The gusty weather of late has finally goten the better of the Dink. i was dismasted yesterday afternoon during my usual post-work sail. After a fabulous run down the harbour, i had beaten 2/3 of the way back towards the boatyard, when i thought i’d play around a little… i blasted off on a great roaring reach towards some remote-control sailboats i saw bobbing about just off Pusser’s Landing, and having buzzed them a few times, was off like a shot for home.
The new vang i added to the rig was working incredibly well, flattening the leech for much improved punch to windward (with the sail sheeted on the quarter for drive). In fact, i suppose the vang was working too well; crossing through a powerboat wake that would normally just set the mast to rocking and creaking in the partners, there was nowhere for the rig to flex… The lower mast sheared off clean at the partners, flew past my head, and dropped into the sea.
i cleared the rig, hauling the bits aboard, and set out into the headwind with my paddle. Luckily, a cruiser came by in his tender and offered me tow back to the dock, saving me from a difficult paddle!
Today, after getting out with the KATS kids (teaching Laser sailing), i dropped back into the shop to see what could be done. i extracted the stump from the grip of the partners and mast step, and found (to my delight) that it socketed neatly into the corresponding jagged bits on the mast proper. i’ve got the two pieces epoxied together now, and tomorrow i’ll have a go at cutting out the new cheek scarfs that will strengthen the joint.
i guess it had to happen sooner or later; i’m just glad it happened in the relative protection of the harbour, rather than out in the channel! After getting the Dink parked for the night, a cruiser on the dock told me that his masthead wind indicator had maxed out at 41 knots the night before, and had been seeing 20-25 knots through the afternoon! For those unfamiliar with such things, that’s really cookin’ weather for a 7 foot gunter-rigged dingy. At least now i know what the Dink can (and can’t) take.
There’s a 10-footer out behind the boatshed looking like it needs a new lease on life… hmmm… What sort of rig and sail to build for that one, and how much will it take?

The night of the 30th had Atmosphere in the harbour. On New Year’s Eve, the harbour hosted the stays’l schooner Westward. The Stad Amsterdam anchored in Soper’s Hole on the evening of the 1st.
Got out sailing yesterday as well. James & Tracy, George & Cathy, and i borrowed a Colgate 26 for the day. Got out for a swim at Benuire Bay on Norman Island, then over to the Willy T for lunch. Eating lunch, looked to see the Stad coming into the Bight to anchor for the night! Plenty of opportunities to view this great ship lately! After lunch (and well-rummed), we sailed back to West End on a long glorious reach into the sunset. Not quite the excitement of the spinnaker run we’d been hoping for, but a great sail home nonetheless.
My next planned-for sailing adventure is another circumnavigation of Frenchman’s Cay in the Dink (this time going the opposite direction), or a run around Steele Point to Smuggler’s… Can’t wait!

Sailed the Dink all over on December 31. Joined Tracy & James, Paul & Diana, and Jim & Diane for a la-di-da dinner at the Harbourview in Fat Hogs Bay. Afterwards, went out to Trellis Bay for their annual New Year’s Eve festivites. Fireworks at midnight, bandstands, dj’s, dancing, and rum. Three huge steel globes full of fire, one suspended from a crane way over the beach, the other two set on poles in the water, all welded and cut into cool dancing people shapes, cast weird and wild shadows. Kinda a Burning Man vibe. Ran into Tom, and asked, “Hey, guess what i saw out sailing this afternoon?” His reply came as a wild scream of excitement, “The Stad Amsterdam!”. All us tall-ship alumnus are pretty amped about there being such great scenery on the water lately.
Crashed at Carl’s in Towers that night, and woke up inside a jug of Bloody Mary, watching a wild parade as (seemingly) all the great ships, barques, brigantines, and three-masted topsail schooners in the BVI all came up or down the channel. Surreal!
Been some really trippy boats around. Traditional or not, it’s a great show.