Saturday, August 15, 2009

Light winds

Since last night 10:00 p.m., we are in an area of very light wind from
the stern. In fact, at 10:00, we hoisted the iron sail and kept it until
8:00 a.m. this morning when we set up the gennaker, for the first time
since I left Portsmouth.
Even that early in the day, this was a good sweat and Jean-Francois and
I, in turns, took our monthly shower (I am joking, we don't take showers
that often). Still, with 2 showers in it, we only used 5.9 gallons for
the day.
Now with the gennaker on and no change in the weather (light wind, blue
sky, long swell from the SE), it's routine.
We did cover 112 nm for the day, closed on Fatu Hiva by 104 and have 584
nm to go. But this won't be a direct route if if stays like that. With a
wind that light, we can only do 140 degrees from the wind, i.e. 40
degrees from being wind astern. Since Fatu Hiva is almost right down
wind, we will have to zigzag. For those interested, we loose at that
angle 26.6 % in speed towards the target.
Tomorrow's numbers will be interesting.

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