Day 10 - One frontal passage, motoring, and heavy weather sailing

Date: 4-30-12
Time UTC: 0000
Lat/Long: S24deg13.8min/E158deg17.4min
Course: 280 T
Speed: 6.8 kn
Wind: SSW 25-28 kn
Seas: SSW 8-10'; breaking, a bit confused
Cloud cover: 20%
Barometer: 1016
Sails: 2nd reef main; 60% genoa
Day 9 miles: 112
Avg speed: 4.6 kn
We went thru another frontal system about 8 pm last night, resulting in very light winds and our having to motor sail at very slow speeds thru the entire night. The current was strong, as you can imagine water being funnelled thru two tiny reef areas with deep water between them. That was what we experienced going thru the channel between Capel Bank and Kelso Bank, and we fought hard to gain westing and cut the current at a more favorable angle to maintain boat speed. This morning the winds have picked up 20-30 knots, with confused, breaking seas. We're trying to keep the wind off our port aft quarter, which should become a bit easier as the wind backs around thru South and settles into the SE over the next 24 hours. It's heavy weather sailing, but Max (our Sailomat windvane) is taking it in his stride and all's well aboard.

No comments: