Spinnaker Behind Broken Shrouds

Monday 17 June 2019

Halfway and laughin'. Like the fellow who fell from a skyscraper said passing the 25th floor, "so far, so good". Weather has turned more benign, which is good except waves are still somewhat lumpy up to 2 meters and apparent wind has decreased to diddly (occasionally below 5 knots) and slowed us to a crawl with only the genoa. To keep the thing from collapsing and refilling with a thunderous shudder to the mast (not conducive to keeping same), finally had to turn up to 115 off the wind which was sending us, only slightly faster, to Rio. It's many days further. Don't want to go.

Although the spirit was unwilling and the flesh was weak and despite better judgment, untangled the rat's nest that was our spinnaker and got it flying. Still only doing 5 knots, but heading to Jacare (which as you may remember was the original concept) and still looking at ETA Saturday. Wind may return late Wednesday. In meantime light, nylon sail remains filled and doesn't jerk the mast, we don't roll as much, speed is adequate, direction is good and our blue, yellow and white chute is gorgeous. To paraphrase Billy Crystal parodying Fernando Lamas on Saturday Night Live, "we look mahvelous".

- Later

We're now doing 6.7 over ground with slightly helpful current and apparent of 8.5. Yowzer! Not going to happen, but at this speed we could arrive Friday. Boat motion is easy and mast movement slight. We're making a small angle north of direct for when forecast turns to yogurt and wind backs east.

Took a moment to download latest GRIB (Generally Recognized Insipid Balderdash). If it's correct (sounds of chortling in background) should be able to fly spin until arrival on Friday afternoon. Just to have something to do, may check weather again sometime before then. Don't you just love callow, gullible youth?

So, now with nothing to do think we'll take a comp. day.

Jack & Jan