GMT Noon Position on Wed. 2/22 21 43 N 48 51 W Distance to Gorda 896 NM 24 hour noon to noon run 177 NM

We have had interesting conditions in the last 16 hours as a front decided to come our way. Since yesterday afternoon, where we were running in 20 knots of breeze with a full main and asymmetrical spinnaker, we gradually worked our way down to a poled out jib with full main, regular jib with full main, regular jib with reefed main and - ultimately - just a reefed main to drive us along. The system has had sustained winds around 25 knots with 35 in the rain squalls. We all got to drive through a couple of them, so there is a bit of wet gear floating around waiting for future sunshine to dry it out - the rain has been intense. But all is good, we should be clear of the system sometime tonight.

When Judy and I sail Tivoli together, we have developed some routines that works well for us. For instance, if we need to do some deck work like reef or jibe, the autopilot usually does the driving, Judy is in charge of handling the lines in the cockpit and yell commands at me on the foredeck that I can't hear. She then yells them louder and use different wording, I pretend to be able to understand, and ultimately

we get the work done.

Having Phil with us and a non-working autopilot changes the routine. Now the standard is that Judy is doing the driving, I handle the lines and Phil stumbles around on the foredeck. We have added a feature that has both Judy and I yell orders to Phil, often simultaneous and with conflicting instructions. Fortunately, he can't hear what we are barking, so we do it louder, and ultimately the job gets done.

Yesterday we tried a variant over the above theme as Phil was at the wheel and we just needed to stick another reef in the Main Sail.

JUDY : Phil, go into the Safety Position (this is something you teach at Junior sailing to stop the motion)

PHIL : Uhh ??? (Phil learned to sail as an adult and have never heard the phrase before)

JUDY : Come on Phil, Safety position now so we can get that reef in.

PHIL : Ohhh.....(he is now clearly thinking that he needs to curl up in a fetal position on the cockpit floor, but is wondering how to drive the boat while doing so)

TORBEN : This is ridiculous. (gets up to the mast to handle the forward reef when the brain trust have it figured out)

JUDY :Really Phil, how hard can it be.....SAFETY POSITION

PHIL : Why cant I just head the boat towards the wind and take some load off the main so we can reef??

JUDY : Well, that's what I have been saying all along..............................