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Brick House Dismasted, Childresses Unharmed

By Rob Grant | May 6, 2011 | Kiribati, South Pacific |
When was the last time you had your rig thoroughly surveyed? Brick House’s upper shroud chain plate was shiny on the outside, but thoroughly rusted between the two layers of steel.

Brick House
©2011 Latitude 38 Media, LLC

Brick House, the Middletown, Rhode Island-based Valiant 40 sailed by Patrick and Rebecca Childress, was dismasted several days ago while underway from Kiribati to Vanuatu. The port upper shroud chain plate broke during a passing squall, causing the mast to fold over just below the spreaders. Neither Patrick nor Rebecca were injured and there was little damage to the boat. They were able to motor to a nearby atoll where they stabilized the rig and then motorsailed with a jury rig to Tarawa. They are now attempting to cut off the top section of the mast (which is dragging in the water) so they can continue the 400 miles to Majuro in the Marshall Islands where they hope to effect repairs.

Patrick is known for his solo circumnavigation 32 years ago aboard his Catalina 27 Juggernaut. Both he and Rebecca have written scores of articles for various sailing publications, and helped many sailors during their current circumnavigation.

While making way to a sheltered anchorage, there was a lot of stress on the mast until the crew removed the dragging sails and attached water level supports all around it.

Brick House
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC
We hope you never look up and see a mess like this.

Brick House
©2011 Latitude 38 Media, LLC

In a recent email, Rebecca wrote: “Patrick climbed the mast to make miraculous alterations in a bumpy anchorage to make it safe enough for us to proceed. He has a great spirit about it all. What we need now is a 4-foot mast section made by Spar Tech (or possibly Super Spar – the Valiant factory isn’t sure which one we have) It is 25 inches in circumference; a perfectly shaped oval  about 9 inches fore and aft, and 6 inches side to side at the fattest part. There are no flat sides.”
 
If anyone can help find the proper section of mast, please email Patrick and Rebecca ASAP.

Amazingly, while bashing into waves for over 12 hours, the Tacktick wind sensor continued to give them wind speed equal to our water speed. After removing it from the mast, washing it in fresh water and lubbing it with WD-40, it continues to operate. The tricolor light housing was destroyed, but the Bebi Electronics LED light held tight for its 12 hours of salt water thrashing. It was unharmed even after Patrick dropped it in 38 feet of water.

Brick House
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC

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