Day 16 A furling problem
13Tuesday 10 December 2013
Day 16 dawned with little wind and we were still using diesel to propel us.
Come 11am, following a squall and a nice rain shower, that all changed. 14 knots of wind and we had the sails out faster than you can say jack flash!
Working on the furler drive belt
Life is never quiet and for some inexplicable reason our genoa furler motor decided to activate itself. While it didn’t do anything to the sail it meant we had to send the engineering A team of Gareth and Susie to the bow to investigate. Returning looking rather wet (sea temperature is 27c so only wet, not cold) they reported our temporary drive belt had worn down and lost some teeth due to the inadvertent activation and the electric furler was once again non-operational. Various trips to the front with various Blue Peter style drive belts has not yet fixed the situation, but overnight another solution is sitting drying for testing this morning. Fingers crossed. In the mean time we have a manual ratchet to furl or unfurl the sail. It’s very slow but it works. Too much to furl away to use our parasailor though! That said the winds are due to build to 20-25 knots in the next few days so the spinnaker will stay down anyway.
Lindsay and Neil made some chocolate rice crispy cakes which were devoured at afternoon tea. Neil then pulled off a stunning tagine using lamb and boat spices for dinner. We may need to make him a full time offer of live-aboard chef!
As we went into the night, we reached 40W which we’ve declared our half way point. It seems mad we left on the 24th November and are only half way now but it’s been an exceptional year for light weather. We think we are actually about two-thirds of the way time-wise, fingers crossed!
Overnight we’ve been going along nicely with good winds and it is forecast to stay that way for a few days now. Let’s hope so – the boat has now been at sea over two weeks and we have to ensure we look after her.
A good question yesterday from Heather asking if we can see other boats as the fleet tracker makes it look like there are lots of boats around us. The answer is no, we see nothing but sea. We saw one boat cross in front of us two days back and that created much excitement. We have seen the odd fishing vessel at night. Truth is you can only really see about 3-4 miles in daylight. As the boats converge on St.Lucia we’re told you do see more.
So Harold forgot about the quiz yesterday – the answer to who knows Marine gear oil tastes tarter than Engine oil is Gareth. Makes you want to be a dinner guest at Gareths house. So who made the understatement of the trip went the furler failed by waking the skipper with the words “It’s not a problem but…”
This is Adina, mid-Atlantic.
The quiz question for today is being set from North London, England.
Is Gareth going to make his flight on the 17t December and be able to look forward to a festive family Christmas with his partner, her mother and his faithful hound?
Or if he misses flight will he be paying for his partner to fly out to St Lucia for Christmas to get himself out of the dog house?
Tracker says Adina won’t get to St Lucia till 20th Dec so my money is on him spending his ill gotten gains from British Gas floatation on a flight for partner …..watch this space. Zeus, the faithful hound, is hoping not to be relegated to a real dog house (kennels) what ever the answer is!
Master Tom!
I’m glad to see you’re over the half of your journey! Which by coincidence was the day where I had Jayesh joining me and making a toast to you with the Laphroaig you gifted me more than a year ago! Perfect match by chance, this can only mean good luck for both of us and the Adina crew!
Livius
Congratulations on being halfway! Thinking of you lots, bobbing away mid Atlantic squealing at Dolphins. Good to know you’re eating well and spam is not yet on the menu. Lol Fi
Good to hear that the wind has come back and fingers crossed that your solution to the “Its not a problem BUT…” issue. On the tracker, it looks as if you’ve been towing True Colours (another British boat) for over a week but they’re now alongside you. They’ve got the edge on you on the Leaderboard as they have been travelling edging 0.2 knots more than you – look out for them today and make it a proper race!
βItβs not a problem butβ¦β sounds like a wifely comment. So my guess is Susie. It sounds like Capt. Tom may occasionally awaken in a grumpy state? Hang in there Tom, another week or so and you’ll be able to splash some mother’s ruin into your tonic!! π You’ll remember the good parts and have plenty of chuckles about the oops moments.
Wind! Yay! Certainly sounds as if you are bobbing along the open wave in a much more pleasing fashion at the moment which we are all very happy about. Mmmmmmmmmmmm rice krispie cakes mmmmmmmmmmm I may ask mummy to make some of those when she gets home. Neil is a very good cook, mummy and Hallie like it lots when he and daddy put their heads together in the kitchen…although Hallie has some dips to die for so most often mummy is the only one supervising….and tasting…..
Either way much yummier than oil (silly gareth). We think it was susie who woke up tom with the idea that he may be slightly less likely to through his much loved wife overboard (although that kind of positive pre-amble does sound a lot like neil….)
I am sure you will be sailing into the islands any day now because there will be lots and lots of wind ALL the time.
It’s nearly Christmas Adina crew I hope you are singing lots of festive songs as you climb the riggin and scrub the poop deck…..
love Barnaby xxxxx
Big Congrats guys on reaching the half way point!!!!!
Hi to the crew of Adina in general and to Lindsay in Particular. I am enjoying your blog. Sitting in Ft. Lauderdale conducting an RYA Yachtmaster Col Regs. exam— my mind wanders to my last Ocean Passage nearly two years ago on S/Y Argo, a 119′ Staysail Schooner from Antigua to Athens. I am friends with Lindsay’s Mum & Dad from Grad School in Cincinnati.
Fair Winds and Safe Passage to you all.
Hello Miss Cunningham
Is it Christmas-ey on the yacht yet?
It is here – we had our Christmas lunch and carol service this afternoon.
It was brilliant.I wish you were here.
from
Rory O’Hare
Will you get to St Lucia for Christmas Day? Have you got enough supplies to keep you going? Lots of luck and keep it going from 3VA. xx
Lins, I’m loving the sound of chocolate rice crispy cakes. Not seeing another boat in 2 days sounds incredible. Wishing you and all the crew of Adina loads of luck over the next few days to get to St. Lucia. Happy sailing and I hope the wind continues to pick up! Ness xx
Hello Adina crew,
Just catching up on your last day or 2, love Harold’s point of view π
Big hellos to dear Lins, manic couple if days here with 1/2 day to go with the children at school, yippee!!! So ‘tick’ to Nativity, Carols, Christmas lunch for 300 plus!, and of course a visit from Santa (courtesy of our caretaker of course!!) Also.. dear Lins, soooo hope your diary is free on Friday 11th as you are officially going to see Robbie, whoop whooooo!! Hello to all and enjoy another fab meal or 2, sounds like you are all doing very well on that front, yum!
Love lots, SG xx
Whoops to the whoop who!! Forgot to say its the 11th July 2014 xx