Hi RB, thanks for watching the Bermuda Nightmare story...

Here's a small excerpt from an article I wrote for the SSCA about it...

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We cut the towline, and I put safe distance between us. No one was hurt. We both drifted under bare poles. I wanted to cry when I saw the damage. Paragon’s enormous stainless steel bowsprit was bent badly all over and in different directions.The thick steel attachment points to the bow sides were bent up by 20 degrees. The bobstay turnbuckle bolt was bent 20 degrees. I was worried about any of it failing and losing the mast and so tied a halyard to a bow cleat. Such misery!

We were in range of Bermuda Radio and reported everything. Throughout the night as Cha Cha drifted helplessly under bare poles, I motored circles around them as we waited for a towing vessel arranged by Bermuda Radio. In the morning we attempted several times to continue our towing, but soon gave up as the winds and seas and exhaustion made it too difficult to even get the towline across. Finally in the afternoon a 150’ mega-yacht sailing vessel named Titan 14 arrived to continue towing Cha Cha, and I sped off for St. George’s, praying to make it into the anchorage without any more problems and before dark.

This was one of the most difficult and nightmarish sailing experiences of my life. The damage to Paragon’s bowsprit and rig forced me to put off plans for sailing on to the Pacific, and instead I had to limp back to North Carolina for repairs. Today I’m thankful beyond words for everything that happened. If I hadn’t returned to the states then, I wouldn’t have met the most wonderful woman! Now Monique and I are preparing to sail aboard Paragon on to the Pacific and around the world as many times as we can.
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Since then I've replaced the bowsprit and repaired the other damage and we're looking forward to pushing off from North Carolina in the Spring, headed to Boston to spend the Summer on a mooring ball.