[Public-List] First time at the Syronelle
Dominic Amann
dominic.amann at gmail.com
Tue Jun 24 08:57:07 PDT 2014
On a side-note, I have installed my electric motor and controller,
installed a battery. I would have launched, but the storm shut us down (the
Angus Tornado touched down as we were driving past Barrie). I hope to
launch this coming weekend at Dutchman's cove, so there will soon be
another A30 near to you in Midland.
On Tue, Jun 24, 2014 at 11:29 AM, Gordon Laco <mainstay at csolve.net> wrote:
> There is a very good article about seamanship in WoodenBoat magazine about
> just what you're talking about, Dominic.
>
> Here's the link: http://www.woodenboat.com/lessons-bounty
>
> I sit on the board of Tall Ships America - as seamen this article struck
> chords with all of us.
>
> Gord
>
>
>
>
> On 24/06/14 11:24 AM, "Dominic Amann" <dominic.amann at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Your story was very instructive. It fits with my own experience and a
> general
> > theory of mastery. There are three stages along the growing mastery
> root with
> > respect to accidents.
>
> 1. Learning - competency is low, but attention is very
> > high, so accidents
> do occur, but not as often as one might think.
>
> 2.
> > Competent - one has become confident, the basics are all known,
> attention
> > starts to drift, accidents happen.
>
> 3. Mastery - along with the basic
> > competence, one has had a minor mishap or
> two, and has learned "constant
> > vigilance".
>
> Of course, tiredness can cause accidents even in stage
> > 3.
>
> Personally, I am more nervous as a passenger with drivers who have
> > never
> had an accident - and especially with those who think they are very
> > good
> drivers.
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 24, 2014 at 11:19 AM, Gordon Laco
> > <mainstay at csolve.net> wrote:
>
> > Hello Eric -
> >
> > Where do you sail Dimanche
> > Matin?
> >
> > Gord #426
> > (I really want to try to instigate A30 racing here at
> > home now...)
> >
> >
> > On 24/06/14 11:16 AM, "Eric Chavigny"
> > <eric.chavigny at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Hi folks,
> > >
> > > Thanks for the
> > story. i can only imagine how stressfull it was. I just
> > bough
> > > A30
> > Dimanche Matin hull number 541 and we got the mast up last weekend.
> > As it
> >
> > > is my firts boat I was quit nervous.
> > >
> > > I will take your advise in
> > checking more then twice the knots and having
> > the
> > > mind clear before
> > undergoing such task
> > >
> > > Eric
> > >
> > >
> > > A30 Dimanche Matin
> > > #541
> >
> > >
> > >
> > >> On Jun 24, 2014, at 11:07, "Gordon Laco" <mainstay at csolve.net>
> > wrote:
> > >>
> > >> Thanks Mike - so I have to come to Annapolis to hear your
> > story?
> > That's not
> > >> so subtle coercion!
> > >>
> > >> We'll try to make it
> > happen.
> > >>
> > >> G
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> On 24/06/14 10:58 AM, "Meinhold, Mike
> > J." <
> > MICHAEL.J.MEINHOLD at leidos.com>
> > >> wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> Gord
> > >>>
> > Thanks for sharing the story and your self-analysis. That's a benefit
> > to
> > us
> > >>> all. That's an awful thing to experience, especially imagining how
> > much
> > >>> worse
> > >>> it could be. (If you don't know my parallel story I
> > will tell you next
> > year
> > >>> with a rum in my hand)
> > >>>
> > >>> I replaced
> > my spreader "roots" or tangs and can provide them to you for
> > >>> models
> >
> > >>> if that helps.
> > >>>
> > >>> I had a great time at the Syronelle and enjoyed
> > sailing against
> > Surprise and
> > >>> socializing with her skipper and crew
> >
> > >>>
> > >>> Mike
> > >>> Rinn Duin 272
> > >>>
> > >>> Michael J. Meinhold
> > >>>
> > Senior Naval Architect, Leidos, Inc.
> > >>> 4321 Collington Road, Bowie, MD
> > 21076
> > >>> michael.j.meinhold at leidos.com
> > >>> 301 352 4734 office 240 350
> > 6974 cell
> > >>>
> > >>> ----- Original Message -----
> > >>> From: Gordon Laco
> > [mailto:mainstay at csolve.net]
> > >>> Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 09:38 AM
> > >>>
> > To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all <
> > public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
> >
> > >>> Subject: Re: [Public-List] First time at the Syronelle
> > >>>
> > >>> It's my
> > own club! I think I'll make an opportunity to go and talk to
> > them
> > >>>
> > directly. A friend doing his term on the board was present so I reckon
> > >>>
> > there will be something official too. I can't order a flogging
> > alas...
