Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Hugh, Anne and Hector's Sailing Adventures
This is the Captain speaking. (25th June)
We are now in Sines , the last port of call before Cabo de Sao Vicente and the Algarve.
The sailing down the Portuguese coast has been rather frustrating. Each day seems to start with flat calm and then the wind slowly builds up until by 1600 a 20 knot NW breeze has built up which continues to increase to 25-30 knots until it switches off at 1930hr precisely. By this time the seas have built up to about 1.5 to 2m swell so that it is difficult to keep running sails up. Our daftest combination has probably been several rolls in the genoa, no main, mizzen and the engine ticking over at 1000rpm and 7.5 knots on the clock. The best rig seems to be full main, full poled out genoa and hang on!
Sines is so relaxing; a nice little town with all facilities and a friendly marina at €16per night for 13m. I think that we will chill out here for a few days before moving to the Algarve to link up with Fergus and Julie.
This also gives me a chance to continue with rebuilding the boat. The great thing about mast steps is that they give you a means of retrieving a halyard when it gets hooked behind the mast steps!!!!! I'm going to run wires right down the outside of the steps to eliminate the problem (I hope). The lazy jacks are great when dropping the sail but *&^%$£" when hoisting. Investment in more string should sort this out.
Tim has now departed so that we are back to "couple " sailing and its amazing how you get used to the extra pair of hands .Try as I may the cat is completely useless and refuses to take any commands. My latest book is "The Blind Watchmaker" by Richard Dawkins takes a fresh look at Darwinian evolution. With a keen sense of balance, claws to grip with, ability to climb with agility etc etc cats would seem to have some good crew potential but Hector continues to disappoint in this area.
Come back Tim (as soon as you can get all the cat hair out of your fleecy).
{For those of you who know these people, Carol and Malcolm are moving house about now. Best of luck to them.
- comments