely cut or release that stay?   

Best,

James Alton
SV Sueno,  Maramu #220
Sardinia, Italy



Sent from Samsung tablet.

-------- Original message --------
From: "Ian & Judy ianjudyjenkins@... [amelyachtowners]" <amelyachtowners@...> 
Date: 10/13/16 13:52 (GMT+01:00)
Subject: [Amel Yacht Owners] Amel rigging

 

Hi all,

             One tip I thought I would pass on.   When Xvoiles were rerigging our boat the other day I noticed their top of the range, long handled,  Swiss bolt cutters and proudly told them that we had the same item on board.

 "These are no use on a boat " was their comment. On quick reflection I could see what they meant.  To hold each handle and to squeeze them together won't work. You need to put one handle on the deck and press down with both hands on the other. That won't work on an Amel if you lost your rig. Imagine it.


Their answer is much simpler, cheaper and works. Buy yourself three big hack saws and 20 blades, making sure that the blades you buy are specified for stainless wire. That way you can cut the rig at whatever angle the wire is at; two of you can cut at the same time whilst a third ( if you have three on board ) can change blades.


 You live and learn in this life. Hopefully you will never use these items in anger, but you never know.


 Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302 Hyeres


 
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