Sailing
Digiboat's "Product Testing"
Simon Blundell
Fri 15 Jun 2012 05:18
06:47.312S
102:17.36E
15/6
1145
Progress still
slow, although we are now sailing rather than motoring - which is a good thing
as fuel has all but run out (except for the reserve tank, plus 100L in gerry
cans) the remaining should be enough for to keep the batteries charged with the
generator for most of the rest of the trip and also we need to turn some diesel
into fresh water to top up the water tanks (most believe the reverse osmosis
water making system turns salt water into fresh, but in fact the salt water is
just an intermediate product, the reality is we use diesel to make fresh
water).
Last couple of
days has been mostly consistent winds of 8-12kn E-SE, yes - headwinds. The GRIB
data is mostly right, but occasionally way out. In the modern age one would
expect Huey (the weather god) to be fully versed in the mathematical models we
use for wind forecasting before he chooses how to make it
blow...
Otherwise,
most maintenance and upkeep programs are on hold as conditions pounding into
headwinds and increasing chop and swell make deck work impossible and keeping
necessary tools and parts in one place for other projects an unwinable juggling
act. So it's ocean going life - sleep, eat, and sit in the cockpit corner
pressing an autopilot button 4 times per hour for your 6 hr watch. Even movie
watching and book reading has dwindled.
Less than
800nm to go. Not uite half way there. At least now we are doing 7-8kn, but shame
it's not supplying 100% VMG as it'll most surely be on the nose for the
remainder of the passage.
SJB.