> >
> > >>>
> > >>> I'll say again - the racing was great and it was wonderful to see
> > some
> > of
> > >>> you folks.
> > >>>
> > >>> Gord
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>> On
> > 24/06/14 9:33 AM, "John Birch" <Sunstone at cogeco.ca> wrote:
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Sorry
> > to read you were so shabbily treated by a few inconsiderates.
> > Suggest
> > >>>>
> > you write their Club Board.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Touching someone else's mast - 6
> > dozen of your best boson, and lay
> > into it
> > >>>> man.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > >>>> From: "Gordon Laco"
> > <mainstay at csolve.net>
> > >>>> To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <
> >
> > public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
> > >>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 9:16 AM
> >
> > >>>> Subject: [Public-List] First time at the Syronelle
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > Hello friends -
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Well our first participation in an Alberg 30
> > regatta is behind us.
> > >>>> Surprise
> > >>>> is home at her jetty at Midland
> > Bay Sailing Club now (not quite
> > safely but
> > >>>> more of that later).
> >
> > >>>>
> > >>>> First, let me say on behalf of my crew Clint Nielsen (with the
> > Viking
> > >>>> tattoo
> > >>>> on his arm) Steve Parm (who can almost reach the
> > spreaders without
> > strain)
> > >>>> and Peter Laco (my eldest son) that we all
> > enjoyed ourselves
> > immensely.
> > >>>> We
> > >>>> had no idea how we¹d measure
> > up as a racing crew in a One Design
> > fleet...
> > >>>> We¹ve done well racing
> > PHRF here but we¹d never been up against an
> > Alberg
> > >>>> 30
> > >>>> in
> > fighting trim, let along a mob of them.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> It was great to see
> > other boats Olike us¹. Alberg 30¹s are quite
> > capable,
> > >>>> shippy
> > looking sailing vessels; the way sailing yachts should look.
> > We
> > >>>>
> > kept
> > >>>> saying to each other when on various points of sail ³wow, I
> > guess
> > that¹s
> > >>>> what we look like². This reminded me of my brother in
> > law¹s comment
> > after
> > >>>> visiting Holland, homeland of his parents:
> > ³everybody looked like me;
> > tall,
> > >>>> awkward with receding
> > hairlines....²
> > >>>>
> > >>>> The moments before the first race on Saturday
> > morning were filled
> > with a
> > >>>> degree of tension... I had no idea how it
> > would go. We finished
> > fourth but
> > >>>> were starting to calm down and do
> > what we do. When we got to the
> > start
> > >>>> sequence for the second race,
> > we¹d designated JAZZ as our target to
> > beat
> > >>>> and
> > >>>> set ourselves
> > to start aggressively with her. The action in the last
> > >>>> moments was
> > every bit as exciting as anything I¹ve ever experienced.
> > It¹s
> > >>>> great
> > when crossing swords with an expert you can both trust each
> > other
> > >>>>
> > not to do something un-ethical or dangerous... So you can push. An
> > >>>>
> > opportunity appeared in the last seconds and we started in a very good
> > >>>>
> > position. we managed to stride away from the others but with JAZZ in
> >
> > close
> > >>>> combat all the way around the course... But she nipped us with
> >
> > apparent
> > >>>> ease
> > >>>> during the run to the finish. Second in that race
> > was our best
> > finish.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> The rest of the races were in lighter
> > air, some with a chop that I
> > was used
> > >>>> to during the days we lived and
> > raced in Toronto, but I guess I¹d
> > lost the
> > >>>> knack of dealing with. We
> > had difficulty keeping SURPRISE moving and
> > my
> > >>>> attempts at casting the
> > dice didn¹t pan out. We were very pleased
> > that our
> > >>>> worst race, third
> > on Saturday I think, was also one of SAM¹s best, so
> > our
> > >>>> team mate
> > dragged us up enough that we finished fourth overall in the
> > final
> > >>>>
> > reckoning.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Somebody asked me Owhat happened to you guys¹ after
> > the first day
> > all I
> > >>>> can say is the chop in the very light air was
> > difficult for me and I
> > think
> > >>>> I
> > >>>> became frustrated and wasn¹t
> > making good decisions with regard to
> > tactics.
