Rig failure at sea.
Documented rig failure incidents from the Logbook — 8 records, each with sources, lessons, and the SeaWise procedures that address it.
← Search & filter the full LogbookRig failures rarely announce themselves — a shroud, a spreader or a fitting lets go under load, and suddenly the mast is unsupported on one tack. The accounts here show the crews who kept their spar did the quiet work first: tuned and inspected standing rigging, tacked or bore away to unload the failed side the moment something felt wrong, and knew how to jury-rig support before a partial failure became a full dismasting.
Between 22 and 24 August 2026 the Portuguese Navy coordinated the rescue of two French sailors from their yacht about 484 nautical miles north-east of Sao Miguel in the Azores. The boat was drifting with serious mast damage and no steering. A Spanish fishing vessel took the pair off, and they were later transferred to a Greek tanker in good health. The yacht was left behind.
On 1 May 2026 the 32 ft sailboat Breezy Lee, sailed alone by an American from Florida, lost her engine and suffered rig problems about 70 nautical miles east-south-east of Cozumel. The Mexican Navy patrol vessel ARM Independencia took him aboard in good health and towed the boat to Cozumel.
On 5-6 August 2026, a sailboat carrying five foreign nationals lost steerage off Serifos, Greece, after its sail tore. Greece's Coast Guard and a Syros fishing vessel escorted it safely into Livadi harbour; no one was hurt.
On 27 July 2026, a roughly 30-foot catamaran struck a piling near the Manatee Avenue Bridge in Bradenton, Florida, during strong wind, and its mast snapped. A rescue swimmer pulled both people aboard from the water; one suffered a head laceration and was taken to hospital.
On 25 September 2026 a 10 m catamaran lost her mast about nine miles north of Wangerooge, in light wind. The couple aboard sent a faint Mayday that gave no name or position. A passing yacht found them, and German sea rescuers cut the rig away and towed the boat to Hooksiel.
On 29 July 2026, a 30-foot catamaran struck a piling near the Manatee Avenue Bridge in Manatee County, Florida, in strong winds from a fast-building thunderstorm, snapping its mast. Marine deputies, lifeguards, and fire crews rescued both occupants; one had a minor head injury.
Days after winning the 2026 Cape2Rio on handicap, the youth crew of Angel Wings was completely dismasted in a gale on the delivery home — over 25 knots of wind and 5-metre seas — and abandoned the yacht at 02:30 on 3 February 2026, about 1,448 km southeast of Rio. All three transferred unhurt to the freighter Bryant, and the South African Navy later landed them at Simon's Town. The yacht was lost.
On 4 January 2019, the yacht Kaerou was dismasted about 1,000 km from Réunion on passage between Australia and South Africa. The skipper alerted CROSS; a passing Cypriot bulk carrier, SAITA1, diverted and transferred about 300 litres of diesel and provisions some 343 nautical miles south of Réunion. The yacht motored on, and with SNSM help reached Réunion on 10 January — crew and boat both saved.