Current Position: 10 25.222’S 139 31.937’W; Local Timezone: UTC-9 1/2; HDG: 214; COG: 220; SOG: 4.5 kt; TWS: ?; TWD: ?; TWA: ?; Distance to Waypoint (Fakarava): 533; Total Miles Sailed: 3474 nm;
Comments: I woke about 2:00 to the sound of the chain being strained. A strong offshore breeze had developed and I had not paid out enough chain to properly set the bridle. I let out some more chain and went back to sleep. It was 6:15 when I woke up . I had slept nearly 11h … very unusual. There were no flies, meaning what the other’s experienced was an unusual swarming event or my fly evasion plan worked. The wind was still blowing strong offshore (from the west, opposite the prevailing trade winds). I made a large batch of chai tea for the passage. The last time I made some was in Mexico. At 7:40 a catamaran appeared on an obvious heading to Tahiti. It encouraged me to stop sipping tea and get ready. I had a few chores to do. I loosened the bleed valve on the engine fuel filter and confirmed there was no air in the line. I still had a leak in the dinghy, apparent through one of the bolt holes for the wheel mounts. When I examined the bolts, it was clear from the stains which two were leaking. I applied chalking to it to allow it time to dry before I used the dinghy again, stowed everything, and pulled anchor at 9:00. As I left the wind shadow of Tahuata, the wind was strong (about 15 kt), but it became variable until I was well clear of the leeside of the island. At one point I was in nearly flat water with no more than a couple of kt wind, but I could see whitecaps a couple of 100 yards out, indicating 15 kt winds. Eventually, I settled for 5.5 kt boat speed in a near beam reach with one reef in the main and most of the Yankee showing. Heeled 10 degrees, it didn’t make sense to present more sail. In the first 3h, I averaged 5 nm/h on, but much of that time I struggled with getting the wind vane to control the boat. I don’t know if it is the new control lines (that are slightly larger diameter, or perhaps the wind vane was tweeked. After studying it for a few hours, it became evident the vane was not freely flapping. There was resistance that wasn’t there before. Although the manual states that lubricants should not be used, I put some PB Blaster on the meshing gears and worked the vane back and forth manually. That seemed to help and I started to being able to hold course, although the wind vane did not react as quickly as it used to. I feel with continued use it will start freeing itself up. Part of the difficulty in finding out what is going on with the wind vane is it has been gusty all day, and the change in wind speed naturally affects the wind vane. It is a bright sunny day, so I started to make water about 1:00. After a passage from Mexico to the Marquesas that was marked by squalls and pounding seas almost every day, it is very nice to be sailing in sunshine and calm seas. The wind vane has almost working well again. It still has troubles when I am moved way off course by a wave or gust of wind. I’m going to use it overnight, but set alarms every hour to make sure I’m on course.
Comments: I woke about 2:00 to the sound of the chain being strained. A strong offshore breeze had developed and I had not paid out enough chain to properly set the bridle. I let out some more chain and went back to sleep. It was 6:15 when I woke up . I had slept nearly 11h … very unusual. There were no flies, meaning what the other’s experienced was an unusual swarming event or my fly evasion plan worked. The wind was still blowing strong offshore (from the west, opposite the prevailing trade winds). I made a large batch of chai tea for the passage. The last time I made some was in Mexico. At 7:40 a catamaran appeared on an obvious heading to Tahiti. It encouraged me to stop sipping tea and get ready. I had a few chores to do. I loosened the bleed valve on the engine fuel filter and confirmed there was no air in the line. I still had a leak in the dinghy, apparent through one of the bolt holes for the wheel mounts. When I examined the bolts, it was clear from the stains which two were leaking. I applied chalking to it to allow it time to dry before I used the dinghy again, stowed everything, and pulled anchor at 9:00. As I left the wind shadow of Tahuata, the wind was strong (about 15 kt), but it became variable until I was well clear of the leeside of the island. At one point I was in nearly flat water with no more than a couple of kt wind, but I could see whitecaps a couple of 100 yards out, indicating 15 kt winds. Eventually, I settled for 5.5 kt boat speed in a near beam reach with one reef in the main and most of the Yankee showing. Heeled 10 degrees, it didn’t make sense to present more sail. In the first 3h, I averaged 5 nm/h on, but much of that time I struggled with getting the wind vane to control the boat. I don’t know if it is the new control lines (that are slightly larger diameter, or perhaps the wind vane was tweeked. After studying it for a few hours, it became evident the vane was not freely flapping. There was resistance that wasn’t there before. Although the manual states that lubricants should not be used, I put some PB Blaster on the meshing gears and worked the vane back and forth manually. That seemed to help and I started to being able to hold course, although the wind vane did not react as quickly as it used to. I feel with continued use it will start freeing itself up. Part of the difficulty in finding out what is going on with the wind vane is it has been gusty all day, and the change in wind speed naturally affects the wind vane. It is a bright sunny day, so I started to make water about 1:00. After a passage from Mexico to the Marquesas that was marked by squalls and pounding seas almost every day, it is very nice to be sailing in sunshine and calm seas. The wind vane has almost working well again. It still has troubles when I am moved way off course by a wave or gust of wind. I’m going to use it overnight, but set alarms every hour to make sure I’m on course.