> > >>>> During our best race,
> > aside from still being optimistic, there was
> > enough
> > >>>> air that we were
> > sailing in the area of 4.5 to to 4.7 knots most of
> > the
> > >>>> time
> > >>>> we
> > had enough air to keep SURPRISE trudging along and we were able to
> > keep
> >
> > >>>> up. A skipper I sailed for and learned a lot from once told me
> > Olight
> > air
> > >>>> sailing is what really separates the good from the not so good
> > racing
> > >>>> skippers...¹
> > >>>>
> > >>>> It was a great experience. I told my
> > wife when I got home yesterday
> > that
> > >>>> the regatta combined the two
> > elements that make yacht racing
> > fantastic. We
> > >>>> had great battles out
> > on the water; with good sportsmanship... And
> > >>>> comradeship and
> > cooperation in the evenings. I learned a lot and
> > with
> > >>>> luck, may be
> > a more consistent threat to the leaders next time.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> So Sunday
> > afternoon came. With John Kitchener¹s and other¹s help we
> > >>>> lowered
> >
> > >>>> the mast onto SURPRISE¹s deck and motored away to the commercial
> > marina
> > for
> > >>>> hauling out Monday morning. On the way across Toronto Bay we
> > crossed
> > paths
> > >>>> with an Alberg 30 named MADRIGAL III which I recall
> > racing against
> > when I
> > >>>> crewed in SURYA, an A30 which won the Syronelle
> > when I was a boy back
> > in
> > >>>> the
> > >>>> early O70¹s. I thoroughly
> > approved of her colour scheme and told her
> > >>>> skipper, who turns out to
> > have owned her since she was new (same
> > colour as
> > >>>> SURPRISE).
> > >>>>
> >
> > >>>> I slept by myself in the boat and by mid morning Monday we were on
> > the
> > boat
> > >>>> transporter and rolling up to Midland. Two hours later we were in
> > the
> > >>>> water
> > >>>> in Georgian Bay again. Last night we motored over our
> > Club¹s mast
> > crane
> > >>>> and
> > >>>> that¹s where things began to go wrong.
> >
> > >>>>
> > >>>> The yacht transporter had brought our mast over to the club so
> > we
> > wouldn¹t
> > >>>> have to carry it off the boat very kind of him. Upon
> > arrival we
> > found a
> > >>>> bit of a disturbance going on... An old member
> > with a drinking issue
> > was in
> > >>>> the fourth hour of trying to raise his
> > mast and was in an altercation
> > with
> > >>>> a
> > >>>> responsible member who
> > was trying to intervene to resolve their
> > tangled rig
> > >>>> and get them out
> > from under the crane and clear the dock. When we
> > >>>> arrived
> > >>>> with
> > SURPRISE on the tractor trailer rig, the difficult member
> > accosted me
> > >>>>
> > shouting Oyou can¹t launch that boat here!¹ I thought he was kidding
> > so
> >
> > >>>> said with a laugh Osure we can, it¹s only 10,000 lbs, I¹ll use the>
> > high
> > >>>> jib²
> > >>>> (normally only used for masts) Then I realized what
> > was going on and
> > tried
> > >>>> to explain I was only dropping off the mast...
> > He wasn¹t listening.
> > We put
> > >>>> our mast on horses and left.
> > >>>>
> >
> > >>>> I went by an hour later to see if the crane was available and found
> >
> > the
> > >>>> difficult member gone, and another yacht I¹d never seen raising
> > her
> > >>>> mast...and my mast (complete with new genoa on the furler) thrown
> > on
> > the
> > >>>> ground; my horses under their mast. I asked if they¹d done
> > that,
> > they said
> > >>>> yes. I said Olet¹s put it back up again
> > please¹...they complied with
> > poor
> > >>>> grace.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> I went home
> > for supper and when I came back found the mast on the
> > ground
> > >>>> again
> > with the masthead only on a block of wood. Not very nice.
> > Feeling
> > >>>>
> > cranky, but with the help of friends we began the process of stepping
> > a
> >
> > >>>> simple job. We had the mast over the boat horizontally about five
> > feet
> > up
> > >>>> (the jetty is high) and were beginning to raise it. Then a
> > remarkable
> > >>>> thing
> > >>>> happened. The knot I¹d tied for the crane hook
> > sling line, which I
> > thought
> > >>>> was a bowline, began slipping and
> > apparently in slow motion snaked
> > itself
> > >>>> out and we dropped the mast
> > diagonally across SURPRISE.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> I was holding the heel of the mast
> > and received quite a wallop as the
> > heel
> > >>>> bucked upwards when the mast
> > landed on the cabin top and the head
> > went down
> > >>>> into the water. We
> > all stood still for an instant... What an
> > embarrassing
> > >>>> and
> > potentially very dangerous incident. Damage? Only slight
> > luckily.
