Starblazer - 24/01/2016 – Time for a sail change.

Our twin headsail system is wonderful when the true wind is in an arc of
about 60o behind us. As the boat moves forward it tends to bring the wind
further forward as well. Once the wind is apparently about 60o forward of
the stern, on one side or the other, one of the sails starts to collapse
with the wind getting in front of it, refills, snaps back then repeats it
all over again. To avoid the jerking on the rig we change the heading. As
the wind wanders about so does our heading resulting in us not quite
following our required course. By yesterday morning we decided that the
wind was definitely too far forward to allow us to sail close enough to the
required course but that we should be able to with a sail change, not
something we relish because it often takes up to an hour!

Before the 1000 radio net we had put both genoas out to the same side
(easily done), sailed towards the wind to raise the mainsail (not so easy,
eventually we used 3 minutes of engine), removed the windward pole and
stowed it, rolled away the genoas to remove the leeward pole, pulled out the
genoas again and continued sailing rather slowly. What did the wind do? It
swung around behind us again. After the net we set up a pole to windward
and pulled one of the genoas across. The mainsail was of course blanketing
the leeward genoa, a problem with the wind so close behind, so we sheeted
the genoa in tightly and pushed the mainsail out as far as possible,
restraining it out with a gybe preventer. I’d like to say we made stunning
progress but we didn’t. At 1400 we made another sail change: genoas rolled
away and iron topsail deployed i.e. we started the engine!

Since then the wind has varied between 4 knots and 11 knots, from forward of
the beam portside to aft of the beam starboardside (for the first time since
leaving St Helena) and we have full batteries and a tank of lovely hot
water. We still have 1,326 nM to go and need to average 5.4 knots to arrive
in Salvador before the ’race’ gate closes on the 3rd February. We will not
manage that without the engine unless the wind picks up and settles down
from one direction or another.

I decided to celebrate Burns Night yesterday evening though strictly we
should have waited until Monday according to Peter on Exody. I’m sure there
were a number of Burn’s Night Suppers in golf clubs around the country, we
joined them in spirit. Tatties, neeps and haggis were a little difficult to
come by; mashed potato and tinned haggis fulfilled two of the criteria but
‘neeps’, mashed swede, were nowhere to be found. We made do with mashed
butternut squash, at least it was the right colour. John read out the first
two verses of Burn’s address to the haggis, I said the old Scottish grace:
“Some hae meat but canna eat, some hae nae meat but wannit, but we hae meat
an we can eat and sae the Lord be thankit.” I’m sure it might be written
differently but that is how I remember it. The haggis should have been
piped to the table but we have no bagpipes, I did find the Royal Dragoon
Scots Guards recording of Amazing Grace but failed to get the i-pod to play
it through the radio. We accompanied the haggis with a small dram of
Laphroag malt whisky instead of wine. Dinner was a bit different yesterday.
I should say thank you to Phil and Jane for thoughtfully including a tin of
haggis in our 2015 Christmas parcel, thanks guys.

As you can tell, not a lot happened yesterday, except that another fish got
away, though John put up more resistance before the fish got off the hook!
I completed the new ensign and it is now fluttering brightly behind the
boat. (John: Anyone like to guess how many separate pieces of material were
sewn into our new Red Ensign?)

Joyce