Current Position: 16 02.942’S 11 06.530’W; Timezone: UTC+0; SOG: 4.4 kt; COG: 276; TWS: 13; TWD: 130; Current Speed (includes effect of surfing): 1.7 kt; Current Direction: 286; Distance to Waypoint (IFN, 298): 1446 nm; Distance to Endpoint (Bridgetown): 3375 nm; Total Miles Sailed: 19330 nm; Engine Hours: 412; Estimate Fuel: 60+10+50;
Comments: Beginning with this entry, I am using true (T) rather than magnetic (M) headings. Sunset is at 18:59 at 5.75W. At 10.0W it should be at 19:16. Some rain showers passed in front of me near dusk and reduced the wind speed to 6 kt for a half hour. I shook out the second reef and raised the staysail at 7:00 because my wind angle was between a broad and beam reach. It only added 0.2 kt, but I am trying to squeeze everything I can out of these light winds. Rain fell at 20:15 and the wind picked up to 16 kt. The OTH AIS showed no threats tonight, so I went to sleep at 20:30 and set a timer for 2h. I woke up a few times during the night to adjust the windvane. The wind was stronger than expected. I was supposed to tack to port about midnight but was making good progress so waited. I woke at 5:30 with a 20 kt gust and downloaded a GRIB. Not very many surprises. PW wants me to sail W with a port rack for 4-5d. The main reason seems to avoid some light air initially that is N. However, I am making good progress on a rhumb line to Ilha de Fernando de Noronha, the island off Brazil that is my target for the coastline. I am making it my waypoint, IFN (3 50S 32 15W). At 6:00 it is 1483 nm away. At 6:15 I am surrounded by storms. I tack to the port as recommended, afraid of catching light air to the N. The TWA is 115, only allowing a COG of 260 … heading slightly S after only just now making it back up to 16S. Only 9 kt wind I have a SOG of 2.8. I am going to get hit by heavy rain soon. I am going to have light wind for the next 24h, then strong winds for 4-5d until I tack to starboard. It is 7:00 and 20 kt wind arrived with a shower. It is 11:00, sunny, and I have had good wind all morning with a SOG of 4.6 kt in a deep broad reach and a heading close to due W. It may lighten up a bit this afternoon, but will blow even stronger (15-20) by midnight. I dozed 11-noon, got up a drained/cleaned the bilges, and made water because the batteries were charged by 13:00. It is nice the boat is finally moving again. I have a goal of reaching the Ilha de Fernando de Noronha (IFN) in two weeks, the 23rd. I should have good wind on the beam after that with about 1,800 nm to go and chance of doing that in 2w (which would require a SOG of 5.4). As expected, the wind decreased to 10-14 kt this afternoon. I can expect this 23h. The total distance sailed was 19330-19232=98 nm (98/24=4.1 kt avg).
Comments: Beginning with this entry, I am using true (T) rather than magnetic (M) headings. Sunset is at 18:59 at 5.75W. At 10.0W it should be at 19:16. Some rain showers passed in front of me near dusk and reduced the wind speed to 6 kt for a half hour. I shook out the second reef and raised the staysail at 7:00 because my wind angle was between a broad and beam reach. It only added 0.2 kt, but I am trying to squeeze everything I can out of these light winds. Rain fell at 20:15 and the wind picked up to 16 kt. The OTH AIS showed no threats tonight, so I went to sleep at 20:30 and set a timer for 2h. I woke up a few times during the night to adjust the windvane. The wind was stronger than expected. I was supposed to tack to port about midnight but was making good progress so waited. I woke at 5:30 with a 20 kt gust and downloaded a GRIB. Not very many surprises. PW wants me to sail W with a port rack for 4-5d. The main reason seems to avoid some light air initially that is N. However, I am making good progress on a rhumb line to Ilha de Fernando de Noronha, the island off Brazil that is my target for the coastline. I am making it my waypoint, IFN (3 50S 32 15W). At 6:00 it is 1483 nm away. At 6:15 I am surrounded by storms. I tack to the port as recommended, afraid of catching light air to the N. The TWA is 115, only allowing a COG of 260 … heading slightly S after only just now making it back up to 16S. Only 9 kt wind I have a SOG of 2.8. I am going to get hit by heavy rain soon. I am going to have light wind for the next 24h, then strong winds for 4-5d until I tack to starboard. It is 7:00 and 20 kt wind arrived with a shower. It is 11:00, sunny, and I have had good wind all morning with a SOG of 4.6 kt in a deep broad reach and a heading close to due W. It may lighten up a bit this afternoon, but will blow even stronger (15-20) by midnight. I dozed 11-noon, got up a drained/cleaned the bilges, and made water because the batteries were charged by 13:00. It is nice the boat is finally moving again. I have a goal of reaching the Ilha de Fernando de Noronha (IFN) in two weeks, the 23rd. I should have good wind on the beam after that with about 1,800 nm to go and chance of doing that in 2w (which would require a SOG of 5.4). As expected, the wind decreased to 10-14 kt this afternoon. I can expect this 23h. The total distance sailed was 19330-19232=98 nm (98/24=4.1 kt avg).