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

[Gordon Laco]

Hello Glenn - 

I was a resident at the Navy's facility at Work Point (well named place)
doing my Basic Officer's Training Course...at age 50!  Mentally and
physically the toughest thing I ever got myself involved with.

Where is Everett Marina?  Would I have seen your boat there?

Cheers - Gord Surprise #426






> Second your shackles comment... Not in Victoria, but nearby in Everett Marina.
> 
> Glenn Brooks
> Dolce
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: Gordon Laco <mainstay at csolve.net>
>> 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.
>>> _______________________________________________
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>> 
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Please support them.
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> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> Please support them.
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