End of Day 4....Flying the Kite
From: Michael J. Wallace [mailto:mjwallace800 {CHANGE TO AT} gmail {DOT} com] 29:35.6N 69:07.6W The Kite went up....then down....then up again! In the morning we organized all the rigging to fly the spinnaker (aka "kite"), using the spinnaker pole and the new bow sprit extender. It took the 5 of us about 45 minutes to sort everything out, especially because this was really new for all of us....flying this particular kite, on this boat, with this gear. We would be hoisting the top up 82 feet to the top of the mast....an 8 story building...a significant sail and light material. As the "tactician" for the passage, Rich organized the gear and crew and we all were engaged; it really took all 5 of us since we were doing this the first time, and doing so in about 18-20 knots of true wind. We raised it and carefully steered the helm to avoid collapse or twisting forward. After about 2 hours, a line of squalls were approaching so we decided to bring it down (yesterday squalls produced wind gusts at 33 knots), and re-stow it in the forward cabin by lowering it down the forward hatch. But not before we got our photo ops....see all the pictures below. By 1500 the sky was clear, winds were down to 15 knots, seas were steady, and we "flew the kite again", where it remains until dusk tonight. We will stow the spinnaker for the night, motor sail through the night, then fly it again tomorrow. We have now logged 803 miles over 4 days.....and as to the answer to the fuel consumption math question from yesterday....at least one person emailed the right answer this afternoon....we are about 480 liters "short" of fuel, so we need to sail for about 50 hours (with some conservatism)....and sailing we are!! Looks like Annapolis without a fuel stop! Of course we all know the famous line from the movie and our sailing mentor, "Captain Ron": "If we are out of fuel, then we must be there"!! Likely another "portrait sunset" coming up! Captain Mike |