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  1. #10
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    1945 As forecast, it's been all upwind since the start, and we've made 5 tacks with the #2...mostly in W and WNW breeze 8-12. About 1600 the breeze freshened to 12-15 Knots, and now at 1945, on starboard tack, we have the SE Farallone Island abeam to windward, 6 miles. Speed is 6 knots, steering 225m (240T)

    2000 hrs With HEDGEHOG, GREEN BUFFALO, and SURPRISE hull down and barely visible ahead (can't tell who is whom), rigged for dark by setting the working staysail on its inboard stay, and set up runner. Then hanked on #3 below the #2. Dropped #2, unhanked and dragged aft. Retied jib sheets at correct lead and hoist away with #3, which is on an 8" tack pennant to allow water from breaking waves over the foredeck to not fill the foot of the sail, potentially causing damage. Boat speed probably dropped briefly to 4.5 knots with main and staysail during change, and now back up to 6.

    On offshore passages with the wind forward of abeam, I sail slightly hot sailing angles ("bow down") compared to inshore. But would remind that WILDFLOWER does not have any speed or wind measuring instruments except the handheld GPS and orange peel method and a Windex and telltales. All boat speeds are best estimates from sailing this boat for 33 years.

    In the first SHTP in 1975 I towed a Walker Log for the first half of the race, and crawled aft every 2 hours to read the dial. That was never a pleasant chore, but allowed the boat to have no thru-hull fittings. By halfway to Hanalei, hungry fish had taken all 3 of my spinners, and that was the end of the Walker Log usefulness. I'd even painted the spinners black to avoid any shiny attraction for sea creatures.

    At 0100 hours today (Sunday) we are off soundings (beyond the Continental Shelf) and into the synoptic (gradient) wind of "Windy Lane." There are 4-5 masthead tricolor lights in the vicinity, mostly aft and to weather. Wind speed is now 18, gusting 25 from the NW (315 T). I already had in the first reef and decided on the second. Not so much because we were tipping over, rather to neutralize any weather helm the windvane steering might be encountering.

    All 3 reefs have single grommet drain holes in their bellies to relieve the possibility of accumulating sea water in the reef folds if a larger than normal wave comes over the weather rail. In addition, these drains serve double purpose and can be fitted with a hose and nipple to catch fresh water from squalls for bathing. cleaning, and drinking purposes.

    Except for brief look-arounds every 20-30 minutes, I'm spending the night below, warmly dressed, drinking hot chocolate, watching the AIS glow, and napping. We are trimmed for a course of 225m (240t), and probably making 5-10 degrees leeway with current and drift. Handily, I can make minor adjustments to the tiller angle from the cabin. As well, I can shine a light through the forehatch to check jib trim and yarns on both the #3 and staysail. We are sailing fast, 6.5 to 7 knots, and not pounding, a pre-requisite for choosing my course.
    Last edited by sleddog; 06-28-2020 at 11:31 AM.

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