Position                    18:01.87 S 066:00.10 E

Date                          1200 (UTC+5) Thursday 12 May 2016

Distance run             in 24hrs 189nm over the ground, 180nm through the water

Trip total                  956nm over the ground, 731nm through the water

To go to                    Port Maturin, Rodrigues rhumb line 176nm

Route distance         1,144nm as originally planned

Today’s title is dedicated to the late George Florence from whose considerable collection of sayings it has been taken.  “Stop helping” also comes” to mind.  George was a friend, cycling companion and occasional sailing buddy.  He got Elizabeth and I started on road cycling and lead our local Coggeshall Randonneurs until he tragically passed away in October 2014.

To the business of the day.  Very much more of the same as yesterday.  Slightly less mileage in the day not helped by slowing down for the last two hours whilst we sorted out the genoa furler where the drive belt had parted.  This break happened on Wednesday afternoon and I was able at that time to get the genoa in to beyond the second reef mark. We held this overnight during which time the wind strengthened to average 28 knots with gusts to 35 knots making for an exciting ride and with 4.5 metre seas running provided difficult living conditions in the often violent motion.  At 1030 this morning we, or rather I, bit on the bullet and took myself forward to wind in the rest of the genoa using a cordless drill. I quickly found that cordless drills are not amphibious so hundreds of revolutions later I had the sail furled using a winch handle and muscle.  Meanwhile the genoa sheet tied itself in a knot of Gordian proportions around the staysail sheet and that took a further 40 minutes to sort out.  All is now well under control and we will be able to stop without demolishing the genoa when we enter the harbour at Port Maturin.

Work in Progress - Sailors reading this may recognise the situation