Riding The Wave

[Mike Goodwin]

a 30' mast and 10 to 15 feet of water with the boat upside down, you do the math .

[Theis]

Mike:

Perhaps I missed something, but why would the 10-15 feet of water break a mast that extends 30 feet above the water's surface? I see the mast breaking when the boat is upright (See image 8). I have been in water shallower than 10-15 feet many times, and done a jibe, unfortunately, but never been concerned with my mast breaking because of the water depth. I do understand your concept once the boat rolled.

[commanderpete]

Here's that pic. Hard to tell what's going on, but its not good.

I can imagine what the surfers were saying to the sailors when they picked them up.

"Yo.....Doooood......Gnarly ride!!!"

[Mike Goodwin]

I believe the mast breaks around photo 9 when he pitch poles and broaches . In photo 10 the boat is inverted . Mast is still standing in photo 8.

[Bill]

The nautical chart for SF Bay indicates that water depths around the South Tower of the Golden Gate bridge range from a shallow 27 feet to a more robust 333 feet.

The chart also notes "tide rips" in the near vicinity. I believe this identifies the location of the famous South Tower "devil" that combines tide rips with wind variations to cause unsuspecting yachts to broach or experience other uncomfortable sailing adventures. Usually, it’s only the skipper’s pride that gets damaged.

[Theis]

I had looked at photo 8 a couple times and thought the top broke there, but now, after several replays, it is clear that didn't happen. Sorry. This may be a definitial issue, or talking semantics, but it doesn't look to me like he pitch poled, but rather he rolled. Those waves were coming off the stern quarter, and (and I apologize if my screen definition is goofing this up), but it looks like he was shifted broadside to the wave (couldn't or didn't hold his course), and then rolled, in contast to having his bow getting hooked, and the stern rising (stern going faster than the bow) which is what I call pitch poling. In either case, the mast goes.

[frank durant]

Theis I think you are right..he rolled..one hella va broach !!! That was not a PITCH POLE.