Current Position: 17 54.073’S 145 43.535’W; Local Timezone: UTC-10; HDG: 250; COG: 252; SOG: 4.8 kt; Distance to Waypoint (Tahiti): 190 nm; Total Miles Sailed: 4122 nm;
Comments: To avoid Anaa and to get a better angle on Tahiti later, I jibed at 17:00 last night, just before it got dark. With a heading of about 200, I was sailing faster (5.5-6 kt) than when I was nearly in a run before the jibe. This also eliminated having to deal with the hazard of Anaa in the middle of the night. The distance I travel overnight (perhaps 60 nm) should be about perfect. Finally, it makes sense that I not move to the windward side of the atoll should it become necessary to heave to overnight for any reason. for example the weather ahead looks somewhat threatening. The sail at night was peaceful … smooth seas, light winds … about 4 kt. I was awaken at 1:30 because the boat had jibed, apparently because of a change of wind direction. I trimmed the sails for the new direction, 257, directly for Tahiti, as it appeared I would clear Anaa to the south in about 30 nm. The boat was making 5.5 kt. While I was awake, I noticed lightning to the SW ahead of me. I turned on the Radar but there were no weather-related images. Also, I noticed no lightening to windward., although it was somewhat difficult to tell because the full moon was directly in front of the boat (to the W). I checked the AIS (no vessels since I left Trinity behind) and went back to sleep. It would be daylight before I passed Anaa. The pilot’s berth is always more comfortable on a starboard tack … and it has been quite awhile. I got up at sunrise, 5:40. It is interesting that the sun no longer rises in the E and I am now almost 18 degrees S. There is lightning to my S, but no thunder. It is closer than it was last night. The CAPE index is 1600-1750 for the next couple of days, then drops off Tuesday. At 6:00, I began hearing the thunder. The storms are perhaps 30 nm to my S. The apparent wind is NE and the actual wind probably more easterly. The boat is traveling a little over 5 kt due W (260) with the Yankee and one reef in the main. I am leaving the reef in because I do not trust the storms in the area. The first cargo ship I have encountered in some time, the Mathilde Schulte, is essentially on the same course as I am, maybe heading for Tahiti. it is about 2h behind me at 6:30. At 7:30, there was a huge thunder clap and the wind died down to almost nothing. I switched to the TillerPilot to maintain my course, especially as the freighter was now 15 nm (1h) behind me. At 8:30, I passed 30 nm S of Anaa, the last of the atolls in the Tuamotu Archipelago, about the same time the cargo ship passed 8 nm N of me. A large squall was passing behind me and there was some real nastiness ahead. I was down to 3.5 kt and had to continue using the TillerPilot, which is a problem because it’s another day without any sun. I will need to run the engine or I will loose the food in the fridge. At 9:00, the wind changed directions, blowing less northerly and more easterly, and it picked up significantly as a storm with lightning developed upwind. I furled about half the jib in. Counting at least a half dozen downpours around me, I decided not to take a chance and put the second reef in. I was doing 5 kt with half the Yankee and two reefs in the main. Not want to take a chance with the electronics, I turned everything off except the TillerPilot as the storm hit. The TillerPilot is not connected to the network (and operates off an internal compass). It was a good decision to head S early this morning as I am now on the leeward side of Anaa. I used Navionics on my iPhone to monitor the course and direction. As the first storm hit at 9:30, there was a sudden shift in the wind to the E and the boat jibed. The preventer I had in place kept the boom from swinging over. A few minutes later, the TillerPilot corrected the course and the boat jibed again as the wind picked up to drive the boat 6 kt. After the initial surge, it actually lightened up a bit to the point that the solar systems were actually producing a few extra amps, albeit with everything turned off but the TillerPilot. The wind dropped practically to nothing by 10. I let out most of the jib, but was still only making 2.5 kt with two reefs in the main. The problem was in part the wind direction, which had turned more easterly, placing the boat more in a run than a reach. However, given the storm conditions, I was not tempted to rig the boat for downwind sailing (e.g., wing on wing). The conditions were just too variable. Instead, I got out of the rain and went below to make myself a tea. After the front had passed through, it looked lighter to windward and the wind was relatively light, so I shook out the second reef and made 5.5 kt initially, but the wind died down again. This is what I can expect for the foreseeable future. At 11:00, the light apparent wind was from the S, effectively causing the boat to heave to. I didn’t adjust the sails because I knew this was just temporary. Nonetheless, about 11:20, I shifted the course to 265 (from 257) to keep the boat from jibing and to pick up some speed to 5 kt. I also turned the fridge on (had to throw out some food). With just the TillerPilot and fridge on, I was in the black, but just barely. I was hoping for more solar energy the middle of the day. By 1:00, the storm seems to be ahead of me and the sun has come out. At 13:00, I noticed the second baton pocket from the top of the main sail has roped about half way. I cannot leave it or the sail may be destroyed. My plan is to furl the jib, lower the main sail to the point of the baton and lash it, then fire up the engine to stabilize the boat while I sew it. After examining the pocket, my choices are to remove it and put it back I when the boat is at anchor or try to sew it on a pitching deck. I decided the best course of action is to put a couple of lock stitches in the pocket to keep it from tearing loose and remove the baton. I will make a permanent repair in Tahiti. The temporary repair was made. When I get to Tahiti, I will take the mainsail down, inspect it, and make needed repairs. Glad I brought the Sailrite machine and the correct thread. It’s going to make the job easier. One advantage of firing up the engine to make the repair is I got some charge on the batteries. I’ve made about 90 nm on towards Tahiti in the last 24h, which is not too bad considering the weather and technical issues I had, as well as the fact only about half the time I was head directly towards Tahiti. There is still a chance I can make Tahiti by the end of the day on Tuesday, but I’d have to make better time than I have the past two days.
