Letter to Insurance Company

[Spirit of the Wind]

Letter to Insurance Company

Dear Sirs:

I am considered an experienced sailor and a typical yacht owner. A routine inspection uncovered a burned out masthead bulb that obviously needed replacement. Not wanting to bother the other members of our sailing club, and with the wife in town shopping, I decided that this simple task could be accomplished alone. The only challenge was: How to get to the tip of the mast.

We have a 50 gallon barrel on board that we sometimes use to carry spare water in for a long cruise. It seemed a very simple solution to fill the barrel with water, and winch it to the top of the mast, whereby I could climb into the bosuns chair and, as the barrel of water descended, I could gently ascend to the top of the mast.

I untied the halyard, holding it tightly to ensure a slow descent of the barrel and slow ascent of myself to the top of the mast. You might note in block number 11 of the accident report that I weigh 190 pounds and 50 gallons of water plus the weight of the barrel calculates to about 450 pounds.

Due to my surprise at being jerked off the deck suddenly, I lost presence of mind and let the halyard slip completely off the cleat. Needless to say, I proceeded at a very rapid rate to the top of the mast. In the vicinity of the spreaders, I met the barrel coming down. This explains the fractured skull and collarbone. Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley.
Fortunately, by this time, I had regained my presence of mind, and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my pain.

At approximately this time, however, the barrel hit the deck and was split wide open, spilling out all the water. Devoid of the weight of the water, the barrel now weighed 50 pounds. I refer again to my weight in block number 11. As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the mast. In the vicinity of the spreaders, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles and lacerations on my legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell through the bimini top and into the cockpit, fortunately cracking only three vertebrae.

I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay in the cockpit in pain, unable to stand, watching the empty barrel swing atop the mast above me, I lost presence of mind and I let go of the halyard. I need not tell you that the barrel weighed more that the halyard, and when it came down on me, both my legs were broken.

I trust that this information will be adequate in describing this minor accident.

[RandyMoon]

Huh? Did this really happen? If it did and you have it on tape, you can win a fortune on America's Funniest Videos.

[Tony D-26X_SusieQ]

But did you at least get the light replaced?
Great story

[DLT]

That's the first time I heard the story referenced to a boat...

Its not a pulley, its a block. Its not a rope, its a line...

[Jack O'Brien]

If the block hits you in the head, does that make you a BLOCKHEAD?
If the block hits you while you are in the head, does that make you BLOCKED UP?

[Catigale]

IIRC its a classic British comedy tale called 'Bricklayer'...my favourite version of it was done by one Gerard Hoffnung circa 1958..

[Chip Hindes]

Funny but not remotely plausible.

It was cited in the mythical Darwin awards a few years ago as well. Right after the one where the guy put JATO units on his Impala and lost it into the side of a mountain at something over 250mph.

[Harvey]

It was sung about hauling bricks from the 14th floor in a song called "The Sick Note", sung by Tommy Makem on a Clancy Brothers album about 20 years ago. Great story.

[Catigale]

Amazon review here sources Bricklayer story as circa 1920, but Hoffnung did make it famous by presenting it at an Oxford speech in 1959....my memory has served me well, Grasshopper

[Hamin' X]

This yarn has been translated into just about every profession/vocation and hobby around. The last time that I came across it was about 20 years ago. It was about a ham radio operator working on his tower. Still a great story and always brings a chuckle. Always fun to look for the translation errors.

[RandyMoon]

Chip, I hope you get the Myth Buster show on Cable.

There was an episode a few years ago where the myth buster guys attached a JATO to a Chevy convertible and controlled it via remote control from a helicopter. That sucker went really fast. They were trying to see if that myth was possible.

In fact, it was the first episode I ever watched and I was hooked.

Then they did one to see if breast implants would expand at high altitude. Another favorite myth busted was can a cell phone cause an explosion at the gas pump = no. Most likely is someone scooting across their front seat, charging their clothes and having a static discharge when they reach for the nozzle.

[Mark Prouty]

Funny but not remotely plausible.

Why is it not remotely plausible.

Figures seem correct:

Weight of water
1 gallon of water = 8.33 pounds - http://www.cabq.gov/water/trivia.html
50 * 8.33 = 416.5 pounds of water

Weight of barrel
450 416.5 = 33.5 pounds.
Story has it weighing 50 pounds but give the poor man a break. He was in a lot of pain.

What is questionable?

450 pounds would certainly jerk a 190 pound man off the deck suddenly and cause him to proceed at a very rapid rate to the top of the mast.

It seems logical that at the spreaders he would meet the barrel coming down.

A mans fingers could go two knuckles deep into a large enough pulley (block) couldnt they?

Once the barrel broke it weighed less. Wouldnt this cause his fall since he would then weigh so much more than the barrel? Wouldnt it be about at the spreaders that hed meet the barrel again?

Landing in the cockpit seems logical. The bimini top might have broken his fall and saved his life.

At the cockpit, I imagine he was in considerable pain. This amount of pain could cause one to loose presence of mind and therefore let go if the halyard. A barrel weighing 50 pounds would gain a lot of velocity falling that distance. The weight combined with the velocity could cause enough force to break both his legs.

Why couldn't it all have happened?

To prove this couldn't happen, wouldn't you have to go out to your Mac with a 190 pound dummy and a 50 gallon barrel full of water to simulate these events.

[Zavala]

Seems to me the hardest part of the whole process is hoisting the barrel in the first place. If you really want to try this at home, I think we need to use something that has a little more purchase than just a halyard and winch.

[Compromise]

It is a version of the song called "The Sick Note". It was an explanation to the boss as to why Paddy's not at work today......sang it many times LOL

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

Because of the Coriolios effect, I think there would be a difference if the barrel was blue or white.
Of course, Pasquale's principal would also have to be taken into account, as well as his assistant principal.
Also too, the dew point.