50 shades more grey
Purple Mist
Skipper: Kate Cope
Fri 21 Jun 2019 12:53
Holes in sails = 1
Repairs to sails =1
Holes in finger = 1
So in the space of 24hrs we’ve gone from Champagne sailing in the sun to grey, wet and broken bits on the boat.
The wind continued to increase and the rain started. The A5 was already asleep and the J2 and full main doing a great job. All was ok we could huddle inside to avoid the rain. Then the wind increased more and the boat was getting overpowered so we needed to reef and what an reefing experience we had. Imagine the scene pitch dark, the wind is now 30kts it’s absolutely pouring with rain and we are wrestling to get 2 reefs in the main. Anyway once they were in it was stable for a while until my watch at 6am. I made a coffee but never got to drink it warm as the wind died and went behind. We were expecting this light patch, that is why the others have gone East, but it came quickly and the wind went behind so I have a main with 2 unwanted reefs, threatening to gybe and a flapping J2. What to sort first ...singlehanded . I changed course but the wind kept moving. Out come the 2 reefs so I have some power. At the point I’m going backwards I gybe. That means I need to set up an outboard lead on the other side. Meanwhile I’m trying to set up a preventer to stop the endless bouncing of the boom on the leftover swell. I usually use the spinnaker guy clipped to the boom end but that was being used as an outboard sheet so I used the spinnaker sheet instead. That didn’t work as after about 20mins it pulled apart and smashed the block on the tweaker. So now the boom is bouncing again so I set up a preventer with a mooring line. ...and try and fix the tweaker so it can work later. Meanwhile the track car is also bouncing about so that needs sorted as well.
At this point Bobby wakes up and asks if anything has happened....I’ve been non stop for 2 hours and only a cold cup of coffee to show for it.
We switch to the S2 and the wind shifts further so it’s back to the A5. Finally all that flogging and the J2 has torn herself a hole down the leech (back edge) . I don’t think I will be getting and prizes for my sewing skills this time but it should work. I really do wish someone would invent a tape that sticks to damp sails as it’s a real pain the way it peels off.
The wind has died further so we are now only doing 3kts Sog, which is a shame as our position looked really good late last night. We need this light patch to pass quickly so we can get back up to full speed
Earlier on the evening. We had 3 squid fly aboard. I did try and revive them in a beaker of salt water but no luck so I saved them to photograph then chucked them back first light. Just after I chucked them in I was joined by 2 Dolphins alongside so I like to think they had a tasty treat for breakfast.
That’s it for now from a soggy boat
