Re: news from Night Owl

Night Owl
Ed Hall
Thu 10 Aug 2006 19:51
Dear Everyone,

As you know, with no engine we had to sail into Crookhaven and pick up a mooring under sail. A cup of tea and a Wagon Wheel gave us a chance to assess the situation. The fuel injector pump on our engine was not working. After taking apart the pipes to and from the pump it started again which suggests an intermittent fault. Worrying as we don't know why it stopped, or why it's working again.

But the main problem remains the reefing tack problem. Richard's solution with stainless steel racing hanks and spectra has held for 130 miles and through 35 knot winds, but the spectra has started to part, and the hanks have started to bend. The angle of the tack is wrong and we are risking tearing the whole sail to pieces if we continue.

With only six crew to cope with any problems, and several hundred miles still to beat in moderate to strong winds, the only sensible and safe option is to retire. It's a great disappointment to all of us, but I'm sure that it's best to stop now before we put ourselves and the boat in a potentially dangerous, and certainly damaging situation.

Everyone has asked me to say thank you for following our progress and sending messages of support. We are going to the pub now. We might be some time.

Big Kiss from the Night Owl Crew

Ed
Richard
Ginny
Keith
Katharine
Simon

XXX