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Sabine - (118) ARC blog update - 7 Dec 2022



Hello interweb friends, Captain Stape on sail boat Sabine right here (///shipshape.earliest.systemically)

Absolutely nothing happened today.


Only joking!! Read on ;-)

After last night when Richard tried for 3 hours sailing Sabine into the wind and torrential rain with an average of 2.4knots, we came up with a new plan: we started Maria, started a motor, set the speed, and started the indoor Raymarine radar so that those on watch after Richard could do so in the relative dry (avoiding the drips) of the navigation table. Altering course if required by using the mirror autopilot console inside. I’m not sure what went on whilst I was sleeping, but Wednesday morning is sunny with a calmer sea and a slight wind. We’re only using the Genoa right now because of a problem with the main halyard: it has somehow managed to wrap itself round the front of the mast and then looped itself over the roller at the front for the top spinnaker halyard, right at the top of the mast. How these things happen is anyone’s guess, but probably had something to do with all the rough seas and wind we had yesterday. This would need to be sorted as we can’t raise the main or use the spinnaker right now.
The Garmin beeps - there’s another sail boat behind us (Deuce Folie 2), and they’re on a collision course in about 40mins time. Kia, and then Richard try calling them on the radio but they don’t respond. After about 30 mins of ‘they’re going to hit you!!’, the nav computer decides that everything is ok and the big red ‘crash’ symbols are removed from the screen.
After Kia downloads the GuessWind updates, we head south west to avoid the wrong type of wind and weather further north, but as we’re only on the Genoa we’re making slow progress so we have to occasionally motor sail. The electric propulsion silently helps push us along, but it’s underpowered when compared to a ‘normal’ engine so we’re only making a little progress. But at least it’s sunny! And warm! And not raining!!! Wet clothes come out of the cabins and are spread all along the edges of the boat with as many pegs as we can find. We might actually end up with some dry clothes by the end of the day.
We need more sail to make better progress, so Richard and Kia try and free the stuck main halyard by shaking and flicking the line. Flicking first from one side, and then the other doesn’t release it, so then there is some synchronised flicking that… also doesn’t work. It remains firmly stuck and someone will need to go up the mast in the boatswains chair. And that someone ends up being Richard. With calmer seas, the Genoa furled in, John manning the helm and the motors, Polina manning the main winch with the lower spinnaker line for hoisting, Kia at the base of the mast offering advice, words of encouragement and relaying the ‘up, stop, down, stop’ commands from Richard, Richard is strapped into the boatswains chair. Armed with the boat pole on the end of a length of line and tied to the chair, he starts going up the mast. What they should have done, my interweb friends, is asked me. I’d have flown up there and released the stuck line in a jiffy. Well, that’s what happens if you don’t cook me a burger! Ha!
Anyway, back to Richard up the mast. The foldable steps on the mast run out about a third of the way up, then he has to use the radar mountings, the shrouds and then the spreader near the top for hand and foot holds. But he has to go higher where there is nothing for his feet to stand on, so we see him wrap his legs around the mast whilst Polina hoists him up with the winch. He stops and thinks he can reach the troublesome halyard with the pole, tries, but needs to go higher. Any small rocking movement of the boat is now amplified tenfold up there, and John is working the helm to try and keep Sabine steady. At last Richard is high enough that he can use the pole and with amazing skill, strength and dexterity, (his words, not mine!) manages to unhook the main halyard from around the top spinnaker roller and it flies free - hurrah!! Now all he has to do is get down. Slowly and carefully Polina lowers the line to which Richard is attached, as he also lowers his safety gripper. He releases the line holding the pole to his chair and lets it fall gently(ish) to the deck. Then he makes his way down, past the spreader, past the 2 radar mounts, and back to the relative safety of the foot pegs, which he folds away as he passes them. Finally, back on the deck, he sits down with relief all over his face.
Whilst he recovers himself, the main is raised and we immediately pick up speed. ‘That’s why it’s called the MAIN sail’ says Kia. There’s relief all round as this hopefully means we can make some progress. Good team work guys! Richard wants to see the photos of himself up the mast. There are a couple of still photos and then the phone was set to video the rest of the endeavour by placing it on the deck below the mast pointing up, which managed to record 2 seconds of Richard, and then 22 minutes of sky!
Richard tells me that it was quite exciting and also little scary being up there, but the view was great (just horizon to horizon of more sea, apparently), and he’s sure the brown stains near the top of the mast will wash away the next time it rains…
Microwave update!!! Apologies for not letting you know yesterday of the continuing drama, but I have to do something to keep you all in suspense ;-) Well, it seems this particular drama is coming to and end, at least until we’re docked and more permanent repairs can be made when Sabine is a little more stable. The microwave works if it’s spoken to softly and used gently, which opens up a whole new menu for the crew, apparently. However, should there be an update, rest assured my interweb friends that you will be the first to know!
Everyone onboard is far more relaxed now that we’re sailing again. Ok, it’s not quite in the right direction, but it is *a* direction and we’re going forwards, unlike yesterday. I’m sure we can sort out the right direction when the wind allows us. I hope that time won’t be too far away or else St. Lucia might run out of rum before we get there (I’m very concerned about this). The wind is coming from St. Lucia, instead of what it should be doing and blowing us towards St. Lucia.
As the day draws to a close, we’re sailing, and we’re dry. Today was a much better day!
This is Capt. Stape signing off with 574nm to go. Ciao ciao squawk!

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