[Public-list] Dismasting! Alberg 30 yawl at Brand's

Sat Jul 15 08:46:35 PDT 2006

Hi Guys - 

I am just back from being away 10 weeks - am sort of jumping in the
discussion so sorry if what I am about to contribute has already been
covered.

There must be no shackles anywhere in your standing rigging - if you have
them, get rid of them!  A rig failure involving a shackle often means no
insurance coverage.  There should be a toggle under each turnbuckle to allow
articulation, but never a shackle, as so many older boats that have been in
the hands of inexperienced or negligent owners end up being fitted with.

Anyway - I got home on Thursday...chucked Surprise in the water
Friday...late start to the season but I am here at last.

Anybody on the list from Victoria (moored above bascule bridge near where
Pacific Grace and Pacific Swift are based)?  I saw your A30 but never got
leave at a time when I could drop by and visit.

Cheers - Gord Surprise #426

>       John,
> Thanks for the additional information on the extra shackle between the
> turnbuckle and the SS chainplate.  Per Don's advice I will use at least 10x
> magnification to examine all my bronze fittings that hold up the mast.
> Though, from all that has been discussed, I am going to start a budget for
> replacement with newer fittings to replace the bronze.  I might try the
> "Zyglo" dye inspection in addition to the visual and report back to the group
> about how that goes.  I have gotten the point that the bronze does have a
> useful life and depending on how hard the boat was driven, we are now ,for all
> Alberg 30's, playing Russian Roulette with mast support.  All have mentioned
> that it is way better to throw away fittings that may have some life left in
> them, vs, having the failure that you did.  I don't feel that I need to have
> the same failure on my boat to drive the point home.  Your failure SIR has
> probably prevented we from experiencing the same, and for that I thank you.
>  
> When I mentioned Travis' marina I really meant Brand's.  A brain fart on my
> part.  At Brand's is where I first discovered what an Alberg 30 was.  We were
> considering Bristol's, Cape Dory's and then we spied the Alberg 30.  These are
> all good boats in their own right but, we really fell in Love with the Alberg
> 30.  In the fall of 2001 there was one at Brand's on the hard that was for
> sale.  It had a dark blue hull and was owned by someone from out east.  At the
> same time we reviewed the boats in the water and spotted your boat, the yawl
> rig and I think another boat.  There was a very pretty Alberg 30 which had
> nice, unusal, wooden shroud guards it had a light colored
> hull......................I wonder if that was your boat.
>  
> Anyway we spent the remainder of the summer looking at Alberg 30's and finally
> bought # 133 from Saint Clair, Michigan.
>  
> Geroge is right the Association should try to obtain not only the Alberg 30
> Yawl plans but the story as well.  Interesting........................would
> really like to feel how she sails.  Say Hello to Andy M from all of us in
> Albergland, ;-)
>  
> Michael 
>     
> 
> 
> John Brugeman <johnbrugeman at ameritech.net> wrote:   Michael,
> 
> We did have a shackle fitting between the turnbuckle and the SS chainplate. We
> are not sure which failed. Positive thing is we will get new mast, new
> rigging, new electronics, and paint job where there was damage to the cabin
> top and the side of the hull. In checking some of the other bronze fittings
> that were savaged, we found many of the turnbuckles loose at the threads.
> We keep our boat at Brand's Marina in Port Clinton and I know the gentleman
> who owns the Alberg that was converted to a yawl. I have never sailed with him
> so I can't say how an Alberg yawl sails. Andy M., the owner, doesn't sail much
> as his health isn't very good. As Andy tells it though; he called Carl Alberg
> one day and asked if he had ever designed a yawl. Carl told him he had it on
> paper but it was never built. Carl told him to send him $5 and he would send
> him the plans, and he did. Andy refit his Alberg to the plans Carl had sent
> him and it looks great but I can't say how it sails. How did you know about
> this boat?
> 
> John Brugeman
> Mermaid 305
> 
> 
> 
> Michael Connolly wrote:
> John,
