The Scariest Storm of our Lives BROKE Our Catamaran Sailboat Rigging

[@tonyfromaus7855]

Live and learn. You are definitely doing both! :) Respect mate. Glad nothing worse happened, and you did well to keep relatively calm. Easy for me to say from an armchair, my hat is off to you for doing it all, but I do think you could do a couple of things slightly better for next time. Firstly in that situation I believe you need engines on, not just keyed ready. That way you have time to check exhaust water and let them warm up before needing them. Secondly when you get to the high load on the anchor, no matter how good it is, it won’t hurt to have some forward throttle on both evenly. That reduces the load on the anchor, allows a bit more catenary in the chain (which will reduce shock loads) and might just help if the holding isn’t good on that bottom. Secondly I think wet weather gear and life jackets for you two who might need to suddenly go on deck. Thirdly have fenders ready (I saw two but more is better) in case someone drags on you. Fourthly maybe your radar can ‘target’ objects? If so you might be able to designate nearby boats as targets so you will be able to see if they are dragging even if you are not. All of this is from my theoretical understanding and not a great deal of actual experience. So I might be wrong but wanted to help if I could. In any case, good onya for getting out there and doing it. Good onya for being willing to share mistakes so others learn. Sorry this was long…. hope you have fair winds and following seas as you sail on.

[@SaltyEscape]

Tony! This was perfect! Thank you so much!! Corey

[@SaltyEscape]

Hi everyone! Mistakes were made and we have chosen to show them. We are learning fast and now we will be much more prepared for next time. We may make a video discussing our mistakes for other people to grow with us. It’s frustrating that more of the established sailing channels on KZbin don’t present their content this way. A calm sea doesn’t make a seasoned sailor! Thank you all for your support. Derogatory, rude and vile comments will not be tolerated! If you don’t like our channel, there are plenty of fairytale sailing channels to watch.

[@shades1959]

Heavy winds and rain when you’re @ anchor, close to other boats and land makes everything seem 10 times worst. I use to travel back and forth from Miami to the 🇧🇸 on a small sailboat. The truth is that you will see worse conditions as you continue your journey to cross oceans. Mother Nature is no joke, plan ahead with predicted weather and consider worst case scenarios. Stayed stow for sea and remain calm and safe. Thank you for sharing. You guys did great working together and keep everyone safe. Gear can be fixed or replaced. Keep each other safe.

[@SaltyEscape]

Calm seas don’t make skilled sailors. 😊 You can take the classes, read the books and watch other sailors online but you have to experience it to learn and grow.

[@krishunt65]

I have nothing but respect for how your channel represents your experience truthfully. We too had some horrific experiences during the 2 hurricanes that passed through florida this year and because of that, we have decided this lifestyle is not for us. Bravo to you for your commitment to continue on your journey and present it to the world.

[@SaltyEscape]

Thanks Kris, I always say, think about your options and make a careful decision. When making your decision be careful to follow your heart and have no regrets later. This storm was scary because it was our first exposure to these forces. Our boat did great. The rigging failed because of human error (previous owner did something wrong and we didn’t know). Next time, we will be much more prepared to handle the events and the boat won’t break. The thing is, you can take the sailing classes, read the books and watch the others online but you still have to experience it to truly understand and be ready. We watched Onboard Lifestyle go through a hurricane at anchor with 70 kt winds and they were ridiculously calm throughout the event. Multiple other people in the anchorage also. If this is something you dreamed about please don’t give up on that due to our first experience. We’ve grown, we’ve learned and we’re getting ready for the next time. I hope you keep following! Corey

[@meandmybuddy964]

If your rig bro with 40 nights of wind better now than later out on the ocean it must have been a week already it’s probably a blessing in disguise I will pray for you guys to get your boat back in shape so you can get onWith your dreams

[@SaltyEscape]

Thank you so much! We have a good idea how/why this happened and we talk about it in the next video. But you’re 💯 correct. Much better to have it happen now than in an area where we can’t get it resolved and throughly inspected.

[@bayanicustodio3998]

Thanks!

[@SaltyEscape]

Thank you Bayani! We appreciate you!

[@AaronErbe]

Will be interested in what the experts say happened and how the fix comes together. Stick with it. You guys did great for first time riding out an intense situation.

[@SaltyEscape]

Thanks Aaron! We have spoke to dozens of people and we have a solid idea what happened. I will explain it all in the next video. Corey

[@bee_dee_eye]

Carter is a beast. he should be a storm chaser. :)

[@SaltyEscape]

I bet he’d like that. It’s funny because he’s always been our nervous child. Lol. Looks like he’s outgrowing it.

[@kevtamus]

I thought the same thing! Dad: “this is not what we signed up for!” Carter: “this is exactly what we signed up for!” - what a great attitude in a stressful situation. But I was going to repeat what the other guy said - engines in forward idle when the winds get up that high. Good luck guys and of course it was better for that support to have broken at anchor instead of during a sail.

