I'm planning on going to Van Pugh tomorrow mid-morning. We're getting blow-by from the Outer Banks where it's really ripping. Jim called this morning before going out at Van Pugh and reported some white caps. Hopefully tomorrow morning will be even better.
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Barrett
I'm meeting Mr. B at Van Pugh but getting off a bit late.
Despite the NWS forecast of 5 mph from the SE, the wind really picked up and it was a fun morning on the water. At 10AM when I arrived at Van Pugh the wind was filling in from the NW and soon the whole Lake was whitecapping. William & I rigged 7.0's. When I first went out the wind was steady and strong. By noon it was gusty and dropping off. Dave D. came later with his kites, but didn't launch.
Barrett
It was so windy, my stainless spreader bar broke.
The gusts really were 25. Had to scooch into the Three Sisters Islands across the channel and tug really hard on the outhaul.
On the way back to Van Pugh, heard a ping. One should not hear a ping while sailing. The mast hadn't snapped (they go "crack" or "pow" anyway). Harness lines intact. Boom intact. Uni joint still attached, good. Bar still on harness, check (my straps to the spreader bar once broke a couple years back). Oh, well. Everything seemed to be standing and got back to the beach fine.
Then saw the bar had separated. I'm not a structual engineer but I'd say that's not the usual failure mode one would expect from the spreader bar - the metal having pulled apart in tension.
Got up there while Barrett and W were out. Met DeLozier, the kite weasel.
It was like this:
Just kidding. Good to meet you, Dave
--- The Arrogant Jerk: Crabby and irritable since 1998.
If they actually failed in tension, each one of your harness lines/bars on spreader would be carrying approx. 933lbs (using weak stainless (301) steel and 0.2 inch diameter connection). Were you windsurfing or hang-gliding? I am impressed.
Probably fatigue from loading and unloading in cold and hot temperatures and manufacturing defects. Aerospace engineers seem to worry a lot about that sort of thing and that makes me feel better
I worry enough while in flight.
Daddy don't windsurf underpowered...
A metallurgist could probably tell you if the cause was metal fatigue or defective material.
Jim,
Thanks for the suggestion. It served me well for 6+ years and they don't cost that much. If my masts held up as well as it did, I'd be a happy camper. We'll chalk it up to Reason 17 to check your equipment and don't assume it will last forever.
Stephan was telling me about stainless being less ductile (that's the word I was looking for earlier today) than other steels and its failure mode is more snappish and brittle if there is any flaw or impurity. Interestingly, the other side of the hook was strong enough alone to get me in.
I'm still partial to the "loaded beyond design limits" hypothesis.
Hey Webguy, I'm thinking Sir Arrogant had something to do with your harness, I saw him messing around with your gear just before you went out, you know he's a little twisted like that....
Finally, getting the respect I deserve.
No, I didn't mess with the harness. It's much more fun to unscrew fins...
Edit: This is all in fun. Don't unscrew someone's fin. It's b*tch to sail a board without a fin no matter what that article in the magazine said about using your harness as a fin.
--- The Arrogant Jerk: Crabby and irritable since 1998.