Jarek
Sun 6 Apr 2003 16:06
Port Antonio, Jamaica.
The Fool's Day Storm, which started with a sudden 40 knot squall at 1140 on
March 31 was over by 2 pm, April 1st. Our only damage was the broken
steering quadrant. We took the blow fully prepared, at the starboard broad
reach with main down and genoa rolled down to 30%. It made for plenty of
sail for next 26 hrs.
A 48 ft. French cat fared worse: they lost their mast and experienced some
hull damage. They went to Santiago de Cuba for emergency repairs. We gave
them charts and a French contact in North Miami Beach to help with the
permanent repairs later. Their instruments read 40 to 45 knots winds
throughout most of the storm. Apparently, our estimates were slightly lower
but close enough.
Our aluminum quadrant has been very professionally welded but is slightly
out of its square and I will have to readjust the whole bracket now.
We plan to spend a few days in Jamaica. Port Antonio is a beautiful and
quiet place, reportedly much safer than Montego Bay or Kingston. We like it
here. Lukasz, the Polish crew will leave the boat here, so it will be two of
us Premysl, the Czech crew, and I since now. Premysl participated a lot in
the preparations of the boat for this trip and intends to sail all the way
to New Zealand. Do not be surprised seeing some paragraphs in Czech on these
pages.