The in-mast mainsail was furled the wrong way

On 1 July, HERA is berthed at San Giorgio Maggiore. The in-mast furling mainsail has been wound the wrong way and jams inside the mast. The chain of events is clear: the furling direction is incorrect, the available space is used up and the sail no longer moves normally.

An operating error with a mechanical consequence

The cloth still disappears into the mast, but the roll builds on the wrong side. Layer by layer, the sail package grows in an unsuitable position until friction stops the system. That identifies the cause on HERA; a jam on another yacht would still require a fresh assessment of its own installation.

Returning to a clean starting point

During the thunderstorm conditions, the sail is drawn completely out of the mast in small steps. Only when the cloth is free can the correct furling direction be restored. The mainsail is then rolled away again under control. More force would not have corrected the wrap; it would merely have added load to the sail and mechanism.

Why the harbour made the difference

HERA is secured, nobody has to steer at the same time and every stage of the work can be paused. The thunderstorm remains a separate safety decision; being in harbour does not make the job harmless. Even so, the starting position is far better than it would be on the following passage. Stefan’s judgement therefore stands: this was a much better problem to have in harbour than at sea.