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GEM - Life in a Washing Machine ...



After motoring all day Wed we started to sail around 5 pm just as Jay was serving dinner. We had Chicken with Indian spices, rice and 2 different bean/veggie sides. Craig played sous chef. Seas and wind built overnight to steady 30’s as we approached a Low, Invest 97 I believe. At 1:30 am we took a reef in the main and rolled the jib sailing about 50 degrees of Apparent Wind. Boat was hobby horsing into some large seas and it made for an uncomfortable night. The crew likened it to being inside a washing machine, how true. At least it’s warm. We changed course to about 175 to have the wind more to the beam, This helped increase boat speed to the mid 8”s but we still have a lot of wave action. As a result we are now West of the rhumb by about 25 miles. We can see 6 boats on our AIS display, KARINA, LUCKY STRIKE are in the rally, we believe the others are part of Salty DAWG rally which left just before us Monday from Hampton, VA.

Craig made cinnamon rolls yesterday during the calm motoring and everyone wolfed them down, including Jim. He doesn’t like all the spices Craig and Jay use but when you are at sea you eat anything :-) Our last 24 hour run was 175 miles, Today’s will be higher due to the last 15 hours of steady sailing in the 8’s. I think we will be over 200 miles !! We are a fast moving washing machine. Today (Thurs) is looking cloudy and overcast. We hope to have wind clock from E/NE to SW at which point we will tack onto Starboard and gain back our Easting. The boats around us are planning the same. Should pick up weather to confirm our strategy after sending this.

Crew getting along fine and adjusting to the bouncing around. Jim helped me diagnose and repair the water pressure sensor on the pump, it won’t shut off and creates too much pressure for the hot water heater. The relief valve opens and empties into the bilge. We took apart the sensor and adjusted/lowered it and it seemed to help but last night several times it went off and would not stop. Looks like we also have issues with the bilge pump switch up on the flybridge. Will try and fix that today.

As I write this we are 810 miles from the finish line and have covered 495 miles at avg speed of 7.3 knots, lets hope that keeps up :-)) Dreaming of rum punches...


Vin Ratford at sea
Using a satellite phone so do NOT send large files or attachments.

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