Day 8
28 Aug 15:00 UTC (08:00 local time)
N29°29.84' W129°58.17' Destination 1558 NM
Making 5 Kts in 20Kts wind from NE Seas: 2m swell.
Deep reef main, full genoa. Made 116 NM in last 24 hrs.
29Aug 00:22 UTC (17:15 local)
N29°22.49' W130°52.90' Destination 1510 NM
Making 6 Kts in 18Kt wind from NE 2m swell with chop.
Deep reef and furl. 112 NM since last night.
Frustrating day. Several minor issues with elect., rigging and plumbing. Choppy + swell on starboard stern quarter making hand steering difficult. All 3 Raymarine instruments 'died', apparently simultaneously. Will investigate when conditions improve.
07:52 UTC. (0:52 local)
N29°32.77' W131°39.14' Destination 1473 MN
Making 4+ Kts in (est) 12Kt wind from NE. 1m swell. Deep reef and moderate furl.
Wind eased. Chop almost gone. Swell abating.
Day 9
29 Aug 15:00 UTC (08:00 local)
N29°29.11' W132°21.44' Destination 1436 NM
Making 5.5 Kts in 15+Kt wind from NE 1.5m swell.
Deep reef main. 3 turns of furl. 122NM in last 24 hrs.
Conditions abated a little overnight, so slept well. Woke at 4 am (local) as wind resumed. Boat handling well. Dry inside!
30 Aug 02:00 UTC
N29°20.88' W133°27.43' Destination 1379 NM
Making 5.3 Kts in 16Kts from NNE. 1.5m swell
Deep reef main. Full genoa. 131 NM in 24 hrs.
Instruments operating again after finding 2 blown fuses. No indication of cause.
A good day. Wind steadied in low 'teens'. Chop abated. Swell still significant. Last of fresh food done. Tired after early start but otherwise feeling good.
Day 10
30Aug 21:20 UTC
N29°37.02' W135°06.60'
Woke to flat batteries. Haven't run motor for a few days and had left the selector switch on "all". Trusted solar to pick it up and set off. 10 mins later steering failed. Chain parted from cable inside pedestal. While investigating and before fitting emergency tiller a freighter appeared on the horizon, on a 'near miss' course. Hurriedly fitted tiller and sailed about 400M at right angles, before ship passed about 600M astern. With no electrics (radio, lights or motor start) or steering that could have been nasty. Repaired steering over several attempts in the day.
(pencilled entry:) Surfing by moon-shadow.
Day 11
31 Aug 08:00 local time.
N29°31.43' W137°18.23' Destination 1189 NM
Finally realised electrical issues stem from no solar charge to batteries. Solar volt-regulator is fried.
1 Sep 0800 local time.
N29°33.60' W138°55.0' Destination 1011 NM
3 Sep 13:10 UTC
N29°23.01' W139°39.56' Destination 1071 NM (??)
Day 12
4 Sep 02:30 UTC
N28°52.11' W140°54.69' Destination 998 NM
At last seem to have everything operational again. I managed 2 engine starts today, although I was disappointed that the second one was still a struggle. Tomorrow will be interesting. Getting through this has been stressful and I am highly relieved.
Passed the half-way mark!
Day 13
02:19 UTC
N28°27.25' W142°33.0' Destination 909 NM
Making 5 kts in 15 kt NNE. 1.5+m swell Deep reef and moderate furl. 89NM in last 24 hrs.
Day 14
02:30 UTC
N27°42.62' W144°14.67' Destination 805 NM
Set for night watch. v small head-sail and no main. 104 NM in last 24 hrs.
Day 15
02:00 UTC
N27°22.59' W145°26.9' Destination 740 NM
Making 5 kts in 10-15 kt NE wind. 1m swell. 2nd reef and moderate furl.
65 NM in 24 hrs.
Yet anothger day of following wind and seas. have decided to bear off 10-15 degrees to change the angle of the seas. No major issues last few days. Noticed though that engine does not seem to be providing any significant charge to the electrical system.
