Brunswick, GA to Beaufort, NC

On Tuesday, just before 9 am, we left Brunswick, GA on our way to Beaufort, NC. We had planned to leave at 8 am but, after we were told that there was a lot of fog further down the river, we decided to wait. The winds were too light for sailing but there was still a 3-4 foot swell from the east causing it to be a very rolly ride for several hours. 

The wind picked up enough to keep the sail filled about ninety minutes after George went to bed the first night.  The boat rides more smoothly—and doesn’t react quite as much to waves—if the sails are filled. I decided to wake George up and ask him to help with raising the mainsail. He got everything ready and I turned the boat into the wind. The sail stopped going up after it was only partially raised and some strange noises were coming from the mast area. Although we had a full moon it was still difficult to see so I used the spotlight to investigate. I couldn’t identify what was wrong. George lowered the main and tried again with the same result. I thought that maybe there weren’t enough wraps on the winch so he added another. What I didn’t do—and should have done— was use the spotlight to look at the main halyard. After we gave up trying to raise the sail George used the spotlight and discovered that the halyard had wrapped around one of the spreaders on the mast. So, instead of pulling the sail up, it was pulling it to the side. It ripped the head (top) of the sail. We both felt terrible and we both felt responsible. The sail can’t be used until it is repaired. We are both reminding ourselves and each other that it is okay to make mistakes. 

Having the halyard wrap around the spreader is a problem we had several times before we installed the furling boom. The halyard would bounce around in heavy seas and sometimes wrap around the spreader. When the mainsail is furled in the boom the halyard can remain tighter. It has never happened with the furling boom.  I believe that is why we didn’t even think to check the halyard this time.  There must have been just enough slack in the halyard and—with the boat rolling back and forth—it wrapped around the spreader. 

The swell calmed down some overnight and the seas weren’t too bad yesterday. Last night they picked up again and we had a very rolly ride for the last eight hours of the trip. 

From Brunswick we traveled 337 nautical miles in 51 hours. 

After tying up at Homer Smith Docks & Marina we talked to the dock master, Dan, about our sail. We knew he used to have a marina canvas business. Apparently he still does! He has agreed to do the repair early next week and we won’t even have to take the sail off of the boat. That is such great news! We are relieved to be here, relieved that this leg of the trip is over, and very relieved that our sail will be repaired. 

The ripped mainsail.