Less Cloud Cover

Luna Quest
W. Eric Faber
Mon 27 Jan 2014 12:44
Position: 19.45N 44.18W

Daily Run: 110 miles

I was greeted yesterday morning by a very dark, lowering cloud bank on the eastern and southern horizon and it was moving towards me. I battened down the hatches as the wind rose. Rain began to sweep over us and bashed us all morning, accompanied by high winds, but in the afternoon the sun came out and stayed out for most of the time. I took the opportunity to set about repairing the boom slide on the mast track. The slide had deformed and had lost its nylon sleeves. With a hammer and using the engine beds for an anvil, I bashed the stainless steel slide back into form and fitted a new pair of sleeves. The slide fitted beautifully and I even managed to re-house the boom into its proper position, ready for use next time.

Overnight the wind must have taken off for I woke up to a lazy 15 knot breeze with a wallowing Luna Quest making 3.5 knots of speed. That would not do. As soon as yet another squall, about to hit me, had passed, I unfurled the genoa by a couple of rolls to give us an uplift in speed to 5 knots. The sun seems to be winning today.