Our position at 12 00 on 21 June is 37:33.1N 048:56.1W . We have about 963 nm to run to Horta in the Azores and we have completed another massive 157 nm in the last day. Seven full days completed.

 

20 June – The wind has picked up a little and the Squid got into bed with Monica once too often, we had to do something. The Squid is the only means of charging our batteries except running the engine. Vinden is no good going down wind and just flaps about uselessly. We decided that we would move the Squid to the port side out of the way of temptation. I guess that only solves the problem for the tack we are on but so what we will be on this tack for the next 3/4 days according to the forecast.

 

In order to resite the Squid we needed to shuffle the MOB sling and the outboard bracket to one side. Plenty of space now. To make things steadier we decided to take the mizen sail down. All this seemed to do was make us go faster. The mysteries of sailing. The mizen is staying down. We have just completed 31nm in 4 hours. The wind has picked up a bit though.

 

Still overcast. The sun pokes through occasionally. The wind direction and strength is very steady just like the trade winds we experienced on the east to west crossing. Again we are making very good progress. In the time from midday to mid night we made 85nm. That is an average of just over 7 kts and that’s heading for a 170nm day.

 

June 21 - However the danger of downwind sailing is carrying too much sail. The sail plan is great for downwind speed and the boat sits upright but if anything crops up that needs you to bear away off the wind you immediately become over canvased.  Things were getting just a bit too frisky at midnight and we were in danger of being over powered. First to get taken in was the head sail that made it a bit more pleasant on the foredeck to get another reef in the main. Normality was restored with a reduction in speed to upper 5s and 6s. Slowly over the next hour the head sail was let back out little by little.

 

It a lovely sunny morning(not for long though) the sea state confused, rough, swelly what ever you like to call it. I don’t think we will be taking that extra reef out the main for a while yet as we have forecast 20 kts wind for the next 24 hours. Going along nicely in the 6s, more on a reach now as the wind is coming forward.

 

157 nm is the farthest RT has ever sailed in one day to my knowledge.

 

We are under 1000 nm and getting near the halfway mark (say 900 nm). I think that calls for a wee dram and a biscuit this evening.