Current Position: 18 03.930’S 155 58.850’W; Local Timezone: UTC-10; SOG: 5.2 kt COG: 245; TWS: 16 kt; TWD: 109; Distance to Waypoint (Tonga, 252): 1024; Total Miles Sailed: 4635 nm;
Comments: The wing continued to veer last evening to the point that the boat was practically on a beam reach to the waypoint. However, I did not change course because I expected the wind to back after dusk, and I didn’t want to have to get up to trim the sails and change course. Instead, I left the course at about 240 (waypoint at 251) and picked up a kt or so of speed. Instead did one last check of potential hazards in my path. There are no vessels and the next body of land (the tiny atoll Aitutaki) is three days away. I went to sleep at 19:20 and was awaken less than an hour later by the motion of the boat, which was headed due south, apparently knocked off course by a wave. At 21:45, it happened again. 15m later it happened a third time. The problem was the wind had picked up to 20 kt, veered to 130, and big waves were overwhelming the TillerPilot. I set up the wind vane. While I was awake waiting to see it it held course, I downloaded a new GRIB. There is some serious nastiness forecasted in one week. If the forecast holds, I should avoid going any further S than necessary. While waiting, I could feel the periodic waves that were forcing the boat off course, but the wind vane in true form corrected. It really performs best under these conditions. It might take a minute or two, but it can recover from a 45 degree misdirection. I waited 30m and the boat seemed to be holding course at 7 kt, so I set an alarm for 30m and went back to sleep. The wind vane did well overnight. I woke up a few times and made minor adjustments. Since the check-in yesterday, I’ve made 76 nm on. The actual distance travelled was 87 nm, an average of 6.2 kt. The bananas were starting to go rogue, so I moved them to the cockpit. The wind is lighter this morning (TWS 15) and has backed as usual (105), so the boat has slowed to 4.5-5 kt when headed for the waypoint (252). The swell is light as well, making for a smooth ride at sunrise. The skies are mostly clear and without threats. It seems I have slept off the repository infection. I’m going to nap today to make sure it stays away. I have been recording my progress at 10:00 each morning. In the last 24h, I have travelled 4610-4481 = 129 nm (5.4 kt average) and made 1177-1054 = 123 nm on. The day was uneventful. The boat ran about 5.5 kt all day guided by the wind vane mostly towards the waypoint. The seas were relatively calm and the skies relatively clear. It was a near perfect day for sailing. I mostly rested below deck. Weather forecasts through the weekend look pretty much like today. However, the end of this passage looks complicated towards the end of next week with severe rolling and slamming of the boat. I will work on securing everything below deck before that happens. At 15:30 I shut off everything except the navigational instruments in an effort to charge the last couple of percent of the battery bank, but it does not look promising as the sun is already dipping below the clouds on the horizon and the solar panels are shaded by the sails on this port tack. I have made 1150-1024 = 126nm towards the waypoint in the last 24 h and I have travelled 4635-4502 = 133 total nm (5.5 kt average). am entering an area of general thunderstorm watch for through the end of the day tomorrow. I notice there is a thicker cloud cover ahead (relative to behind me), but nothing looks threatening.
Comments: The wing continued to veer last evening to the point that the boat was practically on a beam reach to the waypoint. However, I did not change course because I expected the wind to back after dusk, and I didn’t want to have to get up to trim the sails and change course. Instead, I left the course at about 240 (waypoint at 251) and picked up a kt or so of speed. Instead did one last check of potential hazards in my path. There are no vessels and the next body of land (the tiny atoll Aitutaki) is three days away. I went to sleep at 19:20 and was awaken less than an hour later by the motion of the boat, which was headed due south, apparently knocked off course by a wave. At 21:45, it happened again. 15m later it happened a third time. The problem was the wind had picked up to 20 kt, veered to 130, and big waves were overwhelming the TillerPilot. I set up the wind vane. While I was awake waiting to see it it held course, I downloaded a new GRIB. There is some serious nastiness forecasted in one week. If the forecast holds, I should avoid going any further S than necessary. While waiting, I could feel the periodic waves that were forcing the boat off course, but the wind vane in true form corrected. It really performs best under these conditions. It might take a minute or two, but it can recover from a 45 degree misdirection. I waited 30m and the boat seemed to be holding course at 7 kt, so I set an alarm for 30m and went back to sleep. The wind vane did well overnight. I woke up a few times and made minor adjustments. Since the check-in yesterday, I’ve made 76 nm on. The actual distance travelled was 87 nm, an average of 6.2 kt. The bananas were starting to go rogue, so I moved them to the cockpit. The wind is lighter this morning (TWS 15) and has backed as usual (105), so the boat has slowed to 4.5-5 kt when headed for the waypoint (252). The swell is light as well, making for a smooth ride at sunrise. The skies are mostly clear and without threats. It seems I have slept off the repository infection. I’m going to nap today to make sure it stays away. I have been recording my progress at 10:00 each morning. In the last 24h, I have travelled 4610-4481 = 129 nm (5.4 kt average) and made 1177-1054 = 123 nm on. The day was uneventful. The boat ran about 5.5 kt all day guided by the wind vane mostly towards the waypoint. The seas were relatively calm and the skies relatively clear. It was a near perfect day for sailing. I mostly rested below deck. Weather forecasts through the weekend look pretty much like today. However, the end of this passage looks complicated towards the end of next week with severe rolling and slamming of the boat. I will work on securing everything below deck before that happens. At 15:30 I shut off everything except the navigational instruments in an effort to charge the last couple of percent of the battery bank, but it does not look promising as the sun is already dipping below the clouds on the horizon and the solar panels are shaded by the sails on this port tack. I have made 1150-1024 = 126nm towards the waypoint in the last 24 h and I have travelled 4635-4502 = 133 total nm (5.5 kt average). am entering an area of general thunderstorm watch for through the end of the day tomorrow. I notice there is a thicker cloud cover ahead (relative to behind me), but nothing looks threatening.