Thursday, June 28, 2012

6/28/12

Noon Position: 7 37' N, 117 06' W, SOG 5, COG 350, Day's Run 65nm. The
game of inches continues... I awoke this morning to a peal of thunder
after a night of slow but constant northward drifting and was soon on
deck dealing with the always fun wind shifts of another squall filled
day. First we went wing off - eased the working jib sheet, took up on
the foreguy as the pole swung foreward, sheeted the jib in on the same
side as the main as the wind came forward, then ease the topping lift
and tighten the foreguy to drop the pole out of the way. The wind goes
further forward, so I adjust the windvane, sheet in the jib, take off
the main preventer, sheet in the main, reset the main preventer, and now
we're close hauled where just a few minutes before we were running
before the wind. Then the wind keeps going, so I have to go forward,
take the lazy sheet out of the jaws of the spinnaker pole, then try to
put the pole away so it won't get in the way when we tack and realize
that I need to go back to the cockpit to ease the foreguy so I can slide
the pole back to it's chocks, then back up to the bow, slide the pole
aft, thread the butt onto the little post at the aft end, grab the bar
of the forward chock with the jaws, then back to the cockpit, take all
the slack out of the foreguy and topping lift, then flip the windvane
around to tack, but the wind is too light for it to do the job, so I
have to disengage the vane, spin the wheel to tack, ease the working
sheet, sheet the jib in on the new side, get us on course and re-engage
the windvane, then release the main preventer (which is now to windward,
acting like the sheet), reset the preventer to leeward, then haul the
main traveller up to lock the boom in place against the preventer so it
doesn't bang around if the wind drops. The heavens open, a torrential
downpour, and I fill 5 gallons of water jugs before the rain stops,
leaving us rolling around, sails slatting, so I ease the jib sheet, haul
on the furling line to roll up the jib so it doesn't destroy itself and
go below and continue cleaning the head. All of this in 15 minutes
before 7am. Half an hour later the wind is back again, now from a new
direction, so it's on deck to repeat all over again, trying to squeeze
as many yards and feet and inches to the north out of each little puff.

4 comments:

  1. Wow! Exhausting. But Hooray! for the fresh water. Keep on inching towards home, Eric!

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  2. And only 15 nautical miles from your position on 11-22-11!!! The circle is closing.

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  3. I agree Katie....it made me exhausted just reading what had to take place, but the good news is the proximity to the starting point! Hope all continues at a steady pace with your safety as a top priority.

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  4. Well, one thing is for sure, you're not bored!

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