Loss of steerage

Current location: Underway between Sandy spit and Sopper’s hole, West End, Tortola 18°24.17 N 64°43.13 W

I shove a shipmate out of the way and grab the mainsheet and start dumping out the main. We are on a collision course with a catamaran and we have just lost steering. Yesterday quite windy, so we decided to put two reefs in our sails for the sailing practical test for our shipmates. As we were raising our main something up the mast snapped and a black plastic piece fell down on deck. I pick up the piece and conclude that it must have come from one of the blocks. I peer up, and as predicted one of the blocks, the block leading the second reefing line, has broken. Electrical winching I suppose is great for cruising purposes, but for actual sailing training I am starting to feel that they cause more trouble than they are worth. We went ahead with one reef in the sail, not so much to do when we have ten shipmates looking to earn their International Yacht Training certificate in sailing. The practical and the sailing circles went great, they all crushed it. On our way to sandy spit, at which point the practical test was over and done with, and our captain headed down below for the head, we all found ourselves enjoying sailing at its best. The wind was frisk and our shipmates were sitting on the railing singing. The helmsman steered us right on course, and our sails were properly trimmed. Up ahead there was a cat on collision course, but as we were on a starboard tack and had priority and the cat had started to adjust their course, I felt calm. Up until the boat suffered serious weather-helm and turn upwind towards the cat. I shove a shipmate out of the way and grab the mainsheet and start dumping out the main. The helmsman tries to keep the helm hard to port, and another well-meaning shipmate jumps on the helm and helps to pull. That is when I hear the steering cable snap, and the helm goes spinning and hits one of the shipmates. At this point our skipper Nick comes flying up from the companion way yelling “what is happening!?” at which I respond “We have no steerage”. Things go flying all over the cockpit as Nick pulls up the emergency tiller. I direct four shipmates to start pulling in the furling line to the jib, and Nick gets the tiller attached to the rudder. The catamaran has once again adjusted their course to avoid collision, and the immediate danger is over, yet raising hearts and adrenaline could have made the situation snowball with hasty decisions. Today we came together as a crew, and we proved ourselves to be competent crew and sailors. I will take this experience and put into my pocket-collection of things I will make use of in the future. For now I am going to enjoy trying to steer a boat with a tiller as we attempt docking our boat.