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Lexington - 3/3/2017 Looking for Trade Winds



We are motoring along looking for trade winds. We are 3* 27′ S. 93 * 43′ W. The good winds are between 6-8 degrees south. We are heading south to get in that area. Our hopes, based on time proven weather patterns, are that we will have a comfortable sail down wind to the Marquesas once we get South far enough. The old sailors coming west to the Americas used the same principle. Their saying was that you sailed south from Great Britain or Spain and kept going south until your butter melted. The warmer air came from air flowing off the coast of Africa. At that point you were able to pick up consistent west-headed trade winds that gave an easy sail to the Americas. Often you can sail a longer route to get better conditions and winds. In doing that you may get there quicker having traveled more miles. All of this also depends on how much fuel you can carry and your schedule. We have a very fancy boat that has sensors that can tell us our hourly fuel consumption and the miles per gallon at various rpm (revolutions per minute I.e. How fast the engine is running). Therefore we can do our best to motor efficiently to use our fuel to get to the good winds while keeping some in reserve for low winds at points along the way. Some of our boats in the fleet have small fuel tanks and have to wait out the winds to carry them further. Some of our boats appear to have more stubborn and better sailors and get every last little bit out of the lightest winds. A boat called Tulla Mhor was determined not to have any engine hours on the leg to San Cristobal. They struggled for an hour or two just short of the finish line because the wind had died and they were barely inching forward in no wind. The current probably carried them over the finish line. THEY WERE STUBBORN SCOTS. They also got a prize for their efforts. I know I am stretching to try to make some interesting posts. Hopefully someone has some interest. We are definitely crazy to be out here. I could be working in an air conditioned office with everyone doing what I say and getting paid for it. Although I do not want to be 85 and wishing I had done it. My two other goals are to live until I am 95 and then be shot by a jealous husband. My second goal is not to be shot until I am 95. Do not tell my wife. Hope all is well with each of you. I hope I can keep your interest. Give me suggestions if you want to hear about anything that would interest you. Bob

 



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