Spinnaker Failure
20 May 2014 | Day 5 Galapagos to Marquesas
Steve
Well, we were all set to have a record day yesterday. Flying along in 18-20 knots of wind with our new Spinnaker flying, when I hear a yell, then another and the boat starts slowing immediately. I came up from below to find our new spinnaker in the ocean trailing along behind the boat which was coming to a stop in very rough, confused seas. The spinnaker halyard (the line that is used to hoist it to the top of the mast) had broken. We were running about 9.5 knots at the time and were easily on the way to our first 200+ mile day. It took us about an hour to get the sail, full of seawater, back on deck. All the while the decks rolling 40 degrees back and forth. We finally got it on board and safely stowed back in it's bag. Then we all collapsed of exhaustion and a few other feelings. That probably ends our spinnaker use for the passage unless we get a very calm day and I feel like going to the top of the mast to run a new halyard.
Anyway, we are still moving well. Crew did a great job with the crisis and all is well on board.
In spite of the tragedy, we still put 183 miles under our keel yesterday and should do better than that today.