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After a light wind monday (had to work anyway) I walked out of my motel to
see things getting a bit breezy and headed off to the flats. The water was
still pretty smooth from the day before but there was a fair amount of
wind kicking up from the southeast with the help of the sun. I rigged biggest
I could and had a great time planing nonstop on the laguna. After noon,
the wind started to pick up and I was nicely overpowered on the same setup
absolutely screaming along. On one outbound reach about as far out as I
normally go I heard a crraaacckkk and then a split instant later the sail
just folded in half with me hitting the water at speed. The mast had broken
right above the boom. In fairness it was a 4 year old mast, but it was
a warrantee replacement for another (Fiberspar) mast which broke on its
first pump in Maui. These things are light but they do seem to be fragile.
In any case a kind freestyle gal saw the whole thing and offered to tow
me in (thanks!) but I needed to get everything organized. I derigged the unharmed
sail and the shredded mast promptly sunk to the bottom. I felt bad about that
but the plugs were long gone and it was hard to hold on to it and everything
else. Eventually I had everything lashed to the board and commenced a long
walk back in the waist deep water (one session previous with this mast I would have been
in La Ventana... glad it didn't happen there). Not long after a spring breaker
from Louisiana on a jet ski of all things came by and offered to tow me
in. So, I sat on the back of the ski and held the back footstrap. That made
a tiring hour walk into a 10 minute ride. The guy even offered me a beer.
Thanks Dude! Without a mast, my day was over. Went to Phil Money's to
check out replacement masts. All the had was heavy 30% carbon but with me lately
attempting to wave sail and all the broken masts I've had maybe that will
suit me better anyway. Wind died that afternoon, but I'll be ready for next
time!
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