> > >>>>
> > The
> > >>>> mainsail, bundled on the boom and laying on deck, took most of
> > the
> > landing
> > >>>> impact. The portside lifeline, somewhat slack without
> > the shrouds
> > >>>> spreading
> > >>>> it, took the rest. Mysteriously the
> > starboard spreader was broken
> > off at
> > >>>> the tangs, which were bent. I
> > didn¹t see this happen but reckon that
> > the
> > >>>> sling line must have
> > snaked around the shroud/spreader and for an
> > instant
> > >>>> bore the weight
> > of the mast before breaking and letting the mast
> > complete
> > >>>> it¹s fall.
> > If that is what happened, I reckon the spreader
> > contributed to
> > >>>> the
> > relatively soft landing the mast made across the cabin top.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > Looking back on the mast raising operation, I considered the cascade
> > of
> >
> > >>>> events that led to the accident. The RCN trained me to watch for
> such
> >
> > >>>> things as part of the Bridge Resource Management regime of thinking
> >
> > the
> > >>>> Navy
> > >>>> uses; regardless, I didn¹t see any of the signs. They
> > taught us that
> > one
> > >>>> can be on the road to trouble long before one is
> > aware that the
> > cascade has
> > >>>> started
> > >>>>
> > >>>> I was tired. I was
> > upset by the drama happening at the mast crane
> > when I
> > >>>> arrived at the
> > club. I was further upset by the behaviour of the
> > people
> > >>>> who
> > >>>>
> > put my mast on the ground (new members it turns out probably didn¹t
> > know
> >
> > >>>> any better) The result? I tied a bad knot. I remember checking
> it>
> > but
> > >>>> obviously didn¹t really look at it and feel it as I normally do.
> >
> > That is
> > >>>> the only explanation I can offer for the sling line releasing.
> > I
> > don¹t
> > >>>> believe it is possible for a bowline to snake through itself
> > as we
> > all saw
> > >>>> that one do. I tied it with a long tail, so we all had
> > time to see
> > it go.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> We¹re lucky the mast wasn¹t higher...we¹re
> > lucky we didn¹t have the
> > mast
> > >>>> vertical with people on the boat
> > kneeling to shoot the pins in to
> > secure
> > >>>> the
> > >>>> shrouds and stays
> > when it came down. I am very lucky nobody got
> > hurt, I
> > >>>> would have
> > been responsible for what might have been a tragedy. I am
> > lucky
> > >>>> the
> > damage isn¹t worse.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> So, the ending not withstanding, it was a
> > terrific weekend. I¹m
> > sorry the
> > >>>> explanation of the accident seems to
> > have overshadowed the good stuff
> > but
> > >>>> I¹m still getting used to the
> > idea that it really happened!!!
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Gord
> > >>>> Surprise 426
> > >>>>
> > (yes, I will race with you folks again.... Can¹t wait)
> > >>>>
> > _______________________________________________
> > >>>> These businesses
> > support your Association:
> > >>>>
> > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> > >>>> Please support them.
> >
> > >>>> _______________________________________________
> > >>>> Public-List
> > mailing list
> > >>>> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
> > >>>>
> > http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
> > >>>>
> >
> > >>>>
> > >>>> _______________________________________________
> > >>>> These
> > businesses support your Association:
> > >>>>
> > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> > >>>> Please support them.
> >
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> > mailing list
> > >>>> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
> > >>>>
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> > >>>
> > >>>
> >
> > >>> _______________________________________________
> > >>> These businesses
> > support your Association:
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> > >>> Please support them.
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> > >>>
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> > >>>
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> > >>> These businesses support
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> > >>>
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> >
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> > >>>
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> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > _______________________________________________
> > >> These businesses support
> > your Association:
> > >> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> > >>
> > Please support them.
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >>
> > Public-List mailing list
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> > >>
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> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > These businesses support
> > your
> > > Association:
> > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> >
> > Please support
> > > them.
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> >
> > Public-List mailing
> > > list
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> >
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> > > lic-list-alberg30.org
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > These businesses support
> > your Association:
> > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> > Please
> > support them.
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
>
>
>
> --
> >
>
>
>
> Where there is a shell, there is a way...
>
> Dominic Amann
> M
> > 416-270-4587
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses
> > support your
> > Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support
> > them.
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
>
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> Please support them.
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>
--
Where there is a shell, there is a way...
Dominic Amann
M 416-270-4587
1403625427.0
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