21.32.15N 21.52.09W
JENNY
Alan Franklin/ Lynne Gane
Thu 22 Nov 2007 20:27
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When at sea every day brings its own events.We were
so excited at having some wind that we were like kids in the sweet shop all
this wind meant speed more sail more speed but the wind soon had something to
say about it.Were we satisfied at doing a respectable 7knts no not us so more
speed was required up went the cruising chute only to come down with a
crash into the sea 2 hours later whilst we were doing 8.7
knts.
Controlled emergency mode kicked in to prevent the
chute becoming wrapped around the rudder and to haul it back on board a joint
effort by all of us,it then took us the better part of 3 hours to unravel the
mess using the whole length of the deck to straighten it out re pack and
check the damaged halyard.(remember halyards pull sails up and down sheets pull
sails in and out) Except that we are now short of a halyard as it chaffed and
snapped.
Alan bless his little cotton socks volunteered to
go up the mast in the bosuns chair to check the remains of the halyard but
after being battered and bruised by the swaying of the mast decided enough was
enough.For the non mariners the bosuns chair is a canvas seat into which you are
strapped and then hauled up the mast some 50+ feet by a rope.When the boat sways
a foot at the base of the mast this becomes 10 foot at the top.It is quite a job
at sea.
Doyou know that 'hindsight' is a truly wonderful
thing some times you are better being grateful for what you have.
Still its now night time our watches have started
and mine is 1800 to 2100 and 0600 to 0900 tomorrow.
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