Around Alone Days-163-164-165.
Day-163 24hr.Run=127nm.
Pos.Lat.38*18’S.Long.125*39’W. Weather=Wind=S-12-30kts.Seas=SW 10-13ft.
Cabin Temp=64*-69*. Bar=1002mb
Day-164 24hr.Run=123nm.
Pos. Lat.37*21’S. Long.123*59’W. Weather=Wind=SE 7-12kts. Seas=se 6-10ft.
Cabin Temp=65*-68*. Bar=1008mb
Day-165 24hr.Run=115nm.
Pos. Lat.35*48′. Long.123*59’W. Weather=Wind= E 7-20kts. Seas=E6-10ft.
Cabin Temp.68*-69*. Bar=1007mb
Total Miles sailed so far=21,303nm.
Miles sailed last 3-days=368nm.
Distance to go to finish line at Bahia Caraquez=3186nm.
Top speed so far=14.1kts
THE REST OF THE STORY:
DAY 163.
The barometer is rising, and soon the winds begin coming down and many hours later, the seas also drop down, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
I put the mizzen back up and several hours later in 20-knots of breeze I hoist the mainsail back up to keep speed up.
Today is Sunday and I always run the engine for 15-minutes in neutral to circulate the oil and dry the moisture out of the engine.
When I go out in the cock pit to shut down engine I’m greeted by a strange, rather musical sound, like someone playing the comb with wax paper on it. I look over the stern at the exhaust water and there is just a trickle coming out and the exhaust without water is making the music. I immediately shut the engine down, and soon realize my mistake.
I share this with you as it might save you problems in the future. Since I was sailing well healed over and waves on the beam were rolling me even further over, at times I was sucking air instead of water into the engine thru hull fitting, and “smoked” the rubber impeller, on the raw water pump, that needs the water for cooling and lubrication.
I have never had this happen before but should have realized it could. Fortunately, I have spare impellers and it is an easy fix.
DAY-164.
We have a drought aboard Sailors Run, and now our reservoir is down to the last 15-gallons of water. We still have about three weeks to go and I might be able to make it. I still have the hand operated water maker that I have been advised not to use, because I will end up looking like “Popeye”.
Well that might not be so bad after all my “Hash Harrier”[runners group] name I was given in Samoa is “Popeye”.
There is yet another low that has formed NW of me and headed our way. This one I do believe will pass astern of us, but will impede our progress by hitting us with 25+Knot winds from the NE forcing us to the SE.
DAY-165.
Today I headed into what was going to be a very productive day.
First I replaced the impeller on the engine, and had a bit of trouble as my liquid gasket material in the tube had all set-up solid. So I made do by using the inflatable dingy glue for the gasket material and it seemed to have worked.
Next on my list was “Patches as I decided since it was a nice day to bring her down and do the three needed patches. This project went “side-ways” on me at the get go, as the halyard jammed in the mast where it entered because the outer jacket on the line had chafed through and bunched up causing the jam. The sail won’t come down without me going up in the boson chair and cutting away the excess jacket and taping the jacket down so it can inter the mast.
Since the last time I patched “Patches”, and put her up, only to see another two foot tear in just 15-minutes, I have a hard time going thru all that this repair will require; so for now it’s back to using “Patches at 10-15% rolled out. Possibly If I get stuck in the center of a high I will be more motivated.
I eased the strain off the chafed halyard, as the genoa is going nowhere most of the way rolled in.
I have changed our distance to go from the turn north to the finish line at Bahia. I still need to get east for weather reasons and will be trying to do that, but lately these lows have been forcing me north at times. It now comes down to a chess game where you try to anticipate the weathers next move so you can place your vessel in the right part of the ocean, and it can be very frustrating and sometimes very little forward progress is made.
” Ene meany miny moe”, what in the “Hell” way, should the Jefe’ go.