Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahamas

Use this forum to announce, plan, and discuss events, cruises, regattas, shows, sailing destinations, events your club is planning, etc.
User avatar
Sumner
Admiral
Posts: 2375
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 3:20 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: SE Utah
Contact:

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by Sumner »

Got in last night, Port St. Lucie north of Miami, about 8:30 after leaving at 1 in the morning. Long 18 hour day and 6 miles out of here my rudder bracket broke and had to get towed in here. It could of happened earlier in the day and I might then of been floating on the Gulf Stream towards England. Not exactly how I envisioned going there. Just kidding if it would of broke out there I still could of gotten to help with the radio and gotten towed in but that would of been a long slow tow and for sure I was glad it didn't happen in the Bahamas. I'll repair it when I get home and make it better than factory. I think I jinxed myself as earlier in the day I wrote that I wouldn't make this trip without a second rudder aboard but as it was the rudder is fine just not useable at the moment as it is on 1/2 the bracket that attaches to the post and bent up at 60 deg. and at the water line.

I was thinking of coming in the last bit with the outboard for steering but the boat clocked around with the port side to the wind and substantial waves and the dingy was trapped on that side with the lines wrapped around the rudder and outboard. I tried for about 30 minutes to get all that mess straightened out but lost the boat hook in that ordeal, almost went overboard and finally said "I've paid for tow insurance for 6 years so why not use it" and called TowBoat U.S.. Captain Scott was there in 30 minutes and in all of this time I had floated in about a mile towards shore. He hooked on and I found out that it is hard to tow a sailboat that doesn't have a functioning rudder. I tried to help a bit with the outboard as once he got there I got the dinghy straightened out and the rudder tied up out of the way and the outboard down. I was putting too much pressure on the outboard tiller trying to help so abandoned that and he got me into Manatee Pocket just past the ICW and I'm on anchor here until tomorrow.

Scott, my friend at the boat yard, is going to come over tomorrow with the Suburban and the trailer and I'll use the outboard to motor down about 1/2 mile to a public boat ramp and meet him there.

Then back to the yard and get things ready to head back to Utah, so the ICW going north is going to have to wait. I have a followup dr. appointment on the 15 to check out the pacemaker and will see if I can get that moved up otherwise head west on the 16th probably sleeping in the boat on the 2200 mile 4 day trip home.

So the trip didn't exactly end how I had planned it but other than that is was a great trip and will remember all of that and put the last couple hours in another compartment. Anyone planning a trip like this with a small boat needs to remember we are pushing them past the limits they were designed for and consider the possible consequences both to the boat and ourselves. I'd hate to know that this trip encouraged someone else to make a similar one and they weren't prepared for the potential danger inherit to it. I realized that going in and accepted it.

I'll continue the trip blog with pictures and such on my web site as time permits and will come back and post when there are updates to it here.

Sumner

P.S. All told the trip from the boatyard on Florida's west coast to the Bahamas and back was 1294 miles and just 4 days short of 3 months and between Black Point in the Exumas to West End (Grand Bahama) was 403 miles and I sailed all of that except for about 10 miles either motoring or motor-sailing and sailed about another 100+ miles before that stretch so feel real good about that.

============================
2015 To the Bahamas and back -- I hope

Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links
User avatar
Chinook
Admiral
Posts: 1726
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2006 7:20 pm
Location: LeavenworthWA 2002 26x, Suzuki DF60A

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by Chinook »

Congratulations on your return Sum! As they say in aviation, any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. Like you say, the break could have happened anywhere out there and been a far greater problem. All those sailing miles and hours, in stiff wind, must have simply overtaxed the rudder bracket. After watching you repair my bent boarding ladder, I'm sure you'll do a fine job fabricating a new, stronger and better rudder bracket. Your comment on towing insurance is right on, and I'm glad that worked out for you. I've noticed that Boat US offers unlimited tow insurance for around $150 for a year, and considering the trip we're planning for the year starting in August, your experience has convinced me to add this coverage. If I never use a penny of it I would be happy, but if I really need it, I'll be even happier for having it. Your sailing miles are a remarkable accomplishment and something you can take great satisfaction in. Thanks for sharing all your adventures with us here.
User avatar
Obelix
Captain
Posts: 523
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:20 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Port Richey, FL, 26M 2008 "New Love" - 60hp E-Tec

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by Obelix »

Glad you made it back save and sound. What an outstanding accomplishment and what a great trip. :) :)

Welcome back, Summer 8)

