Ship's Log 07/03/09 finally on the way.
I am writing this as the boat is 10 deg heeled to starboard and it feels good to be out here. Its nice and quiet. Light westerly winds have flattened the seas, while the gulf stream is still giving me a 4kts push. So I am doing like 9kts in 5-10kts of west winds.
Getting out of the slip was fun. Its was calm enough for me to be able to maneuver the boat the way I actually intended. That rarely happens with sailboats. I used the calm conditions to do some final engine checks as I was steaming at full speed out of the inlet. There are no antifreeze leaks, the little water leak at the shaft seal has stopped. Oil still leaks but very little. Engine ran fine. I motored about 2 hours. That topped the batteries and now there is just enough wind to sail. I made an omelet and home fries, as tried to adjust the autopilot to avoid all the fishing charters. There must have been 100s of them.
I am printing the GRIB files through next Friday. That should get me pass Cape Hatteras. I also got the gulf stream coordinates just in case, Kyle, my weatherman and I loose contact.
I always wondered how is it that all these sailors do long solo runs on the ocean. The last leg I did was 1000NM, and the trick for me was to not resist sleep. Even if it was a short power nap. Don't ever resist it. If it comes, leave everything you were doing, and give your mind and your body some rest. Much of what happens out here is psychological. Sleep depravation has a funny way of making everything seem much worse then it is. And also increases chances of making mistakes.
The weather looks good, I am glad I put a smaller 100% gib, instead of the #2 heavy Genoa that was a bit overpowering for this trip.
Getting out of the slip was fun. Its was calm enough for me to be able to maneuver the boat the way I actually intended. That rarely happens with sailboats. I used the calm conditions to do some final engine checks as I was steaming at full speed out of the inlet. There are no antifreeze leaks, the little water leak at the shaft seal has stopped. Oil still leaks but very little. Engine ran fine. I motored about 2 hours. That topped the batteries and now there is just enough wind to sail. I made an omelet and home fries, as tried to adjust the autopilot to avoid all the fishing charters. There must have been 100s of them.
I am printing the GRIB files through next Friday. That should get me pass Cape Hatteras. I also got the gulf stream coordinates just in case, Kyle, my weatherman and I loose contact.
I always wondered how is it that all these sailors do long solo runs on the ocean. The last leg I did was 1000NM, and the trick for me was to not resist sleep. Even if it was a short power nap. Don't ever resist it. If it comes, leave everything you were doing, and give your mind and your body some rest. Much of what happens out here is psychological. Sleep depravation has a funny way of making everything seem much worse then it is. And also increases chances of making mistakes.
The weather looks good, I am glad I put a smaller 100% gib, instead of the #2 heavy Genoa that was a bit overpowering for this trip.
posted by sundowner-cruise at 12:18 PM
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