Blog 25th Nov
Nightsong
Wed 25 Nov 2009 12:13
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Dear Blog
We have had a cracking 24 hrs with a NE trade
wind of between 15 and 25 knots all the time. So we have been doing 8=9 knots
thru the water but because we are having to tack downwind we have only done 168
miles towards St Lucia - still an average of 7kts ain't bad. The other piece of
good news is that Tony B's mending of the code 0 has been successful - we
tested it for 3 hrs yesterday afternoon. It wasn't actually a rip - just the
luff line had pulled out. Exactly what happened twice to the top. Bloody Owen
Sails of Oban!. Anyway Boas has done a great job with both repairs - 10 hrs work
in all.
We have now settled into a bit of a routine.-
starting at 1900hrs after supper, we do 4x 3hr nightwatches - me with Tony R
ending at 0700 hrs.Then during the day we don't actually do watches but people
take sleeps when they want. Engine on at about 1600 hrs for 1.5 hrs with water
maker too - plenty of water so we don't smell! Then supper at 1830hrs so we cook
in the light. As we go west we are keeping to this time (GMT) so that
supper will get later but we we will change the watch start to suit. The duogen
is working great producing about 8amps all the time but still leaving us about a
3amphr deficit which the engine corrects. So that is 100 amphr a day it is
producing nearly enough to keep instruments, fridge,freezer and self steering
working (this working very hard since it is blowing hard). Without it we would
have to run the engine for 4 hrs pd.
Picture today is of Tony R on watch at dawn. He
hasn't been sick which great because the first 24hrs in particular were rough.
Stugeron not the electric watch have done the trick. He should be OK
now!
 Spirits good! Talking of which our wine consumption
so far very small - AJB being the only enthusiast and being let down by his
crew!!
AJB 25/11/09
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