34:06N 38:19W

I over-advertised the “downwind sleigh ride”. Wind totalling around 10kts is still going my way but too light for sailing. Motoring at 6-7 in 2m swell means apparent/net wind is only 2-4kts so no sailing. Obviously I have a go at it every so often if it’s Oooh look 7 kts… then it’s down to 2kts again, and put it away. 

I haven’t seen another boat/ship closer than 5miles for at least the last four days. So no big deal out here having a snooze. I can set a waypoint say 12nm ahead so the screaming alarm wakes me in 2hours. After a bit of this, and especially if it’s not raining or storm-cloudy, I switch on ALL the exterior lights which makes me very visible indeed. Then check  radar guard zone to 4miles and can snooze most of the night.   A few years ago I made the saloon table convertible to large sleeping area with up/down legs so I am always just a few steps from the helm. 

The motors give  noticeably better fuel consumption with half-open engine hatches, and motors certainly seem happier when  their surroundings are at ambient temperature. 

The port engine died yesterday but only fuel starvation, fixed with new filters.  I was kinda expecting this after cleaning out the main fuel tank with siphon and shop/wet vac before I set out. I took out lots of clag from the tank but likely loosened any remains. 

I may find other not-sailing sailing boats heading to Horta up ahead who perhaps didn’t also start with enough fuel for the entire trip.  If so, I generally use both motors to roar past and put them over 4 miles behind (out of radar-alarm zone see) so I can snooze again.  “Buddy boating“ and/or a rally might sound safer, but isn’t really. 

Bill ex-Sweetie asks about the conditions. Perhaps the best illustration is the pic below. That aerosol can hasn’t fallen over the entire trip yet.  But this is a catamaran feature- it wouldn’t last the first hour on a monohull. I put it down upside down to avoid rusty rings but yeah, I should put it away…