Day 1
|
The start of the ARC 2008 was spectacular with 200+
yachts milling around the start line area contained within the inner breakwalls
off Las Palmas.
Our strategy to keep well clear of the other yachts on
the start line worked well and although we were towards the back of the fleet
we kept out of trouble and was sailing well as we crossed the start at 13.12pm. Our initial course took us out to the west in order to
clear the other yachts before we hoisted our big Purple cruising chute and
turned south cutting inside most of the other boats and by early evening was in
the top 1/3rd of the fleet. We had debated leaving the chute up during the night and
decided that as a relatively inexperienced crew we would fly on white sails at
night to reduce the danger of someone working on the foredeck in the dark going
over the side! The first night proved uneventful although the millions
of bright stars and a few shooting stars livened up the night watches. This morning while trying to hoist the cruising chute to
gain a little more boat speed as we head downwind we tore the sail quite badly
and have just spent 2 hours repairing it!!!! Until we try and fly it again we
do not know if the repair will work. Everyone is fine and settled into the rhythm of the boat
well.
At present we are headed further west of the Azores than
we had intended but the wind forecast looks to be in our favour and could gain
us miles on the other boats in our class.
|
