Rustyknight
Well-Known Member
This year hasn't been the best for us......... under 300 miles logged and the annual 3 week cruise cancelled for one reason or another. However......
With the boat due to come ashore for the winter sometime next week, this weekend was the last chance to get out to sea and play!
Everything seemed to be going to plan. Forecast not too bad, so down to Poole this morning, and went out to the boat in the yard launch. Packed all the bags away, make a coffee and do the routine engine checks. Pull the log impellor and give a good clean. Sail covers off. Instrument covers off. Electrics on. Engine started up, and away we go........ or so I thought.
As Sue dropped the mooring off, I noticed the port side lifelines were slack. Looked at the lashings where they're attached to the pushpit, and that was OK. Looked forward to where they're shackled to the pulpit, that looked OK.....
WTF????
A longer look showed the pulpit had been bent, and closer inspection showed that one of the uprights had been smacked head on, (about 4 foot above the water) pushing the whole thing out of true, and pulling one of the footplates halfway out of the deck....... buckling the plate as it went. Also, just under the forestay fitting, lumps of gel coat missing, and serious investigation needed to determine if the whole fitting might have moved!
Now, accidents DO happen (even if our boat is in the middle row of three lines of moorings, and theoretically safer than the trots closer to the channel) and things do go wrong,but wouldn't it be nice if whoever drove head on into my boat could have left a note saying sorry, and p'raps offering to pay for the damage?
I live in hope, but I fear I'll hear nothing.
P'raps next time this guy loses control of his boat, he'll do everyone else a favour and use his head as a fender!
With the boat due to come ashore for the winter sometime next week, this weekend was the last chance to get out to sea and play!
Everything seemed to be going to plan. Forecast not too bad, so down to Poole this morning, and went out to the boat in the yard launch. Packed all the bags away, make a coffee and do the routine engine checks. Pull the log impellor and give a good clean. Sail covers off. Instrument covers off. Electrics on. Engine started up, and away we go........ or so I thought.
As Sue dropped the mooring off, I noticed the port side lifelines were slack. Looked at the lashings where they're attached to the pushpit, and that was OK. Looked forward to where they're shackled to the pulpit, that looked OK.....
WTF????
A longer look showed the pulpit had been bent, and closer inspection showed that one of the uprights had been smacked head on, (about 4 foot above the water) pushing the whole thing out of true, and pulling one of the footplates halfway out of the deck....... buckling the plate as it went. Also, just under the forestay fitting, lumps of gel coat missing, and serious investigation needed to determine if the whole fitting might have moved!
Now, accidents DO happen (even if our boat is in the middle row of three lines of moorings, and theoretically safer than the trots closer to the channel) and things do go wrong,but wouldn't it be nice if whoever drove head on into my boat could have left a note saying sorry, and p'raps offering to pay for the damage?
I live in hope, but I fear I'll hear nothing.
P'raps next time this guy loses control of his boat, he'll do everyone else a favour and use his head as a fender!
