Starblazer - Starblazer 27 November Challenges

“It’s not a problem, it’s a challenge!” So, in a positive frame of mind, we
must rise to the challenge of weak, occasionally variable winds. Yesterday’s
mini disaster with the jib’s unscheduled swimming trip has had several knock
on effects.

First and foremost is boat speed as the twin headsails had
allowed us to use the weak winds from astern to best effect. Overnight we
continued on genoa alone, maintaining an acceptable but not stunning speed.
After breakfast we decided to hoist the mainsail, which is impossible with
wind from astern and not easy at the best of times because the lazyjacks
snag the sail battens. John’s first job was to drop the sailtainer and pull
the lazyjacks back to the mast. Then we rolled away the genoa, started the
engine and motored slowly head to wind so I could pull up the sail. This is
possible under sail if you can trim the genoa to sail towards the wind but
being poled out made it impossible. Engine off, mainsail set, gybe
preventer installed, it was time to pull out the genoa again but the sail
had other ideas.

Second knock on effect: the jib had been pulled up using a halyard through a
block attached to the head of the genoa so that the two sails could be
rolled away together. As we pulled out the genoa the block swung out and
caught on a spinnaker halyard, a variation on a halyard wrap. Bad news! We
carefully rolled the bit of sail away again then John moved the spinnaker
halyards outboard and aft, tightened them, then we tried again, slowly and
controlled. This time the sail unrolled all the way. We set the poled out
genoa on the opposite side to the mainsail and continued, wing and wing, for
most of the day.

The third knock on effect was positive, with no second headsail we no longer
needed the second spinnaker pole installed. Once that was away we could
gybe the genoa and alter course to bring the wind more over the side instead
of from behind. Job done, we sailed on a slightly more southerly course
for several hours before the speed became unacceptably slow and John started
the engine and rolled away the genoa.

While I cooked dinner John held a ‘virtual happy hour’ on the VHF acting as
barman with a stock that satisfied every customer’s order. Five boats
joined in the fun. Thanks guys.

Dinner was pork chops with boiled potatoes, carrots and French beans.
(John: We get the big chops next time they are on the menu!)

Tomorrow’s weather is likely to be even lighter, boring. At least we have a
lot of diesel, 600-900 miles if necessary and we will have good winds long
before that is used.

Happy Birthday Joe, no Facebook in the middle of the ocean so we can’t post
on your timeline.
Joyce