Here’s another item from last June’s Marion to Bermuda Race (accompanying picture shows Marion Bermuda racer Will Taylor taking a sight during the race). Race participant Sheldon Brotman, who sails aboard his boat Whisper, provided us with a breakdown of broken gear suffered by race participants. This is an informal list he compiled from walking the dock.
“In my dock strolling talking I have found:
1. Many sail failures- blow out heads of mains and blades
2. Rig failures- one goose neck failure
3. Hydraulic cylinder failure
4. Steering sheave failure of attachment
5. A lot of water intrusion
6. One bilge pump failure (outlet- clog)
7. Two toilet seat failures
8. Many tri-sails that did not work
9. One boat pulled out — due inability of crew to tolerate heeling — they were afraid the boat would fail?â€
