The day wasn't supposed to end like this.
In the morning we were babysitting our two totally amazing, awesome, handsome grandsons in Massachusetts. I had checked beforehand with my daughter-in-law that we would be able to leave as soon as she finished work at lunchtime. I wanted to get back to Rhode Island in time to go sailing this afternoon.
We drove back to Rhode Island.
I hitched up the boat trailer and drove to Bristol.
I rigged my Laser.
I was just about to get changed into my sailing gear when I looked closely at my gooseneck.
Hmmm. That's not good.
There was a crack in the gooseneck fitting on the mast that extended about two thirds up its length.
Hmmm. I wonder if that's why I have been hearing ominous cracking sounds from the mast area recently?
If the gooseneck broke off completely while I was two miles upwind from my launch area, it would definitely ruin my day.
So I derigged my boat.
I took the photo above.
I called our local Laser shop to see if they had a gooseneck fitting in stock. They didn't but they might be able to get one from the factory next door, but the factory was closed for the day, so I will have to check back in the morning. If they don't have one I can always buy one online, or even reuse the old one that is on the mast that I broke three years ago, that I still have.
I drove back home.
Good job I wasn't planning to race anywhere this weekend.
Youngest grandchild, amazing, awesome, beautiful Isabel is coming to visit.
She can help me drilling out the rivets and putting on the new gooseneck.
Life is good.
5 comments:
Yes, use the old one, but maybe still buy a new one for back-up. You're gonna be sailing for a long time.
I 'm currently hoping to use the new one and keep the old one as back-up.
Or maybe I'll follow my usual policy of, "If it breaks buy two; one for now and one for the next time it breaks."
Have you noticed bits like this breaking more often than they used to?
Wasn't diminishing quality control for similar parts one of the things that had people ragging on LaserPerformance long before the whole Torch thing happened?
Personally I don't think I've noticed parts breaking more often than they used to.
Yes, that had been on of the claims that people have made about LP, but when you consider that the Laser is a relatively cheap and simple boat and how much abuse all the parts get when sailing in heavy wind, I don't consider the breakage rate on my boat particularly alarming.
I'm pretty sure Isabel is going to be the only one in kindergarten who understands the tremendous value of rivets to the civilized world. She will roll heads when explaining how to drill them out to replace a gooseneck.
Good on ya!
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