Position 14:44:00N 70:08:00E

Intsomi
Thu 21 Aug 2008 11:30
21 AUGUST 2008 
Arabian Sea - Indian Ocean
Day 7 of the Crossing
 
As our course turned to the South East, the wind veeered with us and we have been sailing goose-winged for nearly 24 hours.  We are now making well over 6 knots and are ahead of our passage plan by half a day.
 
After our next waypoint, in less than 60 miles, we turn a little more towards South and will then be on a direct heading (South East) for Cochin, with less than 400 miles to run.
 
During the night the wind was rather fitful and the sails were flapping and banging.  We have seen quite a bit of chafe on our spinnaker sheet which is being used to pole out the genoa (or as Clive Tunbridge might say, our thick red bit of string is frayed).  We have also damaged the genoa sheets as there are some sharp edges on the deck mounting for the inner forestay, but we will be able to sew up the damaged parts and use them for a while at least.
 
The latest thing to "retire" on this trip is the bilge blower.  Its a fan that sucks hot air out of the engine compartments and is not critical, particularly as we aren't using the motor much, although it willl need replacing in Malaysia.  So far we've done nearly 100 miles without the engine so this has been a "green" trip up till now.