[From Skip's sailmail post.]

Hello from the Atlantic Ocean, 26*53.42'N,
79*55.49'W

When we left you we were in the doldrums, poking along at under 3
knots.
After I went to bed, however, the wind picked up as forecast,
and,
fortunately for us, the direction stayed between a beam and broad
reach,
steadily building both in wind speed and our speed. The waves had
died
down along with the wind, earlier, which made for a very smooth
ride,
once the wind filled in enough to keep pressure on the
sails.

Our poled out genny was not as efficient as it might be for the point
of
sail, but it kept it from flopping, and by the time I got up at 3 AM,
we
were making a consistent 5-6 knots in apparent winds of 9-17
knots.
After Lydia went to bed, I got to looking at our route, and while
she'd
had us pointed at Vero Beach, that would require us to go back out
in
order to miss the shore as we got further south, so I modified the
route
to aim at Lake
Worth.

Our prior waypoint there would have us very close to shore for a
long
time, so I moved it out a bit, which had us altering the course by
about
7 degrees off the wind. Because of our poled our genoa, that would be
a
more efficient course, but would induce more rolling due to less
pressure
on the sail. Sure enough, our speed increased by a knot, flirting
with 8
and rarely under 7
knots.

NOAA's mechanical weather people are calling for increased winds
today,
building to 20-25 by late in the day, so we'll keep a sharp eye on
the
conditions as to whether we want to take the pole in. However, at
6AM,
we're very comfortable in apparent winds that reach the mid
20s
frequently, and rarely drop under 12. While we're rolling, the
pole
keeps the genoa from collapsing, so for now, it's a very good ride
with
our heel rarely exceeding 10* - but the fact that we're
occasionally
getting apparent wind over 25, with our forward movement, means
that
we're really seeing winds more like 30 true. We'll watch it
closely.

Our traveling companions, who chose an inland route, and then had to
beat
their way out to miss both Cape Canaveral and Lake Worth, chatted up
a
Coast Guard cutter early today, and they verified that there
were
consistent winds over 25, and gusts over 30, in the area where we
were.
As we were quite comfortable with that, we believe that should the
wind
build later in the day, we'll be fine with it. It's another clear
night,
and brilliant moon, which has made for a slight disappointment. Now
is
the period of the Leonid meteor shower, but the light pollution from
the
moon makes it impossible to see any of them. Ah,
well...

NOAA's mechanical man has also told us that the west wall of the
Gulf
Stream is further out than we'd expected, so we're able to stay a
bit
more offshore, giving us more maneuvering room. If the wind does
go
directly astern, we'll want to be jibing a bit for more comfort, so
more
room is always good :
{))

Our first (slightly extended) day was 121 miles despite our
doldrums.
Today we'll do much better, I expect. We'll see at the end of the
day
:{)) By dawn, the forecast 5-7' seas had arrived, and as a result
we're
not only rolling but wallowing. Not so good for sleeping, and
Lydia's
complaining :{/) If the wind goes any further north, I'll flop the
main
over, and go wing and wing with a prevented main, but for now
we're
charging right along and it's tolerable, if
rolly.

At 9, we were joined by about 20 porpoises, who had a great time
showing
off in the waves. They stayed with us for nearly a half hour, and
by
that time the wind had clocked around enough that I could
go
wing-and-wing. Unfortunately, in the process of that, before I could
get
the boom far enough forward, with my intermediate preventer attached,
it
jibed. A new stanchion base is in our future, as it pulled the
tube
loose on the outboard side. That particular base had one of the
bails
already broken on it, so it's not such a big deal, but a nuisance in
any
case. Removal and rebedding will just be another of those 1-2-3's we
do
each day on the boat, and in the yacht club basin, it will be
easy.

Once we winged over, our speed picked up, and we're rarely below 7.5,
but
flirt with 9 knots from time to time. Given my earlier observations
of
the wind, it's likely we'll be able to continue like this through
the
day, and perhaps even after we turn the corner at Lake Worth. Unless
the
wind actually builds notably, we're very comfortable at this point
of
sail, as our added speed, dead downwind, reduces the apparent
wind.
Since I put the main over, I've not seen more than 15 knots.
However,
the seas are impressive, and we're almost at the same speed as they
are,
so, while we aren't rolling as much, we wallow a great deal,
and
occasionally surf down the face of one.
Whee!

Well, the worm turns... Our windspeed and direction indicator has
been a
bit flaky, showing speeds which were clearly not what we
were
experiencing, and the aft wind seemed to stop at about 140* rather
than
carrying through as we moved the wind behind us, and actually
crossed
over our stern. Just before dinner, the speed portion quit
indicating
altogether.

At about the same time, our depth indicator likewise read depths
which
were not appropriate to our location. We're nowhere near the
Bermuda
Triangle, so something else must be at work. Ah, well, we were
running
out of things to do, anyway :{)) Just another instance of why I'm
glad
we did the exhaustive sea trials up and down the East coast (this
trip
constitutes the continuation) when we're near chandleries and
repairs
which won't involve international air freight. One of my
internet
buddies who has spent most of the last few years cruising in the
Western
Caribbean relates how he winds up paying multiples of the cost of
parts
in tariffs and
freight...

Meanwhile, we've turned the corner on Lake Worth (well, we turned
the
corner before we got there, but our line allowed it as I'd been
moving
gradually offshore in anticipation of the turn) for Miami. NOAA
is
forecasting some even lumpier conditions as well as building winds
for
tonight, but they'll either be behind us or a broad reach, so we
flopped
the main over as we turned. That will allow a broad reach or a
close
run, on a course of 192*. With the genoa still poled out, even
though
we're rolling greatly, it doesn't collapse and (before the
forecasted
increase in winds) making in the mid-6 knots range for
speed.

We're hopeful of reaching Miami inlet's channel a little after dawn.
If
our experience of last year holds, being the middle of the week,
there
will be no or only one cruise ship in the Port of Miami, which will
allow
us to go up Government Cut, an easier path to our anchorage.
(Homeland
Security chases off any boats coming up the channel if there are two
or
more cruise ships in port. Just why it should be that two or more
isn't
OK, but one is, is beyond me...) If the forecast is accurate, we'll
also
be able to sail it comfortably (can't do much tacking or jibing in
the
cut!) on a beam or close
reach.

Today's speed allowed us to make exactly 150 miles in 24 hours. It
was a
great run. We have just under 70 miles to go to the Miami inlet
channel,
and about another hour or so to get to our anchorage, assuming we can
go
up Government Cut. With any luck, we'll be there in time for lunch,
and
an elapsed time of under 3
days.

Stay
tuned!

L8R

Skip

--
Morgan 461
#2
SV Flying Pig
KI4MPC
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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things
you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines.
Sail
away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore.
Dream. Discover." - Mark
Twain

On 2008-11-18 21:31:45 -0500, davidtg said:

[From Skip's sailmail post.]

Hello from the Atlantic Ocean, 26*53.42'N,
79*55.49'W

When we left you we were in the doldrums, poking along at under 3
knots.

And a few minutes ago, 6 AM, they entered Government Cut...

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/