Southern Princess Day 14 12z 15:41N 55:06W
Southern Princess
John & Irene Hunt
Sun 9 Dec 2007 15:01
In the last 24 hours we have motored for 22 hours
54 minutes!!! This part of the Atlantic is not as rough as a ferry wake in
Sydney Harbour.
Irene has been commenting about the noise the
furniture makes in the aft
cabin and she has not been able to sleep there. I have been checking on the
noise and it has been getting louder as the trip progressed so we checked
the port aft deck locker where the auto pilot ram is mounted.
cabin and she has not been able to sleep there. I have been checking on the
noise and it has been getting louder as the trip progressed so we checked
the port aft deck locker where the auto pilot ram is mounted.
Oops, the plywood bracket is loose and working
backwards and forwards which was causing the noise. Not a good installation,
with parts only fibreglassed on one side and epoxy glue, designed to join a
horizontal and vertical plywood panel to make it extra strong, has been applied
over urethane varnish and the varnish has just let go. We have sent an advisory
to the other 6 Beneteau 57's in the rally so they can check their
installations. I know Sue in Storyteller had mentioned the noise in their aft
cabin.
Justin did a great job with repairs and after a
couple of hours adrift in the Atlantic we are up and motoring again. Still no
wind!
We have 330nm to go and enough fuel to go the whole
way if needs be.
Something big hit the fishing line yesterday as it
not only took the lure, it took a 100 feet of line as well. Just to make sure,
while we were drifting I went for a swim to see if the line was wrapped around
the prop. It wasn't so it must have been a big fish!
ARC Control continues to keep us informed about
other yachts. Below are about 2 yachts abandoned mid Atlantic.
Yacht NEREE at position 15 25.4N 046
45.2W at 11:45UTC Crew are intending to abandon the boat due to steering
failure.
Barbary Duck (abandoned
yesterday) reported drifting with mast in water trailing lines at
position:
17 55.41N 43 07.20W at 18:30UTC 08/12
17 55.41N 43 07.20W at 18:30UTC 08/12
Making a list of things to do in St Lucia and
it is getting longer by the day. Hope we get it all finished before Samantha
arrives for Christmas.
Love to all
JH