Windvane Sea Trials

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sat 13 Feb 2021 05:27
1800 Position: 47 00.0 S 168 15.0 E
Course: S Speed 5 knots
Wind: Light and variable Sea: calm Swell: E 0.5m
Weather: partly cloudy, mild

The modifications to the windvane struts and various boat chores have been completed, not least of which was the ship’s laundry this morning, and the crew has enjoyed some relaxation in the friendly town of Oban. (“No I haven’t”, says Oli.) While doing the laundry at the local backpackers this morning, I was talking to a couple of fellow sailors also doing their laundry and they related some of their experience at Port Pegasus at the south end of Stewart Island, saying how beautiful it is. This got me to thinking that maybe in the way of testing the windvane to see if I have eliminated the source of the creaking it would be a good idea to sail to Port Pegasus, perhaps explore it on the morrow, and then continue on our way up the west coast on Monday or Tuesday. Another factor in favour of this plan is that the wind is currently in the north and Halfmoon Bay is exposed to the NE so is not the best anchorage in these conditions. Consequently, once I was back on board and had stowed the laundry, I promptly hoisted the dinghy, prepared Sylph for sea and got under way.

Unfortunately, as far as sea trials are concerned, the windvane is not getting a very good workout as currently there is no wind, so we are motoring with the windvane locked and the tiller pilot doing the steering. At the current speed we will make the entrance to Port Pegasus around 0100. Hopefully we will get some breeze between now and then.

All is well.