Bootlegger Blog - ARC Log Day 8

Bootlegger of Mann
Frank Newton
Mon 3 Dec 2007 13:19
 
 

Bootlegger of Mann  

 

2007 ARC Log     

 

Date 02 12.07

 

Day Eight

 

00.01  20.16N  30.42W   Bearing 272 degrees; full twin headsail rig up,

           wind true 20 -21kts, SOG 9 – 9.5kts.  EMc

 

00.10  Squall came through with rain. EMc

 

01.25  Wind speed 19kts SOG 8.5kts. Squall came in EMc

                                                           

02.00  No other vessels sighted visually or with radar. EMc

 

 

03.00  20.12N 31.10W  Bearing 270 degrees True wind speed 19kts

            SOG 8.5kts    EMc

 

03.30  Bearing 270, wind speed, 18-22kts, SOG reaching 9.5kts

            No sightings other than shooting star.

 

04.00  Wind ENE steady 18-20kts occasionally rising to 22kts.

            No sightings. RT

 

07.00  Clock and battery check; batteries down to 22.5V

            Generator started.

 

07.30  Rain Squall came through – reduced headsails by 50%

           Wind increased to 30kts  The two headsails, balooner and

           Genny roll away together making it real easy to shorten sail

           immediately prior to the many squalls we've been experiencing MS          

 

08.00  This morning is overcast with lots of squalls behind us.

           We have big seas following last night's winds and with

            the wind having dropped away to 8kts we are wallowing

            around with headsails flogging, making only 4.5 kts. MS

 

08.33   20.04N 31.53W Decided to put the donkey on for an hour

            giving us 8kts SOG  FN

 

09.00   20.04N 31.57W MS

      

09.30   Engine off. We now have the wind back at 20kts true, and

            are making 9kts SOG once more.

 

10.55   20.025N 31.57W Just as Eugene was serving up a fry up breakfast

            the Ballooner blew in two!!! Wind speed at the time just 20

            kts true…  After recovery of ballooner bits from forestay and pole 

            by all hands the classic main and genoa goose wing rig was set

            together with mizzen giving us a reduced SOG of 7.5kts in 25kt

            winds ( drop of 1.5kts ).

 

12.00   Noon position 20.04N 32.20W.  Sun came out.

 

12.30  Generator switched off (5.5hrs run). FN

 

14.00   20.39N 29.01W. FN

 

12.15  After examination of ballooner it decided we were unable to affect repairs at sea

           which even if possible could result in proper repair later being made impossible.

 

 

14.00   Daily roll call on ARC C4.  FN

 

       

15.50   20.27N 29.32W Bearing COG 243 degrees SOG 8kts Wind true NNE 13kts   FN

 

16.00   Large fish on end of line – Ray, Mike and Eugene all pulled but alas, line went light

            No lauer on end when line reeled in. So, no fish for dinner.

 

 

18.00  19.59N 33.08W   True wind speed, 17kts. SOG 6.8 - 7.00kts.  Cook starts to

            prepare the evening dinner.  FN

 

18.15   Generator started after noted batteries down to 23.8V.  Hot water, battery chargers

            put on.

 

19.45   Dinner served. Starter-  Alioli and green olives followed by a main course of

          . The main course was accompanied by some very drinkable red table wine. For

            dessert for this evening we had. MS & FN washed and dried

 

20.00  We landed our second Dorade, bigger than the last which was quickly dispatched

            by Eugene with a winch handle and gutted, with so much going to the

            fridge, the remainder to the freezer.

 

21.00  19.18N 33.20W.  Watches: 21 – 00 FN/ 00 – 03 EMc / 03-06 RT/ 06-09 MS

           E. True wind speed 18kts, Bearing 271 degrees SOG 7 - 7.5kts.

           Generator switched off. (2.75 h rs run). No other yachts sighted today.

           All on our own.

 

22.10   Squall came in doubling wind speed. Reefed in main, then, on reefing

            in poled out genoa set to Port it backed. On trying to pull it back on the winch the

            pole retaining rigging broke, the pole swinging back against the hull. The universal

            socket into which the pole is placed appears damaged but all will be clearer

            after daybreak. Set COG to 268 and set genoa to Starboard giving us a broad

            reach, but SOG down to 6kts. With Ballooner headsail gone and damaged Port

            pole looks like it could be the slow boat to St Lucia at this rate.  FN

 

00.00  19.55N 33.48W Distance done during this Watch: 19nm;

 

            Distance covered over past twenty four hours - 176 nm  FN