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Air Power - Log day 4



Day 4, 11/8/2017.
We are now starting our 4th day at sea and less than 900 nautical miles from Tortola, BVI. After yesterday's post, the winds started cooperating with us. We shut off our one engine that had been propelling us and enjoyed the quiet and serenity that sailing offers at it's best. As I mentioned previously, we are anything but competitive sailors. We were having a perfect sail through the evening and night, when the winds started to increase 20-25kts. We decided it better to drop the main sail around 3:00 am, and keep sailing using just our genoa, foresail. This way, there would be no more reefing the main, (making the sail smaller), in the night, and the person off watch could sleep uninterrupted. There are only 2 of us crewing Air Power, and we rotate every 3 hours. Pretty much all the other boats have between 3-6 crew, to share the duties. We like our solitude, and the quiet, and room that our home offers. So with this conservative, layed-back approach, we are doing our best to keep all of the boat's equipment in one piece and operational.

When the rally started last Sunday, Nov 5th, we had 24 boats cross the starting line. 20 are going to the BVI and 4 are headed for the Bahamas. Most of the vessels are mono-hulls (traditional sailboats, a.k.a. half-boats) and 4 of us are on multi-hulls (catamarans, a.k.a. complete boats). 2 Cats heading for the BVI, and the other 2 to the Bahamas. No matter how well you prepare, you have to expect the unexpected. 2 vessels are diverting to address maintenance issues and another boat with a damaged halyard, is proceeding on, with just their jib.

It's now time to pull something out of the freezer, to thaw out for tonight's dinner.

That is all from Air Power.--Dave & Jill

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