Wig Wam Ketch
Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Tue 5 Oct 2010 20:03
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Wednesday 6 October 0627 Local 1927UTC (5th
October)
22:17.55S 162:57.68E
Our course to Australia from where we exited the
reef at New Caledonia is almost due west, navigating through the various mid
ocean reefs. We are planning to go to Mackay and the plan is to round the south
end of the barrier reef and run the last two hundred miles or so North West up
the Capricorn Channel to Mackay.
As the winds yesterday were 26 - 30 knots almost
all day from the ESE we were able to run our course of 267deg with one reef in
the genoa and the full main almost against the spreaders. At this wind angle
which was 150deg to our course we normally can't fly the genoa on the leeward
side as the slot between the mast and the forestay becomes too narrow. However
yesterday due to the strength of the wind, enough piled through the slot to
drive us along nicely - mostly betwen nine and ten knots. The seas were three to
four metres and all day long we had rolling breaking waves bearing down on us.
It is no wonder Trish could not find her sea legs and lay down for most of the
day.
Later, during the night, when the wind eased a
little I had to set the genoa to windward on the pole. Goosewinged, wing on
wing or as I call it "white out" conditions. I also fly the jib to leeward and
this is a lot of canvas, but as the wind slowly backed through the East we were
dead down wind which is a slow and rolly point of sail.
The reason for telling you all this as I know lots
of readers are not technical is to try to explain just what is involved in
getting this whole sail plan set up - on your own in 25 knots and three metre
seas.
Our pole is heavy and about five metres long and
twelve centimetres diameter. I have a routine worked out to set it all which at
times involves me using one hand to winch the pole down one hand and one
leg to manouvre the pole and one leg to stand on. All quite challenging in a
rolly wet fore deck but nevertheless that's what has to be done and it all
takes me about twenty minutes or so. It is however very satisfying when you are
rewarded with an extra knot and a half while being able to lay your
course.
This morning however we have 15 knots directly from
the East and that is not much good to us. It reminds me of the Atlantic, and of
course this "short" passage we are making is one third of the Atlantic
crossing!
Now a funny story as a reward to all those non
technical people who have read through the first few paragraphs. At least all
the men will understand this.
As you know many times you go to sleep in bed and
you wake up in a "wig wam". Well last night as I cat napped on the chair in the
saloon in 30 minute stints. Every time I went to sleep I was in a sloop and
every time I woke up I was in a "ketch". This is all very well but I had to take
on the gait of Long John Silver while ascending the companionway to have a
visual lookout.
For my project today I am going to find out what
causes this and bottle it. We will then take on Viagra head on the
market.
You will understand that I am not attaching any
images to todays blog!
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