Running the squallathon
Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Tue 31 May 2011 10:13
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Tuesday 31st May 2011 1145 Local Time 0645
UTC
17:32.26S 060:05.90E
It has been non stop since before first light
today. There were a lot of squalls around and the sea was getting up again. So
it was reefing in, reefing out, genoa away, jib out, preventer on, preventer
off. Most of this is made relatively easy by the powerful
electrical winches and furlers aboard Rhiann Marie, though trips to
the fordeck and side deck are still required to rig the preventer and also to
rig a barber to the genoa sheet.
We sailed the rhumb line, trimming all the way and
keeping up our VMG. The forecast later was for the wind to drop away and to back
further. So when one particularly large squall came our way and I had received
confirmation that the rudder stock head bearing being loose, would not
allow the rudder to fall out, and having investigated and sorted the source of a
metallic clanking from the mast I decided to have some fun.
With full genoa and main up in the gradient wind of
18 knots or so and tanking along nicely, I sailed across the front of the squall
upwind of my rhumb line, looking for as much pressure as I could handle knowing
I could then run off downwind back to or downwind of my rhumb line as that would
be helpful in the forecast light airs later on.
Before loading up the helm, speeds were
already above nine knots. As the wind built I could run from the
front. Speeds crept up to 10, 11, 12 and finally 13 knots!!!! It was a
blast. I don't mean spot speeds but tanking along at nearly 12 knots steady
with a peak of 13! The wind was a steady 28 knots and peaked at 30. What a
hoot! The first three days of the passage were wiped clean from my hard drive in
just over one hour.
Ok, so we were pointing at Madagascar
eventually but the squalls ran out of breath before I ran out of enthusiasm and
the morning was off to a great start! Since then it has been one sail plan after
another and now we are slopping around in 9 knots of wind from directly behind
us and the ocean swell on our beam. The slatting and slamming of canvas and
rigging is not healthy for the rig nor good for the nerves...... Never
mind, looking up wind I can see another couple of big squalls heading our way.
We will ride them for while and hope at the end of it we have some gradient wind
filled in. Looking at the barometer over the last couple of days I have never
seen such high pressure, 1040 for most of yesterday and today 1041
!!
Mauritius is only 200 miles away now - we hope to
be in around the middle of the day tomorrow when I might treat myself to a cold
beer.
I'll keep the blog open till these three squalls
hit us ..... back in a while. In the meantime check the fat tuna in the
picture!
Ach not much to report from these ones. I think
they are going to pass too far behind us and when I suggested to Trish that I
put on the handbrake and waited for them to arrive she just looked at me and
shook her head..... The best I got from these fellows so far was the wind
picking up from 9 to 16 knots and boat speed from 6 to 9.3 knots. Loser.
Nevertheless we are still doing 9 knots and laying our course. Cold beer for
lunch tomorrow. Winner.
p.s. Spoke too soon. The squalls caught up with us
and we were quickly doing 11.5 knots in 28 knots of wind. As I ran off a little
the boat was comfortable and Trish is busy cooking Tuna (Breakfast, lunch and
dinner now) and pasta for lunch - almost flat in 28 knots doing 11 knots over
the ground. Impressive. As it is torrential rain and I know you want
to read this blog I am sitting at the keyboard one finger typing and the
remote control for the autopilot in the other countering any slight
rounding up with a quick five degrees downwind on the
autopilot!
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