Much Nicer

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Mon 23 May 2016 02:03
Noon Position: 27 27.7 S 161 58.5 E
Course: West Nor’ West Speed: 3 knots
Wind: South West, F3 – gentle breeze
Sea: slight Swell: South West 2 meters
Weather: mostly sunny, mild
Day’s run: 110 nm

The last 24 hours have been absolutely delightful. The yankee has improved Sylph’s performance in the lighter breeze immeasurably. The yankee is still a very small sail which I had made for high latitude heavy weather but even in light winds, in combination with the full main, it still draws Sylph along at a respectable speed. I am going to have to have a major rethink about Sylph’s sail wardrobe. I suspect for the sort of sailing I do most of the time that a full genoa of 120% or so is just not worth the trouble. Ideally I think I would like to get a heavier genoa of only about 110%, maybe less, and maybe a code zero for light winds - just a minor matter of money.

This morning I folded up the genoa and bagged it for its final journey to the sail morgue. I have opened up the fore hatch and replaced the weather seals, and dried out some of the bedding on deck in the sunshine and the light breeze. I am expecting light variable winds until around midday tomorrow when the winds will again pick up from the west and south west. Hopefully I have fixed the leak in the fore hatch because we have a bit more bashing to windward to do yet.

All is well.