08.27S 109.02W
JENNY
Alan Franklin/ Lynne Gane
Sat 15 Mar 2008 10:05
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Hello all
We have certainly reached the established trade
winds now South East 15/18 knts and destined to get stronger as we make more
westerly,they will also come round to the East according to our Grib
files.
Now what do you know about grib files?These
are computer generated weather predictions supplied to the world free
(you only pay for the ISP download ) by NOAA the USA weather forecasting
service.We receive them on both our SSB radio via its modem or via the
Iridium (satellite) phone and the weather synopsis comes in the form of
weather chart rather than narrative because we are mainly interested in the
direction and strength of the wind ,sometimes pressure patterns and wave
heights.
We send a coded message to grib and back comes the
weather report.Although we can obtain reports for up to 5 days in the main the
predictions are only accurate for 3 days rather like the forecasts at home.In
fact after deciding on what to have for dinner the weather is our most
important consideration mind you strong winds we generally put up with its the
Tropical Storms that hurtand we do need to avoid them,with a rally such as ours
we do receive daily weather reports from the yachts around us and that can
stretch for 700/800 nm each way.
The breakages for the yachts continue with one
reporting a partial rigging failure when one of his shrouds (these are the wires
that support the mast rather like the guys on a tent pole ) gave way at the
chain plate (these are the attachments on the end of the wires that connect to
the hull rather like the same function as a tent peg ) .He has made a temporary
fixing so is able to proceed under reduced sail so as not to over stress the
rigging.The autohelm ahs now been fixed on another boat and the one with the
broken gearbox is proceeding well under sail after all these are sailing
yachts.We have a problem with our watermaker,it could be terminal but we have
e- mailed the makers for help,if it goes we have enough water for 14 days
perhaps 20 its just that the washing and showers will have to go on the back
burner until we get to land.
That's it for now bet you can't wait for the next
thrilling instalment
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