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Adela - Mid atlantic report



We have now reached the half way point, having had our fair share of
incidents. The rigging is holding, but then we have had little wind,
however we have put safety lines around the back stays and fore stay
just in case.

Over the first week the wind just kept on dropping. We are now becalmed
and I am sure I noticed the true wind indicator give a negative reading!
The decision was taken to press on and start the engine as no-one wanted
to swim and our efforts at fishing with a hopelessly inadequate line are
frustrating. We have now been motoring for 2 days and, if the weather
forecast is accurate, we hope to get some wind tomorrow.

I am having fun experimenting with the SSB radio, the aerial is now
balanced nicely by the new remote ATU, and although electrical noise
from the chart plotter interferes with Pactor emailing, I was able to
join the international Ham net briefly and could hear people from all
over the USA and some from Europe. I have noticed that when Heather uses
the inverter to make bread, it wrecks the SSB completely - another
electrical challenge.

It is also fun to hear from the other ARC+ boats at the morning HF net
call, and everyone crowds round to listen (the chart plotter gets turned
off). Definitely worth persevering to get reception as clear as possible.

James is earnestly studying the sextant, and marches out on deck
periodically to take sightings of heavenly bodies. It's four years since
I did any, and I find that I have forgotten everything, so have resolved
to join him (when he has it all figured!).

Heather is still making fab food and I offered to give her a break from
cooking, but after serving up bullet proof breaded fish and soggy chips
- which everyone bravely tried to eat, she has declined further assistance.

During the day it is pleasant on deck, with the most fabulous blue
backdrop, a mild breeze (from our own motoring) and the aluminium hull
takes away all the sun's heat to the sea. We have been disappointed in
not seeing any marine life, except nasty smelly flying fish landing on
deck at night.

Just 2 days ago we had a potential disaster - We were running on the
main engine and the water in the Calorifier became very hot, so much so
that a pipe blew off, and the fresh water pump proceeded to dump our
supply into the bilges. We lost about 300 litres before Heather noticed,
when going to make tea, that the water flow had stopped. We need a loud
alarm which will sound above the engine when the bilge pump turns on (
now added to the growing defects list). I had topped up both tanks the
day before, so had to make another 300 litres - wonderful things these
water makers.


Peter Shoosmith
Skipper, ADELA

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