Restless Atlantic Report 4
Restless of Auckland
Roland and Consie Lennox-King
Thu 17 May 2007 02:05
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Hello back home!
We're currently at 36"1'N and 50"01'W traveling at 5 knots
under engine as there is only 2-5 knots of wind at the moment! (Guess it's the
quiet after the storm!) Heading at about 85 degrees and expecting some wind to
fill in some time tomorrow afternoon. (According to Herb, who's directed us
slightly north to get on top of a low pressure system)
Well, we have had an interesting past 48 hours... It all
started when 15 knots of breeze turned 90 degrees and got to 35-45 knots in
about 10 seconds! The front we were expecting us had just hit. The sea's picked
up to about 8-10 feet and were breaking side on to the boat which made for an
uncomfortable 48 hours or so!
We crash jibed when the front hit us, blowing the splice
on the runner and also the track. We managed to get in control and spent the
next 24 hours or so with about a quarter of the main out, still moving at 8-9
knots. Winds were between 30-35 knots and gusted to 45 every so often.
Through the night the centre plate decided that it wanted
to come up and for about an hour we tried to make it behave, which it did in the
end when we discovered one of the switches in the cockpit for raising and
lowering it was shorting out.
We blew out the top of the stay sail, and in 35 knots
Gilbert went up the mast to retrieve the halyard so we could put it back up
once Roland had performed an intense operation
repairing it.
We had a few other problems however managed to work our
way through them and patch everything up.
This morning the wind dropped to 5-10 knots and the seas
eased off and the sun came out so it was much more pleasant even though we have
been motoring since around 10. We even managed to stop for a swim (in 4500
feet of water) and a shampoo on the stern.
Anyway, we're all well and happy, just had a big dinner
and about to head off to bed for some much needed sleep.
Love from the crew of Restless!
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