ARC - Day 13
Rainmaker
Donald Macdonald
Sat 5 Dec 2020 16:42
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Position 18.29N 48.48W
It is hot, hot hot. 32C in the shade below on deck sun
feels burning nice in the shade and the wind tunnel of the jib. We have had a
very low speed 24 hours 80 miles not all in the direction of St Lucia. Wind
speed as low as 1.5 knots and as high as 10 with cloud/rain activity. Although
we have to constantly monitor Harold the autopilot as set to heading and not
wind as reference has far more concentration than us humans. Apparent wind angle
changes between 75 -135 degrees regularly and the flying of the spinnaker
particularly difficult so is on deck ready to go when things get a little more
established probably not until early Monday morning.
Last night had some really heavy vertical down pours of
rain without the wind we were expecting, John got wet a lot again, I was never
on deck during those.
We are sure boats in the cruiser divisions will be
motoring through these light patches and if you are viewing the yellow brick
tracker will think they are doing well. Until the end of the race when results
are published no one will know who used their engines to get to the next bit of
breeze. Now know why John not a fan of Thunder and Lightening at
sea. He was racing on a X99 when near the finish of a race happened to be
looking up the mast when struck by lightening saw the mast heat instrument fall
as a ball of flames into the sea and the boat started to leak where holes had
been made around the chain plates. All the electrical wiring was burnt and black
as were all electronics, the batteries had expanded no doubt from suddenly
boiling the contents. When boat lifted out all osmosis points had burnt off and
the rudder had delaminated from the post. Lets hope we stay clear of such events
although we have been seeing lightening every night recently just not as much a
few days ago.
Dinner tonight will be Chicken in white sauce, peas,
carrots, baguette and dessert sliced peaches in juice. I can think of better
meals for a Saturday evening.
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