Not good news I’m afraid. A huge typhoon ripped through Okinawa yesterday. 100 knot winds for several hours and 1ft of rain!
https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/video/typhoon-khanun-turns-deadly-as-it-lashes-okinawa-japan
The boat has suffered. The cover ripped and blew off. The boat filled with water. The cockpit hatch and washboards also blew off and the cockpit filled up as well! Luckily heroic friend Harry Wilson got to her and bailed her out before she sank. Thanks Harry!
Somehow the forestay and the roller reefing system broke loose. The jib unfurled and is badly ripped but worse is the luff spar was bent into a pretzel shape.
I have to get a new roller reefing system and luff spar. Not sure how to do this.
Does anyone know who supplies these for Gypsies ? I can contact them and hope they have agents in Asia. Fingers crossed.
Interestingly I recently replaced the tarditional lashings for the forestay and side shrouds with turnbuckles. I could never get the shrouds tight with the lashings. The wind unscrewed two of the turnbuckles releasing the forestay and port shroud. I thought the lock nuts were tight but clearly not.
The Jib halyard must also have snapped or uncleated itself which caused the luff spar and jib to crash down to subsequently bend and rip.
I am beginning to think that boats that do not self drain have short life expectancy in Okinawa. Even the best covers blow off in 100+ knots of wind!
I am in San Francisco and am trying to get the boat taken out of the water until I go back to Okinawa in the autumn. Who knows how many more typhoons will blast through while I am away. Hilarious long distance conversations with Marina folks who do not speak English. They have been very kind and I think they will lift the boat out for me. Good friend Kiyuna san is on the job so everything will be OK!
The Quiet Ripple Defines The Pond 
oh MY!! I’ve been without my laptop for a few days and only just saw this. Are you still in San Francisco? What’s the status of the boat? If you are still in SF and have the time, perhaps we could get together. But in any event, hope you are happy and prospering. 😘😃
Yay Rachel, Lunch on Thursday? I can come down to Stanford.
Well today is Thursday and it’s almost 4:30 and I *just* saw your message of August 8 (I am as ditzy as ever)(maybe more so) regarding lunch today – that sound you may have just heard was me slapping myself on the forehead. Sheesh. Shall we reschedule lunch?
To respond to your enquiry, I would LOVE to see you and am available…seems I am having some problems contacting you but hope this message gets through to you. Best if you email me at virtually.rachel@gmail.com.
Can we reschedule? So sorry to have lapsed on this! 😕 Would love to see you!!❤ ~Rachel
So sorry, I had my fingers crossed but obviously not tight enough.
Thanks for trying!
The new Sampson post and bowsprit look wonderful, BTW.
Thanks, it was a fun project.
Hi I also have a Norfolk gypsy. You can contact Neil Thompson. He might be able to help. Ww.neilThompsonboats.Uk. You probably already know them . You’ve done wonders restoring her .And no doubt she will rise again.
Hi Robert,
Thanks for the good wishes. I leave for Okinawa next week to see if she can be saved. Apparently there are no longer luff spars are no longer fitted to the Norfolk Gypsy. As far as I understand, the jib is now wrapped around the jib stay somehow.
Unfortunately I am realising that the Gypsy is not the right boat for Okinawa. Boats there have to be self draining. The last typhoon had winds over 100mph for several days and a foot of rain for each of several days. No cover can resist this and is eventually blown off. The boat then fills up with rain in a couple of hours and then sinks!