Sighted Aircraft-carrier on horizon to the south.
Day 16
8 Sept.
16:30 UTC
N26°34.21' W146°00.0' Destination 695 NM
Making 4.5 kts in 12 kt breeze from NNE. Seas slight.
2nd reef and almost complete furl. 30+ NM overnight
2/3 mark passed!
Further testing this morning confirms alternator definitely not charging.
02:00 UTC
N26°14.22' W146°41.25' Destination 653 NM
Making 3.7 kts in (approx) 10Kt wind from NNE. Seas slight.
2nd reef and 4 turns of furl. 87 NM in last 24 hrs.
Day 17
9 Sept.
02:30 UTC
N25°32.19' W148°01.41' Destination 570 NM
Makng 3 kts in 10kt breeze from NE Seas slight.
2nd reef heavy furl 83 NM in 24 hrs
After testing the sea anchor yesterday, with satisfactory results, I set it last night after dousing all sails. This morning it was gone, having broken away from the bridle sometime in the night.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Ships Log transcript. Part 1.
Voyage - Channel Islands Harbor - Townsville
Cleared Channel Islands Hrb 15:15 23 Aug 2012 (local time)
SW winds. Seas slight.
Day 2
09:30 Becalmed much of the night. Cleared Begg Rock approx 5 miles to port at 08:30.
15:15 Dist 85 NM. making 5 Kts in 15Kt NW. Seas small but choppy.
19:30 Pos report sent. Auto pilot motor keeps stalling. Will investigate tomorrow.
Day 3
05:00 Big sleep! Woke to find nothing wrong. Auto pilot still playing up.
06:30 Light sighted to SW
07:15 N32º.05.1' W120º 42.4' SOG 5.7Kts Wind 12Kts from NW Swell 1.5m. Dist 144NM
08:45 Engine run for 50min.
Dates/Times in future entries are GMT/UTC.
Day 4
25 Aug 03:30 GMT
N31º15.0' W121º40.3' Heading 231º
Making 6Kts in moderate conditions. Swell 1.5m. Wind 15Kts from NE
2nd reef and deep furl. Dist from CIH = 210 NM
Westering somewhat to protect auto-pilot. It has also occurred to me that rhumb-line to Brisbane will save me 1000NM, and still take me close to Hawaii, Kirabati, Tonga, et al. Putting some thought into this.
Worked on auto-pilot to day. Tried re-centering the drive and it works! Sounds much happier. Clutch still making some noises. Will adjust tomorrow.
Weather has been overcast and cool for whole time since departure.
15:51 GMT N30º 40.1' W122º 39.4'
Making 5Kts in moderate conditions.Swell 1m. Wind 10Kts from NNE
2nd reef Small furl. Overcast. Distance over ground (D.O.G) 270NM Dist to dest 5951NM.
Noticed slight leak from rudder post stuffing box. Not dangerous, but disappointing after I had it re-packed by a 'pro' to avoid just this. I will attempt slight adjustment later today.
Have decided to continue 'westering' for the time being. Need to consult the chart on extent of Nth Equatorial current. Perhaps drop south from Hawaii?
Overnight I found that autopilot seems 'happiest' when lever is not locked down. No significant slippage and minimal grind/lock up. Perhaps I should hold off adjusting clutch till close to Hawaii?
16:50 Tightened rudder post stuffing post. Leak reduced but still present. Wary of over-tightening.
23:45 (local time 26 Aug. 18:45) N 30º 18.15' W123º 30.26
making 5.5 Kts in 15Kts NW. Swell 1m. 2nd reef. 5 turns of furl. Dist from CIH 317NM. DTG 5818NM.
Auto-pilot remains major concern. It cannot handle normal sail in a reach. Strategy has become for me to bear off downwind when I'm at helm, so auto-pilot can bear up to windward. Not a major issue, but the zig-zagging is inefficient course-making.
