Storm

 
  We made slow progress going east, with fickle winds.
  

  Then ran into a storm at 61N x 30W, about 300 NM SW of Iceland.
  

   Teddy got  two full knockdowns. The first broke the main mast 3/4 way up. The next put us on the ceiling. A part knockdown, one of many, took out the entire bowsprit structure. Other damage included: a broken main boom; most stays overstretched the majority severely; 2 foresails that were tied to the bowsprit were lost; a cabintop handrail was partly pulled out. 

   No one hurt. I got a nice collection of bruises, nothing big. The damage to Teddy, though impressive, is not severe, and is most certainly repairable.

  The hull was rock solid. But my preparations for the storm and the anticipated knockdown were incomplete, and the fore hatch, skylight and companionway hatch were designed for moderate conditions, not for conditions of water under extreme pressure water blasting in, The interior was quite wet & I pumped out 200 liters. 

  We rested 2 or 3 days, slowly recovering & waiting for the seas to drop. I backed up the staysail stay with running stays, which gave us one sail & that the smallest. Engine good. With dropping seas we cleared away the wreckage of the bowsprit which was attached by the bobstay & which had pounded against the hull day and night until clearance. Then we headed for Grindavik.

   Ruairi has left to explore Iceland & to return home and to his three cows of Inishere. I'm slowly regaining myself as I clear out the interior. Sauna every day, beer in the evening, nice foods. Here are some pics of the damage. 

                                  Top 8 ft of mast missing, spreaders askew. Where is the bowsprit?

                    Top of mast on deck. Under it is the main boom, clearly broken

                                        Entire A frame bow platform torn off

                        Tip of the bow platform. We sawed off the rest during clearance of the wreckage.