Obelix
User avatar
tp56ihs
Chief Steward
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2012 1:51 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Wilmington, NC

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by tp56ihs »

Hi Sumner, Yes I have been inspired but also educated by your trip. Thanks for the great postings and pictures. Please continue spreading the wisdom as well. You need to come back and due the East coast. :macx:
User avatar
Ixneigh
Admiral
Posts: 2225
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:00 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Key largo Florida

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by Ixneigh »

Hey sumner welcome back. Great trip and great write up.
Ix
vizwhiz
Admiral
Posts: 1381
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 9:48 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Central Florida

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by vizwhiz »

Welcome back Sumner! So glad to hear that you made it safely! Would love to see pics of the rudder bracket that failed. :o
Have a safe journey back to Utah also!!
cruiser
Engineer
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 8:44 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Brisbane, Australia. "Myuna" Macgregor 26S, 8HP Nissan outboard

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by cruiser »

Congratulations on a wonderful trip Sumner and thanks for the incredible amount of time you have put into sharing it with us. 8)
User avatar
ris
Captain
Posts: 676
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2015 4:27 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Frostproof Florida

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by ris »

Sumner glad you had a good time and thanks for the great write up. We enjoyed reading about your trip. We are at pine island until about the 4th or 5th. If we have time we might call and drop by your boat in the yard. We are not that far south of you by boat or car. Thanks again for the great write up.
User avatar
March
Captain
Posts: 939
Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 7:54 am
Location: Iowa, MacGregor 26X, Evinrude E-TEC 50 HP

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by March »

Congratulations! A great accomplishment!
User avatar
sailboatmike
Admiral
Posts: 1597
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:17 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Australia

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by sailboatmike »

Great write up of your adventures Sumner!!

Its just the start of winter down here in the South of downunder and I have enjoyed couch sailing with you on your trip.

Winter here really only lasts 2 months, by mid August we will be back on the water we hope as the days are getting longer and we get big slow high pressure systems coming across from the west.

Never know we may even get some sailing in through winter if the weather gods are kind
RGF
Engineer
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 2:25 am

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by RGF »

Congratulations and glad you are back safe!
FishyFabs
Chief Steward
Posts: 86
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:47 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by FishyFabs »

Sumner, thanks so much for the detailed and well written write ups....I found myself always checking the site daily for updates. You are an inspiration!

Welcome back and I am glad you are safe!
User avatar
Russ
Admiral
Posts: 7543
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:01 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Bozeman, Montana "Luna Azul" 2008 M 70hp Suzi

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by Russ »

Great to hear you are back in the states. What a journey and we've enjoyed following your blog and living vicariously.

Strangely, my friend (who lives here in Bozeman) had been sailing the Caribbean all winter on his 42' ketch. On is final leg back to Key West from Puerto Rico he hit a reef and sank his boat. If you are good with fiberglass, it's probably an easy repair if you can get it off the reef. He left the sails up to warn other boaters. The coast guard sent a helicopter to rescue him after he deployed his EPIRB.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guard-r ... 015/05/22/

