So here we are on a "downwind" passage with 25 knots+ blowing straight from St Lucia. There is a steep two to occasional three meter (six to ten foot) sea running, close coupled of course. Nothing like two waves per boat length to help with digestion (and diet). You might say we are just paying our dues since we have been able to avoid slogging to weather this entire cruising season.
Of course this is what Wind Horse is designed to do, slice dead to windward at cruising speed. When she was new to us, five years and close to 50,000 miles ago, we marveled at the ease at which she got us to weather. Hard beating on our FPB oould always be compared to something a lot worse under sail, like Panama to Curacao in 30 to 40 knots aboard Beowulf.
But our standards have changed, or you could say we have grown soft, and as nice as it is to be able to head straight into the wind at speed, we don't like it. We could heave to, which on Wind Horse means jogging slowly into the waves, until the weather passes. But more of this is in the offing and the wind will probably strengthen here and behind us. By pressing on we get past this trough when it is relatively easy, with the promise of high pressure and easterly quadrant winds a few days down the track. Besides, we don't like sitting.
A motion has been tabled to delay Thanksgiving if adverse conditions persist. The Wind Horse executive committee will consider this in due course.
Position: 22 27'41.06 N, 029 19'47.53 W
ARC-2010-beating-314-2215