I'm beginning to suspect that a call to Hawaii may be necessary to upgrade to direct drive unit.
Day 5
GMT 26 Aug 17:03 (local 10:AM)
N30º 00.0' W124º 39.6' Distance travelled 372 NM making 4+ Kts in 5-10 Northerly. Swell 1.5 - 2 m.
Overcast. Full main and genoa deployed. Dist to Hawaii = 1836 NM.
Auto-pilot dead. Heading to Hawaii to repair. Will remove and inspect today but do not expect to to be able to repair.
Power leakage to safety rail has re-appeared. This time at 8 volts?! Will disconnect stern light to check if fault is there.
00:00 27 Aug GMT. (local time 17:00)
N29º 54.55' W125º 14.14'. Course 284º Speed approx 4Kts in 10Kt northerly. Swell 1m.
Full main and furled genoa (for balance). Dist to HWA = 1806NM
Inspection of auto-pilot confirms dead. Belt has torn to near-separated. Tear catches in drive section. May attempt a glue/patch.
Electrical leak to safety rail found to be from 'heat shrink' connector on stern nav light. Tested from outside of connector to rail and got 8 volts. Wrapped connector in tape and meter dropped to 0.5volts. Still not perfect but much better. Will test forward light tomorrow.
Noticed fray beginning on mainsheet at boom 'gang' of blocks. Inserted O ring and angle looks better. Will monitor.
Hooked up Tri-data to wind instrument, and they are talking to each other! Now have True or Apparent choice in wind instrument. VMG seems to be providing a -ve value, so I'll have to read up on that.
All in all a good day for productivity. Wind slight all day so not much distance covered. (30NM in 7 hrs.) but still 4NM/hr average. Yet another overcast day.
Day 6
23:15 UTC (local time 10:15) N29º 46.98' W126º 18.27' Dest: 1750 NM
Making 3kts in 8kt NNE breeze. Seas slight. 2nd reef, no furl. Travelled 86NM in last 24 hrs.
Becalmed last several hours.
Attempt to repair auto-pilot worked for about 45 minutes in very light conditions. I'll pull it apart again to see what the mechanism did to my repair.
Used this morning's calm to have a clean up of both me and the boat. Slept well last night and feeling generally OK. How I'll cope in any rough weather in the next 17 days remains to be seen.
01:40 27/8 UTC (18:30 local). N29º 42.15' W126º 58.14' Dest: 1714NM
Making 3.5 kts in 9kts from NNE. Swell slight. Full sail on both. 90NM in last 24 hrs.
Still overcast all day.
About to close up for the night and first visit by dolphins came by. Very brief. Slooow day with winds at 5-10kts all day.
Pulled auto-pilot apart again. My repair was still there (!) but belt had finally parted under the repair. Will try to do something with it again.
Frustrating day as can't find sail balance to leave helm for any amount of time, but conditions so tame it's hard to sustain concentration. Still, better than bad weather!
Day 7
27/8 15:00 UTC (local time 08:00) N29º 28.62' W127 43.50 Dest: 1674NM
making 4 kts in 8Kts from NNE. Seas slight. Deep reef in main from o/night set. 4 furls in genoa.
Big sleep! 8 hrs+. Hellcat self-sailed 25+NM overnight, approx on course. Weather still good but overcast. Ridge blowing in from WNW may change my dream run so far. Wait and see. Some danger of complacency.
16:00 Shook out reefs and furl. Wind up to 12kts. Making 5.5 kts.
01:45 (18:45 local) N29º 20.41' W128º 42.25 Dest: 1622NM
making 4.5kts in 12kts NNE. 1m swell + wind chop. Full sail both. 92 NM in 24 hrs.
Steady day's sailing. Wind constant dir and vel.
Sighted floating steel structure at 20:50 UTC. Appeared to be 2 large storage tanks in a frame. All up about about 4 tonnes, 3 x 6 metres. Broadcast a 'hazard' warning on UHF at 25 watts. If I had bumped into that in the night ... ??
