41:35.0N 23:28.4W

Day’s run – 138 miles. We are currently going well with genoa and a small amount of mainsail. The wind is about 25 knots from behind the beam, but should drop later on as the weather system moves further away, and reaches UK tomorrow.

There’s been a big change in fishing technology. Wiz rummaged through the box of lures and felt it was all too tame for the fish he had in mind, so decided to construct his own – something with a wire trace, the largest available hook and some long strips of cloth. It would ideally have included the top of a tin can, so will need modification after the next tin of peaches is opened.

Meanwhile Paddy serviced the fishing reel which was locked solid. Half a dozen nuts and screws later and it was dismantled but no better. Reassured that the reel was nearly thrown away in St Lucia as unserviceable, he decided to tackle the remaining four bolts he had not been brave enough to undo before. Boing . . . one small spring flew into a coil of rope and he was left holding a slippery collection of parts that was impossible to reassemble. Allan knows someone in Lymington who would love to put it together, so it all went into a plastic box for him. All he will need is one small spring.

So a simple reel was then made from a spare piece of wood, the strongest line wound on, and the new killer lure deployed. Since then we have been going too fast for anything to catch us, and we’d certainly have trouble reeling a fish in.

We’ve seen lots of dolphins – mostly playing around the boat as usual, but also a large pod apparently feeding as a team. Wiz has even seen a small whale quite close, but as we rushed on deck all that was left to see was some turbulent water.

When Richard was aboard, he introduced some radical west coast ideas that challenged Charlie’s tried and tested method of breadmaking. All were fun, and some were successful. But today's loaf by the traditional method was declared a triumph – perhaps thanks to Waitrose flour and slightly cooler conditions in the engine room where the bread rises, suspended from the roof.