[@davidnichols147]

Unbelievable footage!

[@douglasrobbie9998]

Also some striker setups have a lower section (below the crossbeam) with cables going to hulls. The other purpose of stikers is to help the crossbeam resist the upward and sideway pull of the jib/genoa/code zero and even the mainsail etc, thru that forward stay.

[@SaltyEscape]

I have learned when the compression is on top they call it a seagull striker or sometimes pelican striker. When it's under the beam it called a Dolphin striker. LOL

[@justinoflaherty663]

Glad you are all safe and well. Tula tech talk from 2019 explains the seagull striker and what it does. Get all of you rig checked to be safe.

[@SaltyEscape]

Thanks Justin! We’ve seen that episode in the last few days. 😊 The repairs are underway, and the rig should be checked later this week. Corey

[@dalltm]

When in a storm and risk of dragging increases we turn our engines on so we can lower the pressure of the anchor or if we drag we are in control

[@SaltyEscape]

The Mantis anchor is designed /sized for these wind speeds. Keys were in, ready to start.

[@dalltm]

@@SaltyEscape you are all correct, however you have little control over what the bottom composition is and a piece if trash or log can make a huge difference in holding power. We experienced this in Key West in a wind storm and in Morea, FP after a sudden wind storm funneled down from the mountain peeks. In Morea (Cooks Bay) we would have dragged on to a coral reef. The video had a lit of white light on in the cabin. It might have been on for content making, however, if you did break free your night vision would not be available to maneuver out of harms way.

[@SaltyEscape]

Thanks Tom. We have had a discussion about it. We will be much more prepared next time. I appreciate your information. Sorry, if I came off short in the other reply. We had a slew of very nasty comments on this one. As if we can’t learn and grow. Geesh

[@dalltm]

@@SaltyEscape my opinion your doing well, thinking of safety at all times and I enjoy watching!

[@geoffpalmer6424]

I am pleased you are all safe. Boats can be repaired.

[@SaltyEscape]

Thanks Geoff. Calm seas don’t make seasoned sailors.

[@geoffpalmer6424]

@@SaltyEscape I think you are right, I am no sailor I feel seasick stirring my coffee. I watch videos like yours wishing I had been as adventurous when I was younger.. I like your story and your DIY skills. Regards to all your family and stay safe.

[@desertchild3550]

In our part of the World 30 to 40 knot winds(anything less then 30 knots is a breeze and this coming weekend we might see 45 knots) are part of normal life for many month,s of the years. Moorings here are very heavy and we always advice visiting yachts to have a anchor ready on deck in case a emergency happen for some reason. Advice for other places.Always dive any mooring ,even if locals tell you its fine. During the dive, establish what material is at the bottom,rocky, grass, sand or mud and choose a standby anchor that work best for that specific material. Not all anchors perform similar in all conditions.

[@douglasrobbie9998]

Seagull striker- its primary purpose is to support the forward crossbeam and prevent wracking of hulls forward of the primary crossbeam below the salon usually under the mast. Think of the striker as helping to form 2 triangles- the 3 sides being crossbeam, cable and the near vertical legs of the center support legs of the striker. Usually strikers don't have wires/cable going to the mast- did yours? The stay inside the roller furler is usually the only thing that holds up the mast from the bow unless you have an inner forestay for a cutter like rig. Your cat's manufacturer should have a replacement Striker post and it is possible you just need 2 replacement attachment feet. Possible they could be machined locally. Hope you are able to quickly solve your issue and continue trip south.

[@jonunya3128]

makes sense to me. nothing looked bent and the attachments failed through a bolt hole. should be a fairly easy fix with some bar stock and a drill press.

[@SaltyEscape]

Hi Douglas, we’re working on having replacement parts made. Factory originals are no longer available. We have some ideas as to how /why this happened. We plan to talk about it in depth in our next video. 😊 -Corey

[@svBluePearl]

May have been the anchor bridle pulling - pushing because it was not totally free from the bowsprit lines ? Anyway, anchor held great and only small damage

[@SaltyEscape]

You are spot on! We explain it further in the next video. We are IN LOVE with our mantis anchor. (Came with the boat).

[@svBluePearl]

Rig the bowsprit with Dyneema so you can lower it while at anchor ? We do this to relief the pressure from the whole thing , if you drop me an email I can send you a pic , it’s quite easy to do

[@SaltyEscape]

[e-mail]

[@SaltyEscape]

Yes, I would love to see pictures of your setup.

[@adamthier]

You need to get a professional rigger to inspect the entire rig. the martingale sheered off because of the independent movement of the two hulls . the cross beam connects them and the martingale tensions them. metal fatigue and corrosion caught up. this is a warning that every fitting is a questionmark.

