I haven't got a clew....
Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Wed 22 Jun 2011 13:58
|
Wednesday 22nd June 1634 Local 1334
UTC
27:51.249S 038:53.377E
We have been steadily bashing into 20 knots of wind
for the past day and a half and it is slow progress. Even slower now as we
haven't got a clew.
Late last night at 2230 while punching into twenty
knots the whole clew came out of the mainsail! There was no drama the clew and
the sail just decided to part company and the sail immediately started flogging
in protest at the parting. We were both below decks so we went up and furled the
main, clew less, into the mast......
The seas were rough and the wind spent the night
between 20 and 30 knots and a bit more westerly than forecast. So it has been
motorsailing into the weather for us since then. We have been using the jib
fully reefed to full set depending on the wind strength and the wind angle to
try to dampen the rolling of the boat. The pitching is relentless and the waves
have been big though easing slightly now.
Since the clew's outburst there has been a heavy
metallic clunking emanating from the mast which despite my best efforts to
diagnose it remain a mystery - and a concern to me.
As we have not used much fuel in a long time we
have no problem with that - its just the motion - and the slamming - and the
concern with this strange clunking. Tomorrow the wind is forecast to really drop
down and after that to swing round to our starboard quarter at 20 knots so
if we can get through tonight steadily then things are looking
up.
Looking up, but only for a landfall at Richards
Bay as we cannot possibly make Durban now before the now forecast severe
gale sets in. If all goes to plan we should get into Richards Bay by Friday late
afternoon just as the gale is forecast to really get going and perhaps we can
head down to Durban on Saturday or Sunday to meet Trish and Rhiann who are
coming out from Scotland to join
us.
Very dry. No humour
today.
|