Day 4 Johnny be Goode position 34:52.36S 168:50.42E
Mark_needler
Professional Skipper
Fri 3 Dec 2010 23:18
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Well even after my efforts stripping and rebuilding the autopilot it
still seems to have problems electronically, I suspect it has had one of the
electrical circuits gone down and also the control buttons aren’t not working
all the time. We are now attempting to head directly for Eden as the weather
forecast that we have doesn’t look that good for the last 11/2 days across to
the east coast of Aussie and there is a low pressure front approaching and how
windy it will be is not clear as yet but we are all waiting for a couple of days
to tick over so that we can get a better picture of what the weather will be
like in the Bass Strait. Apart from the Autopilot everything on the yacht is working well
especially the engine which given our current change of plans is very
reassuring. However we can’t run the engine any faster than we are as we will
run out of fuel....also not a good idea, but given our present course and speed
we should be able to get a couple of days in sailing and that will take up the
slack in the fuel situation. The reason we are heading lower than originally planned is because of
the high pressure there isn’t a lot of wind any where of any note and the extra
diesel required to get up to it and the little advantage we would gain from the
wind is far outweighed by the additional mileage and time it would take us. This
way we will save at least a day in travel time and preserve a little fuel. As it
turns out if my thoughts are confirmed about what is happening in the Bass
Strait do turn out to be true we would still have to stop in Eden anyway we
would just be on the ocean a little longer and have travelled a longer distance
and used more fuel!!, sailing really sucks sometime, i.e. you can’t win
sometimes. However the only harm that can come to us for the next few days is
sunburn and boredom! Dana, James sends his regards, as does Leigh,
Julie. Cheers
Mark, James and
Leigh |