[@SaltyEscape]

Hi Adam, Agree! We are working on having replacement parts fabricated and we are having a rigger inspect the entire rig next week (real-time) We have a clear understanding of what/how this happened. We explain it all in the next video. However, it’s not because of independent hull movements… but that was something we did consider.. Corey

[@russgaulke1364]

I think you can have a lot more confidence in your anchor after this episode. I would suggest you were fortunate this happened now and not offshore. IMO this setup on the front of your Cat was either under-engineered or more likely had stress fatigue and corrosion from many years. Hopefully whatever repair you do will be something more robust.

[@SaltyEscape]

Hi Russ, the fabricator said the same thing. The parts he is making are turning out much more robust! We are learning to trust our equipment. This experience thought is so much! “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor”- Roosevelt Cheers, Corey

[@michaelhaardt5988]

I wonder if given the opposite directions and current and wind you had load from the snubber lines on the seagull striker. The position of the damage does not make sense for rig overload. Good luck for only having some cost for manufacturing new parts and no more.

[@SaltyEscape]

You are thinking the same as us! 😉

[@royyoung3456]

were are everyones life jackets?

[@SaltyEscape]

Life jackets were at the ready. No reason to wear them in the cockpit. In retrospect Becky and I should have had them on incase something needed attention, having them on already would save time. Remember we were at anchor surrounded by land. The worst case scenario would be we drag anchor and drift to shore. In that scenario it’s likely the anchor would reset (it’s designed to do that) and we we’re ready to start the engines to keep the boat away from land. It was scary but not a risk to life. Corey

[@royyoung3456]

A person can drown in an inch of water. Accidents come out of no were.

[@SaltyEscape]

I appreciate your concerns. Thank you for taking time to reach out to us.

[@kevtamus]

Oh great, another arm-chaired sailor griping about somebody not wearing their life jackets! If you’ve paid attention, the Salty Escape family wears their life jackets more than anybody I’ve ever seen!! They wear them when traveling in their dinghy to and from land - I’ve personally never seen anybody in a dinghy wearing life jackets, ever. So you should probably lay off the “where’s your life jackets” crap and give it a rest already - I trust these people to know when they should throw them on.

[@AaronErbe]

@@royyoung3456 lol. Lifejackets not going to save you from an inch of water.

[@divekatdreaming]

I hope you are all recollected and repaired and on your way. I don't intend this to be mean, but I think that the snapping of the seagull striker might have been a very good thing. I don't know what caused it, but I suspect that the connections were weak (age?) and that if it didn't happen now, it would happen to you out at sea. Also, the whole thing was very stressful and you got through it. Things will break and you will get through it. My suggestion (good or bad) would be to watch some videos of boats that had incidents at sea...Not to scare yourself, but so that you can get an idea of how to handle issues...what people did right and what they did wrong. For example, in one video, the guys were wrestling with broken rigging at night but failed to put on lifejackets. This one is from Beau and Brandy who got a large crack in their hull and it ends very well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2e8dKRqmN9jbLs I don't suggest this to instill any fear in you, but rather, like running a fire drill, so that you can gather some ideas and suggestions and plan for what you would do in different situations. Many of the people whose boat sank have a follow up video where they discuss what went wrong and what they might have done differently. I like your solution of phoning a friend. Best wishes!!!

[@SaltyEscape]

Thank you guys! It’s still a steep learning curve. I think I’ve seen Beau and Brandy near sinking video where the people heard their distress call and arrived with underwater epoxy…? It’s probably worth watching again.

[@divekatdreaming]

@@SaltyEscape Yes, that is exactly the one. I marveled at how they were able to keep calm, work through their situation and definitely was impressed by that epoxy! (They are really lovely people, although I don't think that mattered in the moment. 😀)

[@SaltyEscape]

Do you have any idea what that epoxy was? I searched for it before we left, and I couldn’t find anything that seemed similar.

[@divekatdreaming]

@@SaltyEscape Hi! The blue goo is called Splash Zone. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXywY2SfabCqp7c

[@timmitchell8784]

A few weeks ago basik went through a cat 5 in the sea of Cortez. They clocked 70 knots. I knew it’s scary but as long as you’re holding. You’ll be ok. May have some damage. But you might want to give their episode a watch.

[@SaltyEscape]

We enjoy Teal, Lynn and Emma. We saw that episode and Delos through the same storm yesterday. I’d like to avoid anything over 50 kts. 😬 Currently watching Nahoa and they’re talking about heavy winds also…. Must be the theme for this week. 😊

[@alcibiadesmarcialneto922]

I’ve was always thought that you’re seriously persons! If the situation was that hard why nobody was wearing life suits? Mainly the kids! Come on!!!

[@SaltyEscape]

Life jackets were at the ready. No reason to wear them in the cockpit. In retrospect Becky and I should have had them on incase something needed attention, having them on already would save time. Remember we were at anchor surrounded by land. The worst case scenario would be we drag anchor and drift to shore. In that scenario it’s likely the anchor would reset (it’s designed to do that) and we were ready to start the engines to keep the boat away from land. It was scary but not a risk to life. If you look closer you’ll see Becky and I wore them when we were out on the foredeck. Come on is right! Corey