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busted line sailing repairs

Busted a Line, No Problem

We’ve been told the definition of sailing life is repairs in exotic locations.  We’re learning just how true this statement is.

In our last video we left you with a bit of a cliff hanger…me dangling from the mast, wondering how I was going to repair our busted lazy jack line.  We thought we were leaving Thompson Bay, Long Island and on our way to the Ragged Islands.  We didn’t even make it out of the bay before the line busted.

If there were ever a convenient place to have something go wrong, a safe anchorage is it. So, we dropped the anchor and did what any good sailor would do.  Grabbed a beer and stared at the problem for a while.

You may remember we busted a line right after crossing over to the Bahamas. It was our genoa sheet and the fix was as simple as running a new line.  Because the lazy jack line busted and disappeared inside the mast, we weren’t sure how to rerun the line. We used the radio to hail some of our neighbors but they hadn’t ever run a line through the mast either.

sailing life

At that point we had tried the beer stare down and our neighbors with no luck.  It was time to call the one person we knew would have the answer, Kent.  Considering this was our first repair that had us scratching our heads, we figured we better keep the cameras rolling.

How easy was that!  It’s not a perfect repair and I know there are other knots I could have used but we got the job done. What we thought was going to be super complicated turned out to be a simple project and we’re on our way again.  Somehow, I don’t think this will always be the case but I’ll take it!  Plus, I’ll take any excuse to go up the mast (in calm weather), I love the views from up here.

sailing life

the view from the top of the mast

fixing things in exotic locations

fixing things in exotic locations

All patched up!

Thanks for tuning in!  If you have any questions, tips or just want to say hello, leave us a note in the comment box below.  If you enjoyed this post share it with a friend. It helps us out so we can keep the posts and videos flowing.  Or, check out our Say Thanks page for some other ways you can show some digital love and most don’t cost a penny.

Hello there! I honestly don’t know what to say, so I am going to tell you a bunch of random facts instead. I'm a fish eating vegetarian who hates spiders and loves snakes. I almost never took vacations growing up. I wanted to be Pippi Longstocking (still do). I misspell about every other word I write and still struggle with grammar. I love splurging on a good high tea (which is really hard to find these days). And whatever you do, don’t tell me I can’t do something, because then I'll HAVE to do it!

Comments (41)

  • PJ Lemke

    Awesome job to both of you! Great to know as a power RV/Power Boat girl… Slow down when passing sail boats when someone is working above the boat! I love learning new stuff. You guys rock, love watching your video’s!
    PJ

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  • Kerry Koontz

    Hot damn look at that… See you keep finding out your smarter than you give yourself credit for. There ain’t nothing y’all can’t do…

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  • Deborah Kerr

    Another challenge and success!! Your lunch looked really great (& healthy…) Nikki is one tough cookie – she can drive a 40+ foot RV and fix a mast at great heights!! (how high up were you???) You go girl! And with a supportive Jason nearby – great teamwork 🙂 and that aqua water…the views from the mast… no words to describe…awesome!

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  • George Moskowitz

    It’s a joy to watch you guys on your adventures.

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  • Roger B

    Nikki, you really made me laugh by your comment, “Have a crappy insurance policy”. I like the humor.

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  • Richard Skaff

    Hey there.

    Once again, a great video. You are doing a great service for others that might be interested in doing what you two have undertaken. It’s great to see that one can decide to sail off into the “blue” and actually be successful in that effort. I’m sure that it helps having the relationship you two seem to have that provides your partner with really substantial emotional support. Good on you both!

    Sail on to new adventures and please, keep those wonderful vides coming so those of us who will probably never get to experience offshore sailing can have the experience through your eyes.

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  • Reyno Scheepers

    Hi Nikki and Jason
    Really like your spirit and attitude. Great posts. Had a Leopard 43 same as yours. Not to give you unwanted advise but consider replacing your main sheet. It looks kind of “fragile”. Might be just the light on it.

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  • I am not an expert in this area, but you might want to consider a slightly different setup. It you take your spinnaker halyard to the base of the mast and secure it tightly. Then have whoever is going up the mast utilize an ascender/jumars they can control themselves independently of the person raises/lowering them. It allows them to secure themselves separately and during the descent stage if the line should slip in the winch or should you have some sort of issue you dont have two lines “free” at the same time. In this case Niki could simply “release” the ascender and she would be safely held by the static spinnaker halyard, that way Jason would only have to focus on a single line with during the descent and reduce any risk. Not that what you were doing was unsafe, but complexity can equal risk at time.

    Thanks again for sharing your adventure with us. It is helping us to prepare for our own year long Great Loop adventure in a couple year!

