Hi Gang,

750 miles down range, sorting things out... THE POPPY WAY :D We are on a three watch system - 4 hours on 8 hours off. e.g. Noon to 4 then Midnight to 4. Someone is always on duty at the helm, tethered, but able to reach all sail controls. Lifejackets are required anytime crew is out of the cabin. Jacklines are in place down the clear outside decks. (Many skippers would not agree with this routing, but we have a fuel bladder and the dinghy down the center line with multiple tiedowns to negotiate while moving on deck.) Two crew are up anytime someone goes forward. No loitering on the foredeck - no tanning beds on the POPPY boat.

Sleep - eat - socialize - drive the boat - skip to the loo - rinse and repeat.

A daily SITUATION REPORT is very useful to make sure and check all the little details. Still have fresh fruit & veggies for a while. Stock of frozen meals and canned dry goods available. Chicken Curry, Salad / Pasta Bolognaise, etc. We are eating well, and crew is no longer suffering (much) from Mal de Mer. Watermaker and Aux Power are performing as prescribed." Windy" Wind Power ran all night and we awoke with 90%+ Batteries. With "Sonny" Solar Panels and "Windy", we are 100% net positive in the daytime. We have motored twice to charge batteries solely due to simultaneous light winds and cloud cover or darkness.

"Otto" the Auto Helm is a great 4th crewmember. He has his quirks and idiosyncrasies, but has only gone off watch once (last night, 2345 hrs Mexico time) due to a massive wind shift and gust of 25kts with its unwanted gybe and resulting heave to. ( Firsttime call for "ALL HANDS ON DECK".) Our zero boat speed negated rudder control until the diesel engine was started. We motored out of our situation and furled the main and jib. (Combination Boom Brake / Preventer was in place at moderate friction and operated effectively.)

We Three Are Not Alone...

Suzanne Jim Katrin