ALL HANDS ON DECK!
Rhapsode
Tue 30 Nov 2010 15:27
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09 39 S 33 53 W
This is not a cry that anyone wants to hear
especially at twenty to three in the morning but it was necessary this morning
...
I was standing up in the cockpit gazing out at
nothing in particular when I saw the Genoa slowly drop first to the deck and
then into the sea. It took me a moment or two to realise what was
happening - the sail seemed to float down in slow motion twisting and turning
gently - almost wraithlike in the moonight.
Then I roused the boys to come out on deck to drag
it out of the sea and make it fast to the guardwires. Two very sleepy heads
appeared but they did the job quickly and then back to bed again. Well, Michael
went back to bed, poor Andrew had to start his night watch by the time the fun
and games were over.
The mainsail was still up but it was so poorly
balanced that the Hydrovane couldn't cope with it so I started the engine and
left the analysis for the morning.
And the analysis showed that the snap shackle in
the new Furlex furling gear had failed. It's new, it should not have failed. I
fired off an email to the supplier asking him to contact Furlex and make
enquiries. It's hard to believe that we are the only boat to which this has
happened. There is clearly a weak point in the design.
Our dolphins have forsaken us today. Instead Neptune sent a large flock of sea birds out to see us.
They glided over the waves just a few inches above them and then soared
back up into the sky for another round. Noisy as well. Initially I thought the
mast was making strange creaking noises and then the birds flew round to my side
of the boat, dozens of them - I shall have to look them up in my bird
book.
All being well (!!) we still have an ETA for the
3rd.
Happy failing!
P, M & A
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