Blog 15. Day 2, New Cal. To Mackay. 22.35.66S 162.30.83E

Alcedo
David Batten
Tue 28 May 2019 07:52
Thursday 23 May. We have been at sea for a little over 24 hours. Approx 991nm to be sailed, starting with leaving the Marina just before. 7.00 as planned, topping up with duty free fuel, all in the morning lull. By the time we reached the Passe de Dumbea at approx 10.00, the wind was filling in from the east and we were off under full main and Genoa.
Altogether a very good day’s sailing with speeds of 10+ knots off the waves and the Skipper’s wife reporting a flash of 14 knots boat speed. Toad very jealous that she could not match this. We are not really competitive, we just like going fast.

By dusk, we needed one reef, by 2.00am 2 reefs with Skipper and Bill doing the ropes and Skipper’s wife the steering. Bill is learning what each of the 6 pieces of string coming back to the cockpit on the port side do and what to pull when. Halyard winch on the port side gave us all a minor heart attack by refusing to work for a time, presumably because it was under too great a load and the temperature sensor turned it off. It was under quite a load with the wind having more south in it and now on the beam, blowing 25 to 33 knots.
Needless to say, by the time Ship’s Boy, aka “Toad” came on watch, it was unroll all the Genoa and if it hadn’t been for a squall, reef out of main as well.

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Skipper doing skipperly duties after taking out a reef.

We are now bowling along with the wind back in the east and one reef in the main. Bill has just demanded a defibrillator as he accidentally touched the auto helm control and lost control of the wheel. We have all done it!

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Bill on the helm after frightening himself with the self steering.

Alcedo
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