From Sicily to Palma: gybed again... the goal -- not to miss Mallorca
SV Eleonora
Michael A. Andronov
Sun 13 Oct 2019 22:58
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38:48.588N 007:10.966E
UTC 2206
A few minutes ago, we have gybed
again. And now progressing more West, then North...
Most of the day has been spent in attempts to
answer to 2 questions;
-- how to make the second sail work, and to gain
more speed;
-- what to do with forecasted 'unfavourable for us'
weather, which suppose to start very late today... Most of the
weather models suggest that the later today -- around UTC 1900
-- the wind should start to veer more, then go through the South,
and turn into strong Westerliers...
The challenge for us -- as we suppose to come close
to Mallorca, the wind should start to blow about ~25 knots, from the SW,
and then turn West, at about ~20 knots...
Those Westerlies -- according to the model(s) --
exactly the time we should approach the Bay of Palma, and should be in our
face...
The first question -- about the second sail -- has
been the contribution to the second challenge. For the whole day, the wind
was blowing in such direction, that I have no choice but to run. All
other options -- were pushing us either back toward Sardinia, or far South from
Mallorca, right in the middle of the small disturbance coming...
So, after couple of hours gaining north latitude --
we gybed, and now are moving nearly directly West...
There is no solution for the SW wind
tomorrow. The only option I see -- to be as close to Mallorca itself as
possible, That may make the 'suffering' shorter... And then try to find shelter
behind the Mallorca itself, untill the weather settles...
Beautiful full Moon outside... The high, high
litle puffy clouds... The sea, with moderate swell, and moderate
wind... A few minutes ago, we met another sailing boat. She was
going absolutely parallel course, and absolutely in the opposite
direction... ;-)
That is all for now.
Everything is under control and good.
Talk later,
M.
---
COG: 272-276
SOG: 5.7-6.2 knts
Wind: 120--130 T, @ ~10-14
knts
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