Day 47-49

Carlile Adventures
Mark Carlile
Tue 21 Nov 2006 17:48
I saw my gravestone inscription. "Mark Carlile 1973 - 2006. Died with a screwdriver in hand".
This was my thought as I stood on the stern of Ingrid leaning perilously over the Atlantic Ocean as far as I could while Ingrid pitched and rolled in a growing swell.

Trying to reach the wiring junction box on the solar panels was no easy exercise. As I had eluded in a previous blog, I suspected some issues with the panels as my battery power was slowly ebbing away.

Earlier I had moved all of the food out of the aft cabin, and had found that there was no charge coming from the two main solar panels. The regulator read - zero volts. Zero amps. I had to do something about it to make my life more comfortable.

Opening up the first solar panel junction box on the port side, everything seemed in order. There were no loose wires and everything seemed fine.

After talking it through with my uncle on the satellite phone that evening, we decided that I would open the second solar panel that the first panel was connected to. This panel on the starboard downward sloping (leeward) side is located further out than the port one by a couple of inches. Far enough out to make it difficult. It is not easy to locate a screwdriver into distant screws in a moving boat and trying to remain safe whilst doing it on tip-toes. I felt like a hire wire act in the circus. I attached myself to the guard rail with a tether. There was some risk attached to this exercise. The sea state was not getting any smaller at about 1.5-2.0 metres.

After 30 minutes the 4 screws were undone. More than once I had almost dropped the screwdriver.
With the cover removed, it was clear that the wiring on this panel was not correct, and this was the cause of the failure of both panels. Both panels had been installed in Plymouth. I had even checked with the tradesman (verbally) that the panels were producing charge. I should have checked it myself.

Correcting the wiring wasn't easy in the sea conditions. All of the effort was worthwhile when I climbed exhausted back into the aft cabin. The solar panels were producing 6amps immediately. Within the hour the batteries were charged again. Since then I have been checking them each day. The 2 panels alone produce up to 11amps in the middle of the day (and I have 3 additional smaller panels working fine). This is about 500% better than what I was getting in light wind conditions.

The extra power means a lot. It means I can run more equipment for longer. I can listen to the radio, cds more, watch dvds and run instruments for longer, and charge equipment frequently. It makes life on board more comfortable, homely and normal. How often do you think about your power usage at home? On board any vessel, (or caravan for that matter) power utilisation and conservation is important and something that is checked every day.

The BP Solar Panels are working so well (even in cloudy conditions) that I would seriously consider getting them for home. I'm sure that the cost savings would accrue quickly. There is something rather liberating about living off one's own means - living off the grid and helping the environment. I read something before I left about reducing your "carbon footprint". From what I have seen so far, solar panels would make a large difference.

I have also conducted a small ceremony on board to mark my passage across the equator. My mind raced through the stories of initiation ceremonies that many a ship has done for many centuries.
My ceremony was simple. It didn't involve covering my body in lard or oil or walking the plank, or kissing beautiful mermaids or mimicking an otter. A gave a few coins to Neptune, the god of the sea, to pay for my safe passage and did a ceremonial piece to camera. There is still over 2/3 distance to go. I really don't want to offend the god of the sea right now.


Today I have made my closest approach to the east coast of Brazil. With any luck, my direction will be due south for a couple of weeks in the trade winds. In the last week I travelled 760 miles - my longest. The long distances seemed set to stay for a while. I can also say that I have seen the Southern Cross for the first time. It makes my sailing at night easy. I just head straight for the constellation - a beacon leading me home.

Conditions on board have been very comfortable. The winds coming from the southeast or east cool things down. It is far better than the winds I was getting in the northern hemisphere coming from the Sahara desert.

Everything is going well and I feel fine. There are no issues with food or water supplies, and my position is on course, and on time (maybe a little ahead of schedule).

I thank you all again for your messages of support. I am amazed every day with the stories I read every day from you with messages of hope and inspiration.

Today's everyday adventure is. Going to work. If you catch public transport to work, talk to the person next to you. If you drive to work, take a different route or listen to a different radio station. Mix it up. Treat life as an everyday adventure.


That's a very good evening from Ingrid passing the most eastern point of Brazil.

Mark

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