can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

American Spirit II - Day 72; Main Sheet Traveler Car Blew Up; Sunday, March 16, 2014



Rain showers 6:30 AM. What else is new? Rally boat II Audacious 3 miles abeam to starboard. A 49 foot boat. Wind increased to 22 knots. Reefed main and jib. Seas 8-10 feet. Shook reef out of main couple hours later. At 9:15 AM we crossed under transom of II Audacious. Had to double reef main to slow boat down to do so. Not sure who had right-away. AIS alarming - collision. Missed by 100 yards.

The boats gave their respective positions during the 9:00 AM net. Breakfast after that. Scrambled eggs with cheese and ham slices; plus crackers layered with peanut butter and/or strawberry jelly.

Noon position 9 degrees, 24 minutes South; 125 degrees, 16 minutes West. 807 miles from Hiva Hoa; have come 2,173 miles so far.

At 11:15 AM we went to 'wing-on-wing.' Meaning, the jib (and pole) were on one side and the main sail on the other side. Picked up a little speed, steadier, but more dangerous. Also able to steer toward Hiva Hoa better.

At 4:00 PM while going out of wing-on-wing mode we had an uncontrolled jibe and broke the main sheet traveler car. Very exciting. Looks like metal fatigue was the culprit. Shouldn't have broken. After it broke, the main sail and boom slammed against the starboard shrouds. Not good. We rolled up the main sail and then stopped the boom from flogging by tying it to what remained of the car. We might have put in a temporary fix, but its too dangerous to try to use the main sail with the damaged car. So, no more main sail until we get into Hiva Hoa. And we'll have to order one and have it shipped in. Not easy to do when the destination is the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. We were at 9 degrees, 23 minutes South and 126 degrees, 0 minutes West when this happened. Going 5.5 knots under jib alone.

Brian Fox

Previous | Next