I seem to be even more clutzy than normal these days. Launching at Black Rock a few weeks back was a fiasco. I put that down to a flat tyre on the trolley and launching at an unknown spot, which meant I wasn't well prepared before raising sail. Next sail last week I went down to my usual beach launching spot in front of AltonaYachtClub, took my time, and so no excuses. Low tide, onshore wind, bit of left over chop from the previous day's wind, and I managed to break the yoke on Derry’s rudder within a minute of launching.
I was trying to sail off, hit the sand bar, pulled up centreboard, dropped the tiller, boat broached starboard side on, tiller under, weight of boat on tiller acting as a lever, snap. :(
I had arranged to rendezvous with Chris who was launching at Werribee, and Andrew was launching Mars at the ramp, so I jury rigged an arrangement using the push pull tiller lashed to the head of the rudder stock. Thankfully the Skerry is well balanced and light on the tiller so it was adequate. A brisk South easterly got me over to Point Cook on one tack.
We tried rafting up, but the wind and the chop made that not such a good idea. I am afraid I bumped into Ysolde and took a chip out of that lovely transom. We anchored separately and had a pleasant lunch then headed off back to our respective destinations, me at least somewhat sadder and hopefully wiser.
I made a beefier replacement yoke, and hopefully I have learned the lesson, row out and get some searoom before trying to sail.
I am almost up to what the manual optimistically calls "Cockpit coatings and final bits". Today's job is fibreglassing the cabin roof.
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