Time Bandit - Need a Shorter leg

33.44N 58.39W

We've now been on starboard tack, doing 8+ knots for about 48 hours and are seriously contemplating shortening our right legs. Life at 30 degrees from the horizontal gets wearing!

The sun is still blazing and its shorts and T shirts during the day and fleece with the clear skies at night.

To date we've seen one tanker and one sailing boat and maybe a couple of birds. Not much doing out here other than lying about on deck trying to seal the hatches as rogue waves come onboard and soak the cushions below. (In the doghouse right now).

If you're looking at the Fleet Viewer you'll see we are the southernmost boat but hopefully also one of the farthest east. We're trusting to our weather guru Chris Parker and we'll hold this course aiming for 37N 44W before heading straight for the Azores.

The boat is going great with the Monitor doing all the steering. The more we use it the more we love it. Hands free, amps free steering that follows the wind so no worries about tacking or gybing.

The Duogen is also performing well meeting all our power needs so right now, life is good. The weather is changing as the lows come off the USA and our weather guy says the boats up north are going to get calms and then gales. The daily net chats are all about weather and where to go. Interestingly / worryingly another boat, Scolomanzi (they sailed from Cape Town) is up at 38N on the advice of his weather guru!

We'll see what happens. As long as we're heading east and have wind and full diesel tanks it really doesn't matter that much..... other than winning of course - but then, it's a rally, not a race.

OK... gotta go and trim the sails.


S&A