Image

Image

Image

This was his last log entry

Boxer is in top form averaging 6 knots per hour with waves and wind pushing us along. We had times when we were moving along averaging 6-7 knots per hour and a few minutes of 8+ knots, it was exhilarating. It was also fun having crew who brought his guitar for a sing along and playing chess. He cleaned my clock at chess and offered to remove his queen and 2 rooks and play again, laughing I said, “Keep your chess board and put it where the sun don’t shine”. We had a good laugh and moved on to other things like looking for tankers and cargo ships. This was without question the best run of sailing I ever experienced in all my times at sea.
On Friday night at the change of watch I reviewed everything with Howard updated our position etc. We were talking about the potential of a 150 mile run, looking to break my previous record, all was well. Off to catch a few hours of sleep and rejoin Howard at 4:00 am. I awoke an hour early, laying there debating whether to get up or try to get more sleep. As Captain of Boxer I try to let the watch have the freedom to make decisions and do what is best when I am not present. While in this state of mind debating to join Howard I heard the first crunching sound and flew out of my berth and into the cockpit, Howard was stunned, I heard the callings of hundreds of birds so I knew in the darkness we hit more than a breakwater reef. I took over the helm and shouted some orders in an attempt to get past whatever it was we hit. All our efforts were to no avail; we were not going to overcome this. Howard in his desperation and unbelief of our circumstance and in is typical positive manner kept offering ideas, but it was hopeless. We were heeled over 45 degrees and the surf was pounding our hull and the waves continued to pound us into the rocks. I told Howard I am activating the EPIRB and the VHF distress signal. It was then Howard understood our true condition. His facial expression and his words of sorrow I will never forget. What can one say and how can one adequately respond, people make mistakes and this was a big one. I said lets get our ditch bags and when dawn comes we can see what our options are. I put the EPIRP into the water and tied it off to a cleat, it drifted into the sea toward the island and we could see the strobe flashing and the signal light sending our position to the worldwide network and activating a response to rescue us, being a man of tears I cried, grabbed Howard’s hand and said, “I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to him”, and promised him we would be safe. Dawn came and we saw about a 6 acre patch of ground located approximately 35 miles off the coast of Cuba. One hundred miles east and west there is nothing but water in some places over 20,000 feet deep. Northward the same until the North Atlantic meets the metallic blues and greens of the Bahamas Bank where the average depth is 15 feet, a place where we changed course about 4 hours earlier.
I took some steaks out of the freezer and cooked them up on the gimballed stove as we planned our next move. The pounding of the water and the grinding of the hull was like demons howling celebrating our demise, it could never be. At daybreak we removed the dinghy from the bow cradle and transported our stuff to the beach, I also removed the electronics, mechanics tools, clothes, boat cushions (to sleep on) and the ship's bell. I was sending May Day and our position over the VHF, I thought I heard an airplane and called to Howard if he could hear it as I was down below. He did not hear it. I then realized it was the bilge pump, we were taking on water, it took a couple of hours of grinding of pounding; Boxer was a thick heavy boat with a powerful rig. Being hundreds of miles from any populated area there was no hope for salvage and the cost would be out of reach.
I could hear a faint call over the VHF, “Boxer this is the United States Coast Guard”, I called back but they did not read me, over time the signal got stronger and I relayed our position and they said they would arrive in 10 minutes. I learned later that the Coast Guard has an outpost on Great Inagua, Bahamas. I was expecting help from Guantanamo, Cuba. During the hours we were on the island we hiked around disturbing hundreds of nesting seabirds. These birds pecked at my hat but the thing that got me was that they lay eggs on rocks, no nest needed. Howard said, “ If we don’t get rescued right away we will have plenty to eat, with all these eggs and birds, probably hit a bird with a rock”. I smiled because I was thinking the same thing.
For some reason the EPIRB gave a position 35 miles southeast of our location, not being there the pilot knew where he should find us. In they came in the red helicopter circling the island to find the best landing site, what a sight to behold. A rescue diver jumped onto the ground hopefully relieved that it was not a water rescue, but he said that didn’t matter to him, and conveyed his concern for our safety. He helped us load anything and everything; he even offered to take the sails if we wanted. There were a lot of impractical things we could have done but because of logistics and expense you just have to bite the bullet and leave them behind and carry the memories instead. I left the sails up thinking that another mariner could be warned away from that island. The name escapes me but I seem to remember East Dominica. I will have to find it later on. We landed in Great Inagua and were treated with great care and respect by the Coast Guard. They were a great bunch of men and very professional. There is a landing strip used by Bahamas Air so we were able to fly to Nassau, it took 1-½ hours. One complication was Howard did not have his passport but the Customs Agent made arrangements for us to resolve this problem at the US Embassy when we arrived in Nassau, something we can’t do until Tuesday.
Last night at dinner Howard brought up the grounding of Boxer, I know he feels bad and can't let it go. I told Howard given the location and the possibility that he got the equivalent of a hole in one at the Masters. In his cheerful way he said, “I do play golf you know”, I laughed until tears rolled down my cheeks. Maybe I should get him a green jacket. There is nothing better than good food, ice cold beer on a hot night and a good friend to share it with and Howard is one of the best. All is well that ends well, all is well.
Should be home Wednesday night.
User avatar
kasmith21
Chief Steward
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 8:41 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada, 04 26M

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by kasmith21 »

Sum
glad to hear that you are back safely. That is not the first time I have heard a rudder bracket fail on our boats...it definitely appears to be one area of the boat that was poorly engineered.
You did the smart thing by calling towboat usa.
I recently upgraded my towing package with Boat US before our trip to the bahamas.
safe trip back on the roads :)
User avatar
Russ
Admiral
Posts: 7543
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:01 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Bozeman, Montana "Luna Azul" 2008 M 70hp Suzi

Re: Back on the water again, finally.......off to the Bahama

Post by Russ »

I see a cool rudder bracket mod in Sumner's future. It will be awesome and make the boat fail safe. :)
Post Reply