Last weekend I raced my Force 5 in the High Sierra Regatta and had the
unhappy experience of having my vang come loose about half way through an 8
mile race. The circular wire retainer that held the clevis pin in the
shackle had come loose, the pin had fallen out and the vang block came flying
off the mast towards me at a *dangerous* speed. It missed me, luckily.
Another wire circ clip was bent enough to be potentially the next to go.
I hadn't taped either of them. I tied the vang block back on the bail with a
spare piece of line and resumed sailing. Next time I hit the beach, I
replaced the shackle and I grabbed my rigging tape and covered all the
circ-clips.
A word to the wise....
Best,
Judy B.
PS A little bragging -- Hubby Dave came in 4th in a field of 10 very good
sailors. It was his first race ever! He's only been sailing seriously for a
little more than a year.