LongPac Requirements Questions

[tboussie]

I have started to tackle more seriously getting my boat ready for the 2017 LongPac. I have a few questions about the safety equipment requirements - some specific to my boat, some more general. I would appreciate guidance from SSS vets familiar with these rules.

2.4.3
Bow pulpits may be open, but the opening between the vertical portion of stanchion pulpit and any part of the boat shall not exceed 14.2" (360mm).

This is a bit confusing. I am having a hard time envisioning how the "vertical portion of the stanchion pulpit" could be >14" from any part of the boat. That would seem like a dangerous situation indeed. Below is a photo of my boat's pulpit. I assume it satisfies this requirement?




3.13
A boat shall have a method of receiving weather information in addition to the fixed mount and hand held VHF radio.

How is this usually achieved? Is there a low-tech option? I am planning to buy and install a Sat Phone and grib download / viewing software for the SH Transpac, but I was not planning on doing this before the LongPac. Should I move this up?


3.33.3
A boat shall carry a heavy-weather jib (or heavy-weather sail in a yacht with no forestay) of area not greater than 13.5% height of the
foretriangle squared.

Does a roller-reefing #3 satisfy this requirement? In anything short of truly adverse conditions, I am more likely to reef my headsail than pull it down and replace it with a heavy-weather jib.


3.33.4
A boat shall carry a storm jib not exceeding 5% of the yacht's I dimension squared, an equipped with an alternative means of attachment to the headstay in the event of a failure of the head foil. Storm sails manufactured after 01/01/2014 shall be constructed from a highly visible material.

I assume that "alternative means of attachment to the headstay" refers to soft shackles or other attachment hardware in addition to the storm jib's luff foil, rather than an entirely redundant stay for the storm jib?

Thanks for your help.

Tom

 

[BobJ]

I'll take a stab at the first and last questions.

Attached is a photo of what I think this rule addresses. If this pulpit's bow opening was so wide or the pulpit was far enough aft from the stem that the vertical pieces of the pulpit were more than 14.2" from the red headfoil, it wouldn't meet the rule.

Regarding attaching the storm jib, if the headfoil or furler foil split apart or was otherwise unusable, you need to be able to hoist the sail without using the foil. The usual solution is grommets in the luff of the sail (just behind the luff cord) that could be used to attach the sail around the damaged foil. Soft hanks of sufficient length are the best way to attach it but lengths of cord would also work - they would just take more time to attach.

 

[Philpott]

INSPIRATION FOR THE LONG PAC:

I just read TINKERBELLE, the story of Robert Manry's transatlantic trip from Falmouth, MA to Falmouth, England in his 13.5' sailboat. This was a splendid little story. Here is an interview with him while he was still offshore, including a bit about losing his rudder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8TODW-evYA