The above photo needs an explanation. The Down Easter pictured above
lost it's mooring during Hurricane Wilma. The Metcalf's clarified the
actual events that took place. Apparently this Down Easter, lost her
mooring and then slammed into a very heavy ferro cement boat. The two
boats became tangled and both hit the Catalac, damaging her port side
and knocking her from her double helical screw mooring.
The Catalac was driven by the hurricane force winds onto the rocky causeway.
Instead of being driven onto the rocks like the Catalac, the Down Easter
was forced under the bridge portion of the same causeway. The problem?
Well, the bridge height at that point was 20 feet, and the mast height
of the boat was 45 feet. As the wind caused the mast to be slammed into
the deck of the bridge, the forestays pulled out. Repeated slamming
eventually bent the mast towards the rear of the boat and the cabin
top gave way. It peeled back like it was a convertible. When the mast
finally was forced out of the boat completely, it carried the cabin
top away with it.
This beautiful Down Easter wasn't properly moored and destroyed two
other boats while becoming a total write off herself. This just goes
to show you what can happen in a hurricane. That even when you do everything
right, you can still lose your boat. I would also like to point out
that this is a terrific case being made for a deck stepped mast.
|
