Feeling dinghy

Location: Black Point, Exumas
Position: N24 05.711 W076 24.390

We forgot to tell you a fun story from about a month ago. We were in Black Point along with about 70 other boats and were in the mood for some fun. We decided to get the sail rig out for TrinkaBelle, our 10ft dinghy, and go for a sail. The wind was about 15k, gusting to 20+ and the sun was shining and warm.

Julie took her out first and was weaving through all the anchored boats. She could see envy warring with encouragement on the faces of everyone she passed. (Note: when cruising the amount of actual sailing you achieve is fairly minimal, this is one reason we decided on a sailing/rowing/motoring dinghy. Every time we sail her the other boaters tell us they wish they had one).

At any rate, Julie went honking through the anchorage heeled way over taking water over the side and sitting way up on the gunwale. What fun “Woohoo” she shouted. After she worked her way all the way over to the other side of the bay she headed back downwind to Rachel so that Mark could have a turn.

Suddenly there was a loud creak and the mast tipped over to 45 degrees. The mast step had broken loose, allowing the mast to cant forward much like a drunken knights lance. Yikes!! She hurriedly loosened the lines and got the sail down, rolled into a ball and stuffed under the seat. She had not taken the VHF or a paddle as Mark said he would keep an eye on her in case of trouble. Sheesh she looked around but did not see him coming to her rescue. Darn!!

She floated by a catamaran and hailed the lady on board, "Can you please call my husband on Rachel and have him come and get me?" The lady had Julie throw her a line so that she wouldn’t float away. She came back a minute later and said she could not get Mark on the radio. By this time the dinghy was swinging awfully close to the back of the catamaran and Julie was afraid the leaning mast would damage something. “Just set me adrift” says Julie “I’m afraid I’m going to get the mast caught in your rigging”. The lady really did not want to set her adrift. Just as she was in the process of lengthening the line Mark arrived.

It turned out that Mark had been keeping an eye on Julie but she had disappeared behind a crowd of boats and he’d lost sight of her. He waited a few minutes but when she did not come back into view, he hopped into our small inflatable dinghy and was on his way to find her. He, of course forgot the VHF, too, so didn’t hear the lady calling him. It took him a few minutes driving around the anchorage to find Julie.

It all turned out fine and he towed TrinkaBelle and Julie back to Rachel. After we finally got the sailing rig dismantled it turned out to be a fairly easy repair. We just needed to epoxy the step back in place and make some cosmetic repairs to the deck. That has now been done and we are waiting for a calm day to test it. We unfortunately are not having many of those this year. Julie kindly said Mark can take it out first next time!!

Sorry no pictures yet,