Day 36

leeonsea
Lee Price
Wed 2 Jul 2008 18:02
N45.45.95 W015.01.76
 
Heading 060T
 
I can't tell you what the wind speed has been today, it's all over, veering, backing, up and down. I can do nothing right. I didn't manage the headsail last night and just carried on with 3 reefs in the main.
 
This morning about 0600 I tried a little headsail but the seas were still big and every time I scewed down the back of a wave it knocked the wind out of it and the whole rig shuddered. Then there are the squawls, you can do nothing but sit them out with shardes of icey rain coming into the cockpit.
 
Later I tried again, things are moderating slowly, I got the 2nd reef in, then the first and I had a bit of headsail out again but still the seas all over the place and so is the wind. I've got the directional stability of a 2 wheeled tricycle. No mater what I've done, within minutes it's wrong. I stood it from about 11 till 3 and made a good 6kts, fighting for it all the way, but it's bloody cold out there and in the end I got fed up and pulled it away again. It's been in and out so many times and I can't seem to get it right enough that I can leave it alone for any time.
 
Now, presently, I've tried again and touch wood things are holding ok with just a tiny bit out. We'll see, the seas moderated a little more too which has helped though the occasional rogue is still coming hard over the beam and getting everything very wet.
 
I did think earlier that this is when you really want a proper suite of sails instead of one big rolled up one. At least then I could set the storm or working jib and it would hopefully deal a little better than the Headsail which when you only have a little out, you can't get any shape to or get it in tight. 
 
I suppose under normal circumstances though you wouldn't go sailing in this, so for 99% of the time a roller headsail is fine. In fact, this is the only day in 36 sailing days when I've had wind that was below gale force and still not been able to use it properly.
 
Couple of decent sailing weather days wouldn't go a miss. Maybe tomorrow when this sea has settled a bit and with luck the wind has become more steady, though you know the way it goes, it'll be just that only it'll have veered to the NE.
 
L.