The first major passage

South Pacific Familyadventure 2008
Claes Brodin
Mon 30 May 2016 09:50
We came in to Valetta late yesterday evening. Making landfall in a major city during darkness is as usual quite demanding but also very exciting. Coming in to leeward from sea and wind we took in the paravanes.
Except heavy seas and headwinds when coming out on the Ionian Sea this first major passage with Dora Mac has been very comfortable. We have been on 1550rpm´s on John Deere and doing an average speed of 6,1kts (ranging from 4,2 to 6,8kts depending on wind and seastate).
Dora Mac has behaved very well coming up with no problems what so ever, and being a sailor at heart I´m astonished by the comfort an oceangoing motortrawler presents during a passage like this.
Once deploying the paravanes Dora Mac´s motion became more comfortable and they were deployed all way in to port.Loosing perhaps 0,15-0´2 kts furling out the headsail once getting downwinds increased speed about 0,2kts.
We are now moored at a pontoon from Royal Malta Yacht Club which is comfortable but not protected from easterly gales(unusual). Something I have to deal with the forthcoming days.
So Mediterranean passage part 1 is reaching an end and really did follow the original plan quite well. I will revert with some final remarks especially on the cruising grounds we have passed.

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