Unconditional - ARC+ Leg2, Day 12: 75% to St Lucia + Trade winds

Like childbirth, the start of 10+ knot Trade winds, gradually building over the next few days will bring a joy to the ARC+ arriving boats that will hopefully erase the fear of low fuel, snapping sails, and complaining blocks. The forecasted increase in wind should also significantly assist the velocities of the second 1/2 of the ARC+ fleet, and bring us into St Lucia closer together.

Unconditional new malfunctions/issues: NONE!

After thinking about the sails while on watch last night, and wondering why some boats were doing better than I expected, I effected a change to our sail configuration to let us sail dead downwind easier, and hopefully faster. Interestingly, this sail configuration brings us to the length-wise limit of the mainsheet and lazy sheets. I bought another sheet in Mindelo the day we departed, adding 3-meters to the OEM specified length. This was a wise move, although at the time, I was more thinking that we should have sacrificial ends should a chaff occur.

Today, everyone is catching up on their rest and enjoying the sail! Life is good, and the Admiral (Sara) is HAPPY!

Tom Hughes