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George - 500 miles to go....Diver required?!



I am in shock this morning, last night we lost the propeller off the towed generator. For those who don't know what a towed generator is it is a rope with a propeller attached to it, the other end is attached to a alternator that generates electricity as you sail along, it is specially good for sailing downwind. We have now rigged our high speed prop but it only works at speeds over 6 knots... if we go less than that we will slowly lose power and eventually go 'dark' on the bright side it didn't happen on my watch! TB

Very lively 24 hours and no place for humour. All Tim's boat and passage preparations, of which there were many and many pennies spent, were all worth it as the boat has put up with quite a hammering through a rather squally night, so all credit must go to Tim and George, God bless them, as it gives the rest of us confidence in their ability. We are hammering along at an average of 8 knots but have got to over 11 kts in the surf. You will know by now that Tim is looking for a diver to meet him at 14.13N and 50.17W at about the same time next year to try and recover a towed generator prop which tore off last night. They will be paid handsomely but should bring plenty of kit with them as it is 4,500 meters deep. Note to self; squally weather, dangly bits of string and rotating machinery do not go well together! You know you've had a busy morning when the Celine Dion looping on the cockpit speakers is still playing 6 hours later...MK

Lively indeed. Highlights: running down the surf with the clear bright light of the moon lighting the sea up like a runway on 270 degrees and the discovery of a secret compartment within the boat; lowlights: the loss of the primary prop for the towed generator (a truly outstanding bit of kit) and swinging from 160 to 330 degrees in 30+ knot squalls after the moon had set and wondering how to steer a course in pitch black with no stars or discernable cloud patterns, Celine Dion for five hours non-stop...SN

Just finished my 90 minutes helming. Great fun getting up to 9.5 knots down the surf. The swells are amazing in size and can't be replicated by any photograph. When is my next go? Oh dear in the dark when you cant see the waves or squalls!! It was me trying to cut the horse shoes buoy from the generator when it broke as it had got very tangled up and was under an amazing pressure. Why on my watch? MN

Explain this then Poirot, Gloria and Emma, my wife and daughter, buy me an advent calendar for the trip in Las Palmas. It arrives on the boat in a sealed package and stays sealed til the 1st. Since then its been gaffer taped to a cabin door in full view. Every day the person nearest the days mileage at 1300hrs gets to open the door to retrieve a piece of chocolate. Today, Hastings yet again guesses correctly, opens door no. 11 in the presence of everyone and reveals a twenty pence piece with a strange sticky substance on one side. Meanwhile the night watchman plays with his knife on a dark and turbulent night, what could possibly go wrong. 'George' got away unscathed thankfully. JDR

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