26:26.0N 16:05.6W

21 Nov 2011

Start of the rally was huge.  Seeing 250 sailing boats all out in the harbor on a clear day made it all worth the time and effort.  Hundreds of spectators lines the seawall to watch the boat depart the marina.  Once outside the start was divided into three groups, each starting 15 minutes apart.

For our start things went wrong.  Again the mainsail jammed in the in mast furling and it took us about 30 minutes to get it free.  It all seems to be related to the outhaul car not moving along the track easily, combined with the vertical battens which catch fabric as they are released out the slot.  So much for the new sail being better.

Anyway we got it free and crossed the start line well behind the field.  However the winds were favorable for the start and it allowed us to pass 20 or 30 boats.  As evening came the seas state was still very choppy and the wind dies for us since we entered the shadow of the island in an attempt to get west more than south.  The night was just miserable with heavy rolling of the boat and no wind to move us along.  All sails were brought in to stop the banging and no progress till dawn when a slight wind appeared.  Now the winds are good, we are out of the lee of the islands and our SOG is back up to 7-8 knots under main and genoa.

Our total distance was 121 NM during the past 24 hours, not great but fine for now.  Forecast is for these good conditions to continue for the next two days.