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  • Ellen Darby

    Love your sense of humor: being sure to have lousy insurance. Literally laughed out loud.
    Thanks for another great video!

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  • Steve

    Enjoyed as I do all your videos. Jason, suprised you weren’t wearing gloves when you were bringing Nikki down. I seem to remember from a video way back when you got rope burn, or was that Nikki, that you said always were gloves.

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      • Suzanne

        West Marine gloves are the worst. I love the Ronstan sticky gloves. But I would get more than one pair since they can take forever to dry and then you can have a fry pair to out on.

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  • Brad richell

    Great video, Shows patience and safety. I agree with the beer stare, used it many times.

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  • Nancy Fernandez

    Awesome job you two. Happy Sailing!

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  • Venice Scherer

    I can’t find the like key, 🙁 but I loved the video! Wow, that line is worn, kinda scary. You two have a very likable personality, very easy on the soul. 🙂

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  • Greg

    You two are STUDS!!!!

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  • Jim Tatum

    Hey,
    I have been following your videos. I was inspecting my new Leopard 40 and looked around the yard. I noticed
    “Curiosity” at Just Cats….. Look out your salon door thats my Leopard 40 being worked on. I came to pick her up but a few problems………..Would love to meet you guys.

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  • Mindy

    Love these looks into the daily life as much as I love your sightseeing. Good and brave job. Keep up the good work.

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  • Jaime

    No problems allowed! I should apply the same rule when I’m sailing as well! Well done!

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  • Tracy

    So glad you could fix your mast. Happy sailing!

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  • Marshall

    What is not to like (love!) about you guys and what you do. Fun. Inspirational. Awesome all ’round.

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  • John Dieker

    Way to go! I enjoyed watching you two fix the problem, keep a good attitude, and show the great scenery from up on the mast. I love watching your video’s!

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  • Jerry

    Nicely done . . .

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  • Beth-Ann

    Thoroughly enjoy your videos! You all are totally living the life.

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  • Michael Manbeck

    Hi guys ..We haved enjoyed all of your videos …it started back in your RV days….Job well done with your line replacement on the mast…Troubleshooting is alot like playing chess..safety first..then look for a better move…We live in Charleston SC…Enjoy your day…..Mike & Cindy…

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  • Griz

    Helmet for Nikki (climbing helmet or..) and tacky, solid-grip gloves for Jason. I’ve been on both ends of the rope. Ask me how I know why those are needed. Better yet, don’t ask. Too embarrassing.

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  • Sam

    You asked in your email if we wanted to see this kind of video. You realize this is what we signed on for, lo those many a yar (sic) ago. It was only afterwards we all fell in love with you guys. You make such a great team, you should be required watching in high school.

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  • Jim Deatsch

    Nicely done kids, you did good.

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  • Nice job. Love the team work and being able to “Call a friend”. I also liked the idea of staring at the problem a while. Good advice. Even though you didn’t come up with the solution this time, I have a feeling after a few more episodes, you’ll be able to troubleshoot lots of new things with all the experience you are gaining. Well done!

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  • Rick and Evie Gard

    excellent video; great storytelling, angles, pacing, helpful content and a nice change from usual. Congrats.

    doesn’t matter in the long run, but just in case you want to sound cool around the other cool sailing kids – the word is pronounced “bowlin” with the LIN as in a fish FIN.

    Good luck in the rain. I launched and provisioned a catamaran in a hurry in Martinique last month, and it rained continuously both days – what a mess.

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  • John Brunson

    I’m not a sailor, but I have rode a boatswain’s chair up many Radio “Masts” (we call them towers here in Dixie). Mine became much easier on my back when I put a piece of stiff plastic in the part that is behind me… the seat has a stiff piece for my behind, but adding a piece to support my lower back made it possible for me to last a lot longer in the air. Also, the line “Halyard??” that you hauled little Nikki up with looks like it is frayed and in poor shape (pause the video @ 6:30 and look)… In the tower rigging business, we would reverse the line end for end so that the less used end saw the load…..ya get a little more life out of the expensive piece of rope that way…. You guys are very resourceful sailors!!! Awesome video~ We continue to live vicariously.

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  • Another great video by the Wynns! Thank you for all your wonderful work! 🙂

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  • Sharon

    Fantastic video
    Loved seeing the repair job.

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  • Dangling

    That was cryptic! 😉 Multiple as in multiple voyages? Or a group for one voyage? Or all of the above? There has not yet been an update to the Join Our Crew! page so tell us! Tell us! Or am I stupidly looking in the wrong place?

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  • Dangling

    So? Tell us! Did you pick someone!?!

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      • John Schretlen

        Sailing lingo in those waters for ‘multiple someones’ is ‘them’s all’.
        As in “We have picked them’s all”.
        😉

        reply

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