A couple of hours of sunshine today, after 6 days of overcast. Now it's back to overcast.
Cleared Channel Islands Hrb 15:15 23 Aug 2012 (local time)
SW winds. Seas slight.
Day 2
09:30 Becalmed much of the night. Cleared Begg Rock approx 5 miles to port at 08:30.
15:15 Dist 85 NM. making 5 Kts in 15Kt NW. Seas small but choppy.
19:30 Pos report sent. Auto pilot motor keeps stalling. Will investigate tomorrow.
Day 3
05:00 Big sleep! Woke to find nothing wrong. Auto pilot still playing up.
06:30 Light sighted to SW
07:15 N32º.05.1' W120º 42.4' SOG 5.7Kts Wind 12Kts from NW Swell 1.5m. Dist 144NM
08:45 Engine run for 50min.
Dates/Times in future entries are GMT/UTC.
Day 4
25 Aug 03:30 GMT
N31º15.0' W121º40.3' Heading 231º
Making 6Kts in moderate conditions. Swell 1.5m. Wind 15Kts from NE
2nd reef and deep furl. Dist from CIH = 210 NM
Westering somewhat to protect auto-pilot. It has also occurred to me that rhumb-line to Brisbane will save me 1000NM, and still take me close to Hawaii, Kirabati, Tonga, et al. Putting some thought into this.
Worked on auto-pilot to day. Tried re-centering the drive and it works! Sounds much happier. Clutch still making some noises. Will adjust tomorrow.
Weather has been overcast and cool for whole time since departure.
15:51 GMT N30º 40.1' W122º 39.4'
Making 5Kts in moderate conditions.Swell 1m. Wind 10Kts from NNE
2nd reef Small furl. Overcast. Distance over ground (D.O.G) 270NM Dist to dest 5951NM.
Noticed slight leak from rudder post stuffing box. Not dangerous, but disappointing after I had it re-packed by a 'pro' to avoid just this. I will attempt slight adjustment later today.
Have decided to continue 'westering' for the time being. Need to consult the chart on extent of Nth Equatorial current. Perhaps drop south from Hawaii?
Overnight I found that autopilot seems 'happiest' when lever is not locked down. No significant slippage and minimal grind/lock up. Perhaps I should hold off adjusting clutch till close to Hawaii?
16:50 Tightened rudder post stuffing post. Leak reduced but still present. Wary of over-tightening.
23:45 (local time 26 Aug. 18:45) N 30º 18.15' W123º 30.26
making 5.5 Kts in 15Kts NW. Swell 1m. 2nd reef. 5 turns of furl. Dist from CIH 317NM. DTG 5818NM.
Auto-pilot remains major concern. It cannot handle normal sail in a reach. Strategy has become for me to bear off downwind when I'm at helm, so auto-pilot can bear up to windward. Not a major issue, but the zig-zagging is inefficient course-making.
I'm beginning to suspect that a call to Hawaii may be necessary to upgrade to direct drive unit.
Day 5
GMT 26 Aug 17:03 (local 10:AM)
N30º 00.0' W124º 39.6' Distance travelled 372 NM making 4+ Kts in 5-10 Northerly. Swell 1.5 - 2 m.
Overcast. Full main and genoa deployed. Dist to Hawaii = 1836 NM.
Auto-pilot dead. Heading to Hawaii to repair. Will remove and inspect today but do not expect to to be able to repair.
Power leakage to safety rail has re-appeared. This time at 8 volts?! Will disconnect stern light to check if fault is there.
00:00 27 Aug GMT. (local time 17:00)
N29º 54.55' W125º 14.14'. Course 284º Speed approx 4Kts in 10Kt northerly. Swell 1m.
Full main and furled genoa (for balance). Dist to HWA = 1806NM
Inspection of auto-pilot confirms dead. Belt has torn to near-separated. Tear catches in drive section. May attempt a glue/patch.
