We ran into a bridge!

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by scottydaum

I think it is quite possible that the shock of the rig hitting the bridge may have transferred the force downward and compressed that support block, which would result in slack in the rigging.

If you re-read the OP #1, you will see that he specifically stated that the lowers remained tight.
If the mast step had collapsed/moved down, the lowers would also have slacked.

[bcboomer]

Do you have insurance?
If so, talk to them.
A dock neighbor had an incident with a bridge and his insurance replaced the whole rig. They even upgraded it to a proper inmast furler because he had one of those old roller furlers that sit behind the mast.

[captmikem]

Originally Posted by Jamme

My 2 cents: don’t go up the mast in these conditions. Please.

With a keel stepped mast you could go aloft without a problem. I have been up keel stepped masts with just the lowers snug.

M

[nortonscove]

Not sure if this has been asked but what part of your rigging actually came in contact with the bridge? Without knowing the type of attachments and the swage fittings it's very difficult to even begin diagnosing any possible issues.

I'd start with the mast and it's attachment points. From there all attachment points on the hull. If this is all good it's down to the replacement parts in between.

As it is keel stepped you can also check the coachroof for cracking or deformities around there. If that's all good you do have a little redundancy there.

[JC Reefer]

Some photos would be nice. Bottom and top of the fore and back stays.

[Bill O]

SailingAround,
Any updates after taking a look for possible damage?

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by sinnerman

My two cents worth:

- The backstay/forestay tangs were ripped out of the hull (damaged holes in the fiberglass /bent bolts)

- The forestay/backstay fittings have bent pins, torn holes (at hull or mast head)

-The rigging cables were pulled out of their swaged fittings

None of this was visible on initial inspection.
Boatyarddog

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by captmikem

With a keel stepped mast you could go aloft without a problem. I have been up keel stepped masts with just the lowers snug.

M

I agree, there's a lot of skepticism going on here.
Guys what do you do when a sudden slacking of your forestay happens out at sea.
Schedule a rigger inspect?
Or, ?

I say binoculars, for inspection above, through inspection of lower attachment hardware.
As mentioned look straight up the mast to inspect for bend.

Tension, halyards, fore and aft to stabilize the mast an slowly go aloft and address the upper area.!

Everything is tight except fore and aft shrouds, judge how much it has slacked off.
I'm betting only 1 tang was damaged, and this allows the fore and back stays to slack, because the mast is leaning a bit forward or aft.

Have a Lion heart and check the rig.
On the other hand, some never learn the basics of DIY repairs.

That's okay in areas where help and a stuffed pocket book is available.
Boatyarddog

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by JC Reefer

Some photos would be nice. Bottom and top of the fore and back stays.

No one wants to go aloft!

Can't get pictures without going aloft.
Unless, you employ a drone, even then you need closer inspection.
Last post by the OP#21, they're looking for a rigger, results to come.
Boatyarddog

[Brioche]

While it would be unwise to simply tighten the fore and backstays as a solution, it might be useful to tighten them a little just to gauge how much slack has really been created. As someone above commented, a little bit of extension can produce a large amount of slackness in a long line. That could help pin down the problem, and also perhaps give a modicum of security if you locate a potential source of the problem and then have to speculate whether something else is about to break. Often in this sort of situation it turns out more than one thing has gone wrong, so this might help throw light on the situation as you start fixing things.

[GreenWave]

Originally Posted by SailingAround

Hi All,
Thank you so much for the great replies!

My lady and I have been living on our 30 foot boat for a year and a half, traveling up and down the east coast. We recently got a 40 foot Bristol this one -- that we had the mishap on.

Normally I do all of the engineering / maintenance activities. I've never done rigging before and we really don't have 8k for a new rig - so I guess it's time to learn. We may be able to pay a rigger just to do an inspection.


Right now we are in North Carolina.

We got towed to the other side of the bridge - where we can more easily sail away. The engine does not currently run.

I will check with binoculars and post back. What are some things that I should look for?
Cracks, breaks, fittings pulled loose....

Before going to sleep I did check what I could with the flashlight. Chainplates, stays up to about halfway -- nothing looks broken from here... but like JPA Cate mentioned -- they didn't loosen themselves.

For the time being I have halyards connected to the for and aft chainplates -- tightened just a bit. The stays are wobbly and it made me feel better.

Our old boat is anchored closeby-- maybe we can raft up and go up the mast of the 30 footer to take a closer look.

I will fill our our profile. I created the account just last night.


Thank you all for your advice. Keep it coming

First, sorry to hear about your incident.
Second, with no working engine and the damage to the rig I'd be finding a way to get to a marina pronto! No doubt there is likely significant money spend in your future, but that pales in comparison to losing your whole boat or worse!

[capn_billl]

If your rigging hit a solid object, like a bridge, something was damaged.

Don't take this lightly, a guy recently died from a backstay failure.

The damaged piece can fail catastrophically at any time.

A hairline crack in a $50 dollar bracket is an easy fix if you step the mast, and a professional rigger finds it, it will be thousands of dollars, and possibly a complete loss of your boat if it fails under load.

[Carl-T705]

I would check the deck fittings first to see if the bolts have pull through the decking or hull. I am not familiar with a Bristol but the masthead if made of steel could have bent, if made of aluminum , may have fractured. I wouldn't assume it is safe to ascend, you may want to consider using your halyards and rigging a little extra support for the mast until it can be inspected, you sure don't want it to come crashing down and cause more damage.

[TabbyCat]

Originally Posted by SailingAround

We were sailing around between two bridges today, lost steering and got pushed into a closed highway bridge. We got pulled off and the mast is still up, but the forestay and backstay are now much looser than they were.

I'm concerned about the rigging. We don't have 8k dollars to replace it.

I'm planning on tightening them tomorrow. The wind will be 10-13 mph.

The side stays - the lower cable stays. Are still tight. The mast is keel stepped.

Advice greatly appreciated!

Are you insured? The incident sounds like an accident, so it would be covered under most policies, although parts (but not labor) may be subject to depreciation.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

I agree, there's a lot of skepticism going on here.
Guys what do you do when a sudden slacking of your forestay happens out at sea.
Schedule a rigger inspect?
Or, ?

I say binoculars, for inspection above, through inspection of lower attachment hardware.
As mentioned look straight up the mast to inspect for bend.

Tension, halyards, fore and aft to stabilize the mast an slowly go aloft and address the upper area.!

Everything is tight except fore and aft shrouds, judge how much it has slacked off.
I'm betting only 1 tang was damaged, and this allows the fore and back stays to slack, because the mast is leaning a bit forward or aft.

Have a Lion heart and check the rig.
On the other hand, some never learn the basics of DIY repairs.

That's okay in areas where help and a stuffed pocket book is available.
Boatyarddog

Generally, don't hit too many bridges off shore. But the phrase of the day is Force Majeure. Basically if you look at it from a risk management point of view, you have to consider what your available options are.

Off shore, your options are limited...going up the mast on the open ocean where there is an unknown issue the boat is flopping around by someone who is not a rigger accustomed to doing so would be about the last option after everything else has been tried to figure out what is wrong and how to stabilize it. You may reach the point where you have no other choice but it's not a good one to go up the mast without knowing what is wrong.

The OP is in a coastal situation where obtaining outside assistance is a reasonable option.