Update July 23- Day 16

It has been a mixed bag of excitement and calm aboard Heldeleine this past 24 hours. Last night during our Dinner and a Movie Night (Master and Commander) Russell Crowe and the lads were fighting the French frigate and we aboard Heldeleine were still battling the current (not quite as risky an endeavor…perhaps?…), there appeared a cool breeze which announced the end of the current. Our speed rose in 20 minutes from 4 to 7 knots and we were off to the races. As the HMS Surprise sailed off for the horizon, we aboard Heldeleine welcomed the change of pace and the fact that we need not worry about a broadside clearing our gun deck any time soon.
Earlier in the day, a bit frustrated with the progress of this expedition, I, in my infinite wisdom, declared that the spinnaker would move us along quite nicely and that even though the wind was blowing 15+ knots against a lumpy current, we should haul up the beast. Laurie and I donned the life vests and after a violent twist was worked out, proceeded to have the sail flying. And fly she did! Hmmm. Our speed went from 4 to ……4.1. Damn. The Current must have thought it was pretty hilarious that we were attempting to muscle our way ahead. So, after 20 minutes of flying a light air sail in heavy air, I then regrew my brain and decided that the spinnaker should probably come down. As explained before, the spinnaker is in a sleeve that you haul down on to douse the sail. This works like a charm in the light air conditions that you are supposed to (when you have a brain) fly the sail. These were once again Not those conditions. As we hauled with all our strength to bring down the sleeve the sail in the high wind decided that it was enjoying itself so much that it did not Want to come down. A 4 foot rip appeared near the clew. Hello! The sail first twisted in on itself and then the sleeve twisted and then the entire mess tried to launch us into the air. Well, enough of that. Down come the halyard, into the ocean went part of the sail and there lay Laurie and I on our backs covered in a soaking wet and now extremely heavy rats nest of a sail. Muscled aboard and stuffed back into the bag to hopefully see another day. But that was before, now, along with Captain Jack Aubrey we had wind AND no current against us. The overnight was pleasant. The moon shone beautifully and the flying fish would occasionally come aboard to say hello before we scrambled to return them to down where it’s wetter, under the sea.
This morning dawned with decreasing wind and I awoke with the same word in my head that I had when I went to sleep a few hours before: Phantom…no, not that!…..Spinnaker! What perfect wind for a Spinnaker. We have a Spinnaker. A ripped, twisted, soaking wet and de-sleeved Spinnaker. Work the problem. Laurie removed the wet Clew where the rip was and left it to dry for 30 minutes or so. Andres suited up and the 3 of us then used sail repair tape (super adhesive Dacron material) to, well, repair the sail with tape. We then stretched most of the sail down the length of Heldeleine (the sail is 60’ long) and Andres slowly dragged the sleeve back down the length of the sail carefully arranging the bits and bobs in the right places. Up went the beautiful sail and double rum rations to the crew. Then…..10…7….4….the wind just melted away…..And stayed away. The lovely, if temperamental, sail was doused, bagged and stowed. And then…….
Then….my god, I just can’t say it….say it ain’t so, the…..yammering yanmar, the Iron genny, the main engine of Heldeleine roared to life with the intention to propel us forward for the first time in 2,000 miles. We are content that we have been true to the sailor’s creed but I got to tell you it does not feel good.


Comments

Update July 23- Day 16 — 3 Comments

  1. Laughing about the spin.Doesn’t matter the boat size – when something goes wrong undet sail it’s almost always the fault of an unruly spinnaker. Racing with them can be a nightmare rounding marks if wind conditions that are too light, too heavy, too gusty…Headaches galore. Indeed, a beastly sail 😉

  2. Laughing about the spin.Doesn’t matter the boat size – when something goes wrong under sail it’s almost always the fault of an unruly spinnaker. Racing with them can be a nightmare rounding marks if wind conditions that are too light, too heavy, too gusty…Headaches galore. Indeed, a beastly sail 😉

  3. fabulous story, but hoping that you get the wind in your sails again asap. always frustrating to use the propulsion unit below…but thank heavens at times they exist.
    have fun as always these last few miles;-) and always look forward to hear about what you’re up to on board Heldeleine!

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