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If you're familiar with lateen rigs like on a Sunfish, you'll remember that there are a couple of blocks on the boom to lead the mainsheet from the aft traveler along the boom, then to a cam cleat in front of the cockpit. We had a rare vigorous breeze on Lake Wallenpaupack today, and were beating to windward when there was a loud pop and our boom jerked to lee. One of the blocks on the boom was gone (later found safely on the mainsheet) and its bail was detached.
We immediately turned around and ran DDW back to shore, which minimized the stresses on the remaining block. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that a rivet had broken, causing the bail to open. The biggest casualty was losing a couple hours of prime sailing conditions while I drove to the Honesdale Home Depot to buy a rivet gun and 120 rivet assortment. I now have 119 rivets that I don't need. [
] I'll drill out and redo the others over the winter
We immediately turned around and ran DDW back to shore, which minimized the stresses on the remaining block. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that a rivet had broken, causing the bail to open. The biggest casualty was losing a couple hours of prime sailing conditions while I drove to the Honesdale Home Depot to buy a rivet gun and 120 rivet assortment. I now have 119 rivets that I don't need. [
