Single Handed Sailing: NYC to Bermuda Nightmare, Part 6 (Westsail 42 Sailboat Paragon)

This was the 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.

On Friday, Jan 22, 2015 Mike Gerrie wrote:
First I would like to reiterate what has been said many times before that you definitely did the right thing helping and good for you. Since the episode abruptly ends with no update as to what happened. It would be nice if you included a note as to what happens finally to Cha, Cha in the description of video. Did they get towed or left in the water?

Thanks for the suggestion Mike, How’s this?
After the collision, Cha Cha 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 her 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 Harbor, praying to make it into the anchorage without any more problems and before dark.
After jury rigging Paragon in Bermuda, I sailed on to the Caribbean for a winter, and then back to North Carolina for 3 years of repairs and renovations.  I never saw Cha Cha again, but heard that she was sailed back to Newport (without engine) and left at anchor in the harbor for so long that the city somehow took possession of her and auctioned her off.
For more details, see 
– http://www.sailnet.com/forums/816068-post172.html
– http://www.wavetrain.net/news-a-views/354-abandoned-boat-cha-cha-up-for-grabs-in-newport, 
– http://www.wavetrain.net/techniques-a-tactics/342-suicide-ocean-tow-drake-roberts-on-youtube
– http://www.boats.com/wounded-boats-and-folk-in-bermuda/