> It looks like you have taken proper precautions to prevent a dismasting. I
> wonder if there is a failsafe way of inspecting older bronze fittings. My boat
> #133 has all of its original bronze fittings and if I remember there is a
> clevis at each end of each of the turnbuckles, but no shackles. Did you have
> an extra shackle fitting between the turnbuckle clevis and the SS Chainplate?
> 
> Sorry to hear of the damage to your boat. Do you slip at Travis Boatyard in
> Port Clinton? If so, have you seen the Alberg 30 that was made into a Yawl? Do
> you know how well that boat sails?
> 
> Michael 
> 
> 
> 
> John Brugeman wrote: Michael,
> 
> This mast is removed every fall and inspected every spring at launch. I think
> this was a matter of age fatigue of some of the original bronz fittings. I
> replaced wires in 1998 but some of the old shackles were reused because they
> looked great. None of the wires failed, which is usually the case. Always the
> fittings.
> 
> John Brugeman, Mermaid 305
> 
> Michael Connolly wrote:
> John,
> I am curious. Were all the stays and shrouds original or had you done any
> replacements? How often have you inspected the rig? When you have inspected
> all and know exactly what failed I would like to know what failed and where.
> Thanks.
> 
> George will know who is making a mast extrusion that is closest to the
> original. Shipping will likely be much of the cost to you.
> 
> Michael #133
> 
> 
> 
> John Brugeman wrote: Fellow Albergers,
> 
> The Mermaid (3068305) had a disastrous dismasting in Lake Erie last Saturday
> July 1st while under sail. We were on a hard port tack with about 10-15 knots
> of wind with the rail in the water. It looks like the upper port shroud let
> loose at the masthead and then the two port lower ones let loose. It was like
> a rifle shot and it was all over in a few seconds. The mast folded and the
> mast and sails dove off the boat, with very little damage to the deck and hull
> except for a couple of deep scratches topside. We were about 3 miles off Port
> Clinton, Ohio and were able to be towed in via Boat U.S. Needless to say, our
> new main came through without any damage, and the jib had some small rub holes
> in it which certainly can be repaired. The mast and the instrumentation at the
> head, however, were trashed and the rigging will have to all be replaced.
> There are also some rub marks on the starboard side of the hull where the mast
> was rubbing while being towed.
> 
> I would like to hear some comments/suggestions from fellow Albergers who may
> have experienced this same situation. Where might one purchase a new mast with
> the same configuration, and what brand of turnbuckles and wire would be
> appropriate for replacement? The boom was not damaged, but the gooseneck was
> broken and will have to be replaced. What might one consider for upgrades
> while we have this opportunity to do some things? We still have a wire main
> halyard and most of the boat is original. We even have the original Kenyon
> instruments.
> 
> We are still in the investigative stage of this accident without an estimate.
> We do have a very capable full service marina, which I am very confident with,
> handling the estimating and who will be doing most of the work,. Three years
> ago we redid the deck on this boat and this same marina did an excellent job.
> 
> Needless to say, we are still in shock as to what happened to our lovely lady.
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-list mailing list
> Public-list at alberg30.org
> http://alberg30.org/mailman/listinfo/public-list
> 
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-list mailing list
> Public-list at alberg30.org
> http://alberg30.org/mailman/listinfo/public-list
> 
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-list mailing list
> Public-list at alberg30.org
> http://alberg30.org/mailman/listinfo/public-list
> 
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-list mailing list
> Public-list at alberg30.org
> http://alberg30.org/mailman/listinfo/public-list
> 
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-list mailing list
> Public-list at alberg30.org
> http://alberg30.org/mailman/listinfo/public-list
> 
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-list mailing list
> Public-list at alberg30.org
> http://alberg30.org/mailman/listinfo/public-list

 1152978395.0