Day3 - Very light and not enjoyable
Bonkers
Donald Macdonald
Mon 5 Jun 2023 16:47
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Position: 47.37.45N 12.25.23W
1st reef removed and just before dusk black spinnaker
(one in a snuffer) went up. Wind was still 15-18 knots and forecast to drop as
night went on, which it has done by dawn about 8 knots with true wind at 160P.
The sea is also pretty flat now too. It was a busy night for shipping with 3
cargo and tankers identified on AIS to come within 0.5nm miles of me about and
hour ahead so between all those only short naps to ensure nothing drastic
changing as 2 of them I did not have right of way. One tanker was a slow
converge so for that decided to be on deck and take the helm if required to
reduce chances of needing to gybe with spinnaker up and Belgium jib up. All
passed without drama. In the lighter winds I can see the smaller boats gaining
on me on AIS averaging over a knot faster, including Enigma from
Parkstone, unable to get more speed even with a peel to the pink spinnaker
which is not much bigger but a lighter cloth to fly better in these conditions.
At time of writing this wind down to 6.5 knots and just about doing 3.5. also
have gybed as grib weather indicating there should be slightly more wind west
when fill in. Will gybe bask at dusk.
With the headsail poled out the down lines rub on the
guard rail and doing major chaffing which presently I do not see an alternative
arrangement of routing and do not have any 6mm line on boat long enough to
replace them. in 24-36 hours I will probably be back to poled out jib as wind
increases and sea state increases. Another day to identify a solution. During
the afternoon went around checking fittings and tightening up shackles, also
rolled up the mainsail packaway and lazyjacks to the mast.
Dinner was baked beans with pork sausages, chunk of
vintage cheddar, pitta bread followed by half pears in juice. Snacks jus one
chocolate bar, packet chocolate digestives and bag of jelly
babies.
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