Electrical leak to safety rail found to be from 'heat shrink' connector on stern nav light. Tested from outside of connector to rail and got 8 volts. Wrapped connector in tape and meter dropped to 0.5volts. Still not perfect but much better. Will test forward light tomorrow.
Noticed fray beginning on mainsheet at boom 'gang' of blocks. Inserted O ring and angle looks better. Will monitor.
Hooked up Tri-data to wind instrument, and they are talking to each other! Now have True or Apparent choice in wind instrument. VMG seems to be providing a -ve value, so I'll have to read up on that.
All in all a good day for productivity. Wind slight all day so not much distance covered. (30NM in 7 hrs.) but still 4NM/hr average. Yet another overcast day.
Day 6
23:15 UTC (local time 10:15) N29º 46.98' W126º 18.27' Dest: 1750 NM
Making 3kts in 8kt NNE breeze. Seas slight. 2nd reef, no furl. Travelled 86NM in last 24 hrs.
Becalmed last several hours.
Attempt to repair auto-pilot worked for about 45 minutes in very light conditions. I'll pull it apart again to see what the mechanism did to my repair.
Used this morning's calm to have a clean up of both me and the boat. Slept well last night and feeling generally OK. How I'll cope in any rough weather in the next 17 days remains to be seen.
01:40 27/8 UTC (18:30 local). N29º 42.15' W126º 58.14' Dest: 1714NM
Making 3.5 kts in 9kts from NNE. Swell slight. Full sail on both. 90NM in last 24 hrs.
Still overcast all day.
About to close up for the night and first visit by dolphins came by. Very brief. Slooow day with winds at 5-10kts all day.
Pulled auto-pilot apart again. My repair was still there (!) but belt had finally parted under the repair. Will try to do something with it again.
Frustrating day as can't find sail balance to leave helm for any amount of time, but conditions so tame it's hard to sustain concentration. Still, better than bad weather!
Day 7
27/8 15:00 UTC (local time 08:00) N29º 28.62' W127 43.50 Dest: 1674NM
making 4 kts in 8Kts from NNE. Seas slight. Deep reef in main from o/night set. 4 furls in genoa.
Big sleep! 8 hrs+. Hellcat self-sailed 25+NM overnight, approx on course. Weather still good but overcast. Ridge blowing in from WNW may change my dream run so far. Wait and see. Some danger of complacency.
16:00 Shook out reefs and furl. Wind up to 12kts. Making 5.5 kts.
01:45 (18:45 local) N29º 20.41' W128º 42.25 Dest: 1622NM
making 4.5kts in 12kts NNE. 1m swell + wind chop. Full sail both. 92 NM in 24 hrs.
Steady day's sailing. Wind constant dir and vel.
Sighted floating steel structure at 20:50 UTC. Appeared to be 2 large storage tanks in a frame. All up about about 4 tonnes, 3 x 6 metres. Broadcast a 'hazard' warning on UHF at 25 watts. If I had bumped into that in the night ... ??
A couple of hours of sunshine today, after 6 days of overcast. Now it's back to overcast.
OK, now I have time on my hands ...
So what I've decided to do is transcribe the Ship's Log. Complete and unabridged, so to speak. The only changes I will make is to insert any relevant photos that survived. (Which I regret to say is 'not many'.)
This will probably be as interesting as watching paint dry.
But I've realised that I'm already starting to forget stuff. In particular, I find myself thinking that the trip was all good. It wasn't. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't all beer and skittles either. Let's see what I recorded at the time, shall we?
Anyway, the first 7 days worth coming right up ...
This will probably be as interesting as watching paint dry.
But I've realised that I'm already starting to forget stuff. In particular, I find myself thinking that the trip was all good. It wasn't. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't all beer and skittles either. Let's see what I recorded at the time, shall we?
Anyway, the first 7 days worth coming right up ...
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