Day-151.24hr.Run=163nm. Pos: Lat.41*40’S. Long.150*14’W. Weather=Wind=W 12-18kts. Seas=6-8W. Cabin Temp=62*-67* Bar=1000mb
Day-152. 24hr Run=150 nm. Pos: Lat.41*54’S. Long.148*27’W. Weather=Wind=12-15 W. Seas=6-10ft W. Cabin Temp=60-65*. Bar=997mb
Day-153. 24hr.Run=152nm. Pos: Lat.41*22S. Long.145*48’W. Weather=Wind=20-40kts WNW. Seas= W 15-20ft. Cabin Temp=60-65*. Bar=1007mb
Total miles sailed so far=19,790nm.
Mile sailed last three days=465nm.
Miles left to sail until turning north=2553.
Top speed so far= 14.1kts.
THE REST OF THE STORY:
Day-151.
Once again “Sailors Run” is sailing fast along the course line.
There is a shallow spot in the ocean out here, about a day away along our course line. It was reported by the Vessel Sophia Christianson back in 1913, and is reported to be 30 ft. deep, and that seems strange as all the rest of the ocean in this area is three-miles deep. Oh well we will skirt by this one.
Debbie’s father passed away and Debbie was at the burial today, a very sad time for her. Debbie’s father had served in the US Air force in the special security squadron and could speak seven different languages. He was an all around good person and will be missed by those who knew him.
Temperatures are now quite pleasant aboard Sailors Run, and the Ecuadorian vegetable oil is almost a liquid once again.
Day-152.
I awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of luffing sails, and we were about 60 * off course. I got my foul weather gear on and went top side.
I disconnected the wind vane and gave the wheel a spin and was shocked as I watched it spin like the wheel of fortune. Once again a steering cable has failed.
This sent a sense of fear through me as I have been unable to find the spare cables. You can only break these things so many times, and think they are going to reach far enough, to get them back together again.
The break was in the cable that had not failed last time, but the other cable was showing some broken strands where it attaches to the chain, and it also needed to be remade.
The repair took 8-hrs. In the end I had to drill out the chain to get a shackle to fit on to the end to make up for lost wire. I also used my Makita cutting wheel to carefully cut the copper crimp off of the cable saving 4-inches of much needed cable length. These cables just barely went back on the quadrant, and if this should happen again, I will have to resort to the emergency tiller and make changes to the lines on the wind vane to be able to steer the boat.
Day-153.
Today not too much different from yesterday, as once again awakened by popping sails and off course.
I roll out of my berth and climb out into the cockpit to find out what the “HELL” is going on now.
It doesn’t take too long to discover the servo rudder on the wind vane has broken off now for the third time on this voyage, and is trailing in our wake behind the boat.
This will not be an easy fix, as the winds have risen to 30kts gusting 40 and the mizzen must be dropped as well as the small portion of “Patches” that is still flying rolled in on the furler.
Once that is completed we are now under stay sail alone and with 15-20 foot seas and heaving to is not a safe option as these seas are steep and some are breaking ,so I play with the balance of the boat and eventually get her sailing just a little down wind and she seems to nearly be sailing herself, allowing me to hang off the back of the boat and get the remaining piece of the breakaway tube out of the kick up hinge joint, where the servo rudder bolts into. I make up a new piece and bolt the servo rudder back into the hinge joint and after just 4-hrs of precarious goings on, we are being steered by the wind-vane once again, on course at good speed.
Dreaming of sitting with “Debbie” on a white sandy beach, under a sunbrella and sipping on an ice cold beer,
The Jefe’.