Sarabi Dismasted

I just got word that my 56 cruising cat Sarabi broke her Forespar Aerorig. They are safe at Richmond, CA. I should find out a lot more soon.  I would have expected a carbon unstayes mast failure as close to impossible.

I have not heard back again yet so still only guessing but I can only think of a couple of possible scenarios. 

One is the roller furling system.  I recall they often had trouble with it.  What if it bound up in a gust and the sheet was not blown in time?

Many years ago I was an expert witness in a case against Forespar for a really unnecessary mast failure.  In deposition they declared that they never follow the design documents; they do it their own way.  What if they freestyled this one too?

sarabi12

More On Nootka

I got a lot of links from several people. Thanks.  The pictures were informative to me. It did look like there was not enough bury for the Aero, but the report was not that the rig was dismasted.
Hard to tell about the beams, but nothing jumps out at me as trouble. It is a very different arrangement than Wharram would do. It’s much heavier. I wonder if it took a beating from the underside?

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1483&bih=1044&oq=Nootka+Dancer+&gs_l=img.3

…1276.1276.0.1902.1.1.0.0.0.0.182.182.0j1.1.0.msedr…0…1ac.2.60.img..1.0.0.CnEUhvLC40I&q=Nootka%20Dancer

and

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/nootka-dancer-32513.html

and

 http://www.yachtingworld.com/news/three-crew-dog-rescued-us-coast-guard-53ft-catamaran-broke-half-off-coast-florida-61094

 

Wharram Cat Breaks Up

Odd story here. “A crew of three men, a woman and a dog were rescued by the US Coast Guard on Christmas Eve when their 53ft Wharram catamaran Nootka Dancer reportedly broke in half off Jacksonville, Florida. As reported by Yachting World”
http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/USA/usa-three-crew-and-dog-rescued-by-us-coast-guard-after-53ft-catamaran-2018broke-in-half2019-off-the-coast-of-florida

It says it had an Aerorig.  That must mean on in the middle.  I don’t see how a Wharram would have enough bury to support an Aero.  And an all carbon mast on a Wharram?  Why?

I can never believe anyone would buy Wharram plans, but he has sold more plans than all of us combined.

Odd.

Tour Catamaran Sinks

tortugasink

“SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – A catamaran carrying dozens of foreign tourists on a pleasure cruise capsized off Costa Rica on Thursday, killing four people, emergency officials said.  The boat, which was on a day trip to the popular Tortuga (Turtle) Island, sank completely about 9 miles off the country’s central Pacific Coast.
Survivors reported that strong waves filled the boat with water and caused it to sink, he said.”

This could be another chapter in Stuff Done Wrong.  I don’t know any more than the above, but can speculate on forensics from the pictures.  Like most corporate designs, way too narrow overall.  Is it even 20′ wide?  Probably was a beam-on wave hit it.  Clearly it it metal.  Many places in South/Central America choose steel for budget reasons.  Surely would help it sink.  It also is stuffed from end to end with deck.  That also makes surviving the waves harder.  Compare to Holo or Kai Oli Oli.

I wonder if Derek will be upset that I was first to report this in multihull media again?  And that it sank?  And thanks, Lance.  My guys always seem to be first with the news.