July 18th, 2016
Catskill, NY
This is becoming a habit. I never left Riverview Marina in Catskill, NY today. Hang on; it was a hell of a day.
My tent was set up in the parking lot of the marina last night and it was probably the best sleep I’ve had on this trip. I slept right through the night. I awoke at 6am hearing a car drive through. Turned out to be one of the mechanics here. I got up made breakfast and decided to do some laundry while I awaited the Un-stepping of the masts on Moonbeam that I wanted to observe.
Last night while taking a shower, the bone chip from Lexie’s ashes that I had implanted under the tattoo came out. It had been pushing up for months now and I knew it was only a matter of time. I am glad it came out when it did, as I was able to recover it. My plan was to mail it back to Arlene and have it kept with Lexie’s ashes. I’ll have it re-implanted another time, but it has to go much deeper.
This morning I went to the office here and asked for an envelope, paper and stamp so I could mail the bone chip back. As I was awaiting that, Captain Mike from the boat Moonbeam was talking to Mike the marina owner about unstepping the mast, the marine was short staffed. I had wanted to watch it happen anyway so I offered to stay a bit and help. Shortly after that, we got to work prepping the Schooner for the twin mast removal.
First mate Sue, Galley Chef Todd and I got to work following Captain Mike’s commands. Soon we were lifting him up on the last in the chair to hook a strap for the crane to attach its hook too. Mike was working the crane and when he went to lift the mast of, she didn’t budge. Captain Mike had to remove the shims on the mast and then she popped. First Mast Unstepped and on deck.
We then got to work removing the second mast. Mike finished prepping it and we were about to lift him in the chair when disaster struck. We had to disconnect the shrouds on the second mast to get the first mast down and on deck. With the shrouds now disconnected the mast was only attached by the shoe in the sole. Mike was prepping to go up and Sue was cleaning up around the wedges that had to be pulled. I was standing behind Sue when suddenly, the wind picked up.
I felt something come whipping by me and I thought one of the shrouds were falling off the deck and into the water. Then there was the eerie cracking sound that none of us understood until it was too late. This huge mast came out of its attachment point in the sole and she was coming down. Sue was standing right over the mast and began to hold it. Her reaction was instinctual and motherly. She had to save it. Mine was less motherly and I was shouting for her to get out of the way as this monster mast was slowly coming down and tearing a hole in the dog house (roof) of the boat as it did. The further it went, the faster it went and Sue and I got out of the way as it hit the stands Captain Mike had built, but that didn’t stop it and the mast broke in two. With a large splash, the top of the mast landed in the water and the bottom of the mast was now at a forty-five degree angle sticking out of the top. Somehow, with three people within inches of this mast as she came down, none of us got hurt. Well, aside from some bruises on Sue and a scratch on me, but just a minute earlier or few later and this would have had a much different ending. One that would have meant someone was severely injured. Mike and the staff from the marina came running out to find us all around the boat in shock.
The problem with an event like this is that there isn’t time to absorb what just happened. Our unstepping of the mast was now a salvage mission. The two Mike’s surveyed the hull and inside of the boat. The damage was to the Dog House and Mast only as well as another boat that got clipped on it when the mast broke in two. If you talk to a thousand sailors, I’d bet none of them have ever experienced a demasting, let alone one on the dock. I could have gone my entire life and never wanted to experience that, but we can spend a year on Would of, Could of and Should of. What was needed now was a plan on how to recover the two sections of mast without further damage. Mike and Sue still need to get this boat back to Rochester, NY
The two Mike’s and I got to work securing things and getting ready to cut the mast in two as it didn’t fully break. This meant we needed to secure the lower section and have the upper section in the strap and held via the crane. We spent the rest of the day working tirelessly on getting that mast safely recovered and secured on deck.
After work was done, Galley Chef Todd whipped us up a delicious meal and we toasted to our safety and that Moonbean is still afloat. Insurance will make sure she is repaired to her former glory and I look forward to seeing pictures of her twin masts up and sails full.
As I was headed to the showers, I met Stephan who had pulled in earlier tonight aboard Charlantoine. They are bringing her back to Montreal from Florida where she has been kept for 15 years. Charlantoine is a 1975 45’ C&C Custom Sailboat. When Stephan told me how old she was, I didn’t believe it. Then he told me she was for sale. I asked to come aboard and look and I could not believe what I was seeing. There is nothing about this boat that says 1975. Stephan has spent close to two decades turning this C&C Custom into a thing of beauty. From the brightwork (cabinetry) to the holds and engine compartment, she is spotless, well thought out and simply a remarkable vessel. I left Charlantoine quite impressed. Perhaps some publisher will give me a book deal and I can be Charlantoine’s new owner someday. I was that impressed. (Video of her below)
Well, that was my day today. I didn’t kayak at all, but I was on the water all day.
Day 17 done.
Enjoy the pictures. Well, most of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFhMlaBepoU
