Routing Error
Day 9
Noon Position: 23.52.22N, 125.02.98W
Course/Speed: SE 4.5
Wind: 0
Sail: Motoring
Bar: 1019
Sea: Glassy but quite some rollers coming in from the SE
Sky: Low, gray, squally with rain
Cabin Temp: 80
Water Temp: 74
Miles last 24-hours: 114
Miles since departure: 1025
Typing in the dark tonight as Mo ghosts. Still 80 degrees in the cabin at 8pm.
In today’s video, I refer to a “classic” routing error, that being that we had such good wind yesterday and the night before that I couldn’t bring myself to give up on my southing, to tack around and head E in order to stay in clear air. The GRIBS were unequivocal: I’d sail myself right out of wind if I wasn’t careful, but I didn’t believe them. I had wind–surely it would hold. After all, that’s what wind does.
Ain’t nothing “classic” about that. It was just dumb. And I’m paying dearly today and likely most of tomorrow. I sailed right into the blob and, well, have a great load of nothing to show for it.
Started motoring at 5am on a heading E and then SE to where GRIBS said wind would be later. Motored at 4 knots for nine hours during which I got the anchor off the bow and into the anchor locker, where it is lashed; I re-rove Monte’s tiller rings, and moved some heavy items from the forepeak to locations further aft. Not an unproductive morning.
Wind came up at 7 knots from the S late this afternoon. I unfurled Mo’s lovely wings … and, by way of recognition of my appreciation, the wind … died. Then it rained. Again.
We bobbed and slatted for a couple hours during which I discovered my first gear failure. The main has sheared one of the stainless pins that attaches the batten holder to the batten car. A function of all the slatting and tells me I should have dropped that big, 85lb sail rather than let if fan.
What gave me fits today, however, was that I don’t have a spare batten holder. Easy fix if I did. Sails were a late arrival and I was well into last-minute mode. Got a boat full of spares for many (clearly, not any) conceivable necessity. Except that one. Can jury rig an attach point easily enough, but a spare would have been better.
A bit low today. Didn’t anticipate such a slow, clumsy start to my happy cruise around the world.
Sounds like you’re at a low so things can only get better from here on in. The last time I was in that area I was supposed to be on my way to Hawaii. Never saw the trades but rather SW winds so after 11 days out of San Francisco of beating went to Mexico instead! Now that was a depressing routing change.
Move that battcar down to the lowest/#4 batten. Basically a swap so that when you’re reefed, the damaged battcar is out of play. Don’t drop any frigging screws when you make the swap!