Who knew that the most dangerous point of a leg would be after crossing the finish line? Here’s what happened to Scallywag navigator Steve Hayles after his team arrived into Lisbon.
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I remember getting hit in the face with the boom during the Sydney-Hobart race I was out for a good 7.5 minutes
As a sailor I always feel terrible hearing or seeing someone being hit by the boom. I know just how much power there is in the mainsail. Even in much smaller yachts and in light/moderate wind. Luckily I haven't had anything but small taps.
Luckily most of the "boom hits" happen when hoisting or getting the mainsail down, when there is usually not so much force in the hit. Of course, in a large and powerful racing yacht like VO65, even a "small tap" can still cause serious injury, or falling overboard, unconscious. Getting your head hit in an accidental gybe would probably separate your head from the rest of the body…
I have only been hit by the boom once and that was in port too. After asking the mainsheet hand to tie the boom higher – because I'm pretty tall – I came out of the hatchway and clouted my head on a small fitting. About ten minutes later – and after swearing at him for tying it too low – I went below and took my cap off to find I was leaking large amounts of claret. The skipper was laughing, saying "Get the staple gun! Get the staple gun!", which was pretty funny. Cost me three stitches in my scalp but I put it down to experience and the fitting was removed.
Glad its a minor injury.
Most of us have been nudged by the boom at least once 🙂
censor the subtitle but not the audio…?