Comments: To avoid Anaa and to get a better angle on Tahiti later, I jibed at 17:00 last night, just before it got dark. With a heading of about 200, I was sailing faster (5.5-6 kt) than when I was nearly in a run before the jibe. This also eliminated having to deal with the hazard of Anaa in the middle of the night. The distance I travel overnight (perhaps 60 nm) should be about perfect. Finally, it makes sense that I not move to the windward side of the atoll should it become necessary to heave to overnight for any reason. for example the weather ahead looks somewhat threatening. The sail at night was peaceful … smooth seas, light winds … about 4 kt. I was awaken at 1:30 because the boat had jibed, apparently because of a change of wind direction. I trimmed the sails for the new direction, 257, directly for Tahiti, as it appeared I would clear Anaa to the south in about 30 nm. The boat was making 5.5 kt. While I was awake, I noticed lightning to the SW ahead of me. I turned on the Radar but there were no weather-related images. Also, I noticed no lightening to windward., although it was somewhat difficult to tell because the full moon was directly in front of the boat (to the W). I checked the AIS (no vessels since I left Trinity behind) and went back to sleep. It would be daylight before I passed Anaa. The pilot’s berth is always more comfortable on a starboard tack … and it has been quite awhile. I got up at sunrise, 5:40. It is interesting that the sun no longer rises in the E and I am now almost 18 degrees S. There is lightning to my S, but no thunder. It is closer than it was last night. The CAPE index is 1600-1750 for the next couple of days, then drops off Tuesday. At 6:00, I began hearing the thunder. The storms are perhaps 30 nm to my S. The apparent wind is NE and the actual wind probably more easterly. The boat is traveling a little over 5 kt due W (260) with the Yankee and one reef in the main. I am leaving the reef in because I do not trust the storms in the area. The first cargo ship I have encountered in some time, the Mathilde Schulte, is essentially on the same course as I am, maybe heading for Tahiti. it is about 2h behind me at 6:30. At 7:30, there was a huge thunder clap and the wind died down to almost nothing. I switched to the TillerPilot to maintain my course, especially as the freighter was now 15 nm (1h) behind me. At 8:30, I passed 30 nm S of Anaa, the last of the atolls in the Tuamotu Archipelago, about the same time the cargo ship passed 8 nm N of me. A large squall was passing behind me and there was some real nastiness ahead. I was down to 3.5 kt and had to continue using the TillerPilot, which is a problem because it’s another day without any sun. I will need to run the engine or I will loose the food in the fridge. At 9:00, the wind changed directions, blowing less northerly and more easterly, and it picked up significantly as a storm with lightning developed upwind. I furled about half the jib in. Counting at least a half dozen downpours around me, I decided not to take a chance and put the second reef in. I was doing 5 kt with half the Yankee and two reefs in the main. Not want to take a chance with the electronics, I turned everything off except the TillerPilot as the storm hit. The TillerPilot is not connected to the network (and operates off an internal compass). It was a good decision to head S early this morning as I am now on the leeward side of Anaa. I used Navionics on my iPhone to monitor the course and direction. As the first storm hit at 9:30, there was a sudden shift in the wind to the E and the boat jibed. The preventer I had in place kept the boom from swinging over. A few minutes later, the TillerPilot corrected the course and the boat jibed again as the wind picked up to drive the boat 6 kt. After the initial surge, it actually lightened up a bit to the point that the solar systems were actually producing a few extra amps, albeit with everything turned off but the TillerPilot. The wind dropped practically to nothing by 10. I let out most of the jib, but was still only making 2.5 kt with two reefs in the main. The problem was in part the wind direction, which had turned more easterly, placing the boat more in a run than a reach. However, given the storm conditions, I was not tempted to rig the boat for downwind sailing (e.g., wing on wing). The conditions were just too variable. Instead, I got out of the rain and went below to make myself a tea. After the front had passed through, it looked lighter to windward and the wind was relatively light, so I shook out the second reef and made 5.5 kt initially, but the wind died down again. This is what I can expect for the foreseeable future. At 11:00, the light apparent wind was from the S, effectively causing the boat to heave to. I didn’t adjust the sails because I knew this was just temporary. Nonetheless, about 11:20, I shifted the course to 265 (from 257) to keep the boat from jibing and to pick up some speed to 5 kt. I also turned the fridge on (had to throw out some food). With just the TillerPilot and fridge on, I was in the black, but just barely. I was hoping for more solar energy the middle of the day. By 1:00, the storm seems to be ahead of me and the sun has come out. At 13:00, I noticed the second baton pocket from the top of the main sail has roped about half way. I cannot leave it or the sail may be destroyed. My plan is to furl the jib, lower the main sail to the point of the baton and lash it, then fire up the engine to stabilize the boat while I sew it. After examining the pocket, my choices are to remove it and put it back I when the boat is at anchor or try to sew it on a pitching deck. I decided the best course of action is to put a couple of lock stitches in the pocket to keep it from tearing loose and remove the baton. I will make a permanent repair in Tahiti. The temporary repair was made. When I get to Tahiti, I will take the mainsail down, inspect it, and make needed repairs. Glad I brought the Sailrite machine and the correct thread. It’s going to make the job easier. One advantage of firing up the engine to make the repair is I got some charge on the batteries. I’ve made about 90 nm on towards Tahiti in the last 24h, which is not too bad considering the weather and technical issues I had, as well as the fact only about half the time I was head directly towards Tahiti. There is still a chance I can make Tahiti by the end of the day on Tuesday, but I’d have to make better time than I have the past two days.