Current Position: 15 40.541’N 125 29.557W; Course: 183; SOG: 5.3 kt; TWS: 16.8 kt; TWD: 043; TWA: 142; Distance to waypoint (Hiva Oa): 1728 nm;
Comments: I could tell last night the weather was changing. At 4:00 the winds shifted and I jibed south. I went back to sleep about 5:30 and woke up about 7:00 and looked outside and although the winds were relatively light, about 11 kt, I could tell there were storms developing. I wanted to furl the jib, but it seemed hung up. I went forward and found a piece of the furler sitting precariously on the bowsprit. I grabbed it before it fell overboard. The “finger ring” clamps around the base of the furler and keeps the furling line from wrapping around the forestay, I have been having a problem with that but couldn’t figure out why. The two halves clamp together with two screws and one a cleaved off, the consequence of crevice corrosion. Unfortunately, I did not have a a replacement for the special screw. Despite the fact the remaining screw was bent, I tightened it and used stainless steel wire in place of the other screw. The piece is not really load-bearing, so it should hold until I can arrange for a more permanent fix. While I was on the bowsprit fixing the furler, it started to rain. A squall was developing. I quickly finished my work, furled the headsail, and put two reefs in the main just as the squall hit with 35 kt winds. The worse of it was over pretty quickly, although it continued to rain for a couple of hours. I could see other squalls around the boat (visually and on radar), so I left the jib mostly furled and the two reefs in the main all day. Nonetheless, I sailed south at about 5-6 kt most of the day. As I write this, I can see more squalls upwind, so I will leave the sailed reduced overnight.
Comments: I could tell last night the weather was changing. At 4:00 the winds shifted and I jibed south. I went back to sleep about 5:30 and woke up about 7:00 and looked outside and although the winds were relatively light, about 11 kt, I could tell there were storms developing. I wanted to furl the jib, but it seemed hung up. I went forward and found a piece of the furler sitting precariously on the bowsprit. I grabbed it before it fell overboard. The “finger ring” clamps around the base of the furler and keeps the furling line from wrapping around the forestay, I have been having a problem with that but couldn’t figure out why. The two halves clamp together with two screws and one a cleaved off, the consequence of crevice corrosion. Unfortunately, I did not have a a replacement for the special screw. Despite the fact the remaining screw was bent, I tightened it and used stainless steel wire in place of the other screw. The piece is not really load-bearing, so it should hold until I can arrange for a more permanent fix. While I was on the bowsprit fixing the furler, it started to rain. A squall was developing. I quickly finished my work, furled the headsail, and put two reefs in the main just as the squall hit with 35 kt winds. The worse of it was over pretty quickly, although it continued to rain for a couple of hours. I could see other squalls around the boat (visually and on radar), so I left the jib mostly furled and the two reefs in the main all day. Nonetheless, I sailed south at about 5-6 kt most of the day. As I write this, I can see more squalls upwind, so I will leave the sailed reduced overnight.