As I sit and write this, I am tied up safe and sound about 100 miles from Chicago. The trip continues. The boat continues. I continue.
I'm picking up my story from August 12, 2017.
After a pleasant stay in St. Clair, I left there en route to Beach Harbor, MI. I don't know if I read the weather forecasts wrong or the weather just changed over the first 3 hours of cruising. Suffice it to say that the weather wasn't what I thought it would be. The winds rose as did the waves. I was being hammered by waves that I estimated to be 4 to 5 feet. And, they didn't seem to come in a predictable pattern. I was being slammed so hard that I put on my life vest and secured my portable radio to the chest strap.
I tried navigating into the waves so that I could quarter them and get a bit more comfortable ride. Unfortunately, that heading was taking so far off course that I'd never reach my destination. I tried going with the waves. That was better, but I was still getting hammered.
The pounding continued to get worse when suddenly there was a tearing sound and a giant thud. That was followed by bashing sounds on the roof of the cabin. I slowed the boat and moved into the cockpit so that I could see the roof. The mast had been torn free from the roof and was smashing itself onto the roof.
I grabbed some lines and climbed out onto the starboard side of the boat. I lashed the mast as best as I could to the handrail on the roof. Then, I climbed out onto the port side and repeated the procedure. Needless to say, I was pretty frightened.
I had to reduce my speed to minimize the bashing on the roof. I contacted the marina and told them I would be late. My contact there said that she would wait for my arrival.
The voyage continued. But, I did have to slow twice more in an effort to secure the mast to the roof.
After what seemed like endless hours, I finally arrived at Beach Harbor and tied in for the night.
Adding insult to injury, it started to rain. So, I had to secure a tarp over the roof in an attempt to keep the area as dry as possible.
The folks at the marina gave me the number for a local shop where I might be able to get help.
I'm picking up my story from August 12, 2017.
After a pleasant stay in St. Clair, I left there en route to Beach Harbor, MI. I don't know if I read the weather forecasts wrong or the weather just changed over the first 3 hours of cruising. Suffice it to say that the weather wasn't what I thought it would be. The winds rose as did the waves. I was being hammered by waves that I estimated to be 4 to 5 feet. And, they didn't seem to come in a predictable pattern. I was being slammed so hard that I put on my life vest and secured my portable radio to the chest strap.
I tried navigating into the waves so that I could quarter them and get a bit more comfortable ride. Unfortunately, that heading was taking so far off course that I'd never reach my destination. I tried going with the waves. That was better, but I was still getting hammered.
The pounding continued to get worse when suddenly there was a tearing sound and a giant thud. That was followed by bashing sounds on the roof of the cabin. I slowed the boat and moved into the cockpit so that I could see the roof. The mast had been torn free from the roof and was smashing itself onto the roof.
I grabbed some lines and climbed out onto the starboard side of the boat. I lashed the mast as best as I could to the handrail on the roof. Then, I climbed out onto the port side and repeated the procedure. Needless to say, I was pretty frightened.
I had to reduce my speed to minimize the bashing on the roof. I contacted the marina and told them I would be late. My contact there said that she would wait for my arrival.
The voyage continued. But, I did have to slow twice more in an effort to secure the mast to the roof.
After what seemed like endless hours, I finally arrived at Beach Harbor and tied in for the night.
Adding insult to injury, it started to rain. So, I had to secure a tarp over the roof in an attempt to keep the area as dry as possible.
The folks at the marina gave me the number for a local shop where I might be able to get help.
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