Day-16
24hr. Run=146 NM.
Position =Latitude 24*40’S. Longitude-107*50’W.
Weather=Wind=8-15 kts.
Seas=3-5ft.
Cabin Temp=72*-78*. Squalls in the early am then nice the rest of day.
Bar.1016mb
Day-17
24hr.Run=160 NM.
Pos. Latitude 26*26’S. Longitude 109*56’W.
Weather=Bar.1018 mb. Winds 8-28 kts.
Seas=5-7ft.
Cabin Temp=71*-75*. Wind squally during daylight hours then clear and good sailing overnight.
Bar.1018 mb
Day-18.
24hr. Run=157 NM
Position- Latitude 28*24’S.-Longitude 111*46’W.
Weather=.Wind=8-15 kts.
Seas=5-7′.
Bar.1018 mb
Cabin Temp=71*-75*. A few squalls around overnight but nothing serious and the day was sunny and nice.
Total miles sailed so far=2672 NM
Total miles last 3-days=463 NM.
Miles left to go to turning point for Cape Horn=585 NM.
Top speed so far=9.9kts.
THE REST OF THE STORY
Day-16
I awoke to a loud screeching noise outside in the cockpit. I climbed out into the cockpit looking around for what was getting ready to go bad next. Then I heard the noise coming from aloft off the stern of the boat, there I was amazed to see 5-White Birds of Paradise soaring about kicking up the biggest fuss. I thought possibly they were warning of some impending danger, but nothing was found and I could only wonder where they came from and where were they going, perhaps they were wondering the same thing.
No not a white bird or birds but they do like to fly around the boat to land
I feel compelled to mention that later that evening, after all the shaft problems, I had this strange feeling of another’s presence aboard, and had first picked up on it when I was finally cleaning up and putting things away. I know there was twenty times during the episode that I wanted to cry out to Debbie to turn on the bilge pump, or get me this or that, but I knew better as this was me and only me the “Around Alone Crew”. All I can say is it was that kind of feeling that makes you look back over your shoulder when you are walking down the street at night and you sense someone is there.
Today started fishing by dragging a pink squid on a meat line [heavy 200lb. test line on a rubber snubber]. Since I have found so many pink squids on the boat I figured why not try one.
After the squalls seemed to have let up it was time to shake out the reef in the main sail, when I went to release the reef line at the mast I was “shocked to see it had chafed 95% of the way through. The line was brand new and the reef tied in for only about 12 days. I ended up having to use the fish tape to pull in a new 45ft. piece of ½ inch line. I also made some changes in the bottom of the boom configuration that I believe will eliminate the chafe.
Day-17
I just want to thank everyone for their great ideas on solving the shaft problem and they are note worthy, also thanks for all the prayers and encouragement.
A few of the ideas were put thread tight on the threads, I should have thought of this one as I have plenty of it, but I fear my thought processes were on overload as I worked with a stream of water pouring into the bilge. Another great idea put epoxy on the shaft and handtighten the nut on, that would definitely fix it. A more aggressive idea was filling the coupler with epoxy and pray you “die’ before you ever after take the shaft out. A truly quick temporary fix is put a shaft Zinc on inside the boat right up against the packing gland. This one I tried but only had collar zincs and the diameter is two wide and the zinc hits the packing gland bolts, If I would have had the torpedo zinc it would have worked.
What I did do until I get the nut secured with thread lock is put a piece of heavy hose that was the same inside diameter of shaft and split it then hose clamped it on to the shaft up against the packing gland. That should keep the shaft from sliding out of the coupler for a little while.
Our New 54 HP Yanmar Diesel Engine
Engine going down below into it’s new home
Today dragging a cedar plug for the fish, as I had no luck with the squid.
Day-18
This am Easter Island lays 48 NM. off the port beam. I’m sad I never got close enough to see it, but the wind Gods are dictating sail more to the west to get over the top of the high.
Shows Easter Island and it’s position to the mainland of South America
Yes,it’s almost barometer soup time, and as you might have noticed the barometric pressure is gradually rising as I near the center of the South Pacific High. I do not want to cross the center as there will be no wind, or little fluky winds. The problem is the high wanders around, and yesterday it was centered on Longitude 111* today it is at 113*, and I want it to go back to 111* or even further east.
I can only hope that the 120* longitude is far enough west for me to be able to skirt along the outside edge of the high to a point where I pick up the westerly winds that are currently at about 40* south.
Still trying to catch a fish, the Jefe’