Month: April 2025

Current Position: 3 21.194’N 129 48.055’W; HDG: 179; COG: 185; SOG: 4.5 kt; TWS: 11.4 kt; TWD: 035; TWA: 147; Distance to Waypoint (Hiva Oa): 963 nm; Total Miles Sailed: 2389 nm;
Comments: After examining the weather forecast and seeing no clouds windward, I decided to take advantage of the last of the wind and use the full Yankee and unreefed main overnight, setting the wind vane for 185. The boat speed was 5-5.5 in 12 kt wind with gusts to 15. I set 2h alarms. At 1:45, an hour into a two-hour alarm, I was awaken because “the boat didn’t feel right.” The control lines for the wind vane had come free and unguided, the boat had adopted a natural beam reach easterly. It must have just happened because the log (recorded every 15m) did not show a deviation from my 185 course. I was awake about an hour. The moon-lit sky was partly cloudy but did not show any threats, so I went back to sleep. I woke up about 6:30 with the flagging of the jib. The winds had backed to the north like they have been in the morning and the winds were less, 10 kt with gusts of 14. I was able to get 4.5 kt on a course of 165 without the waves causing the sails to flag. Sunrise was about 7:35. I believe I am still in the UTC-8 time zone (same as the west coast), but I should be crossing into the UTC-9 zone soon. I suppose I will know when the sunrise is an hour earlier. It’s going to be a good day for making water. The solar panels are already producing 5 Ah, I’m in the black, and it’s only 8:15. I ate the last of the Dorado last night, so I’m trailing a fishing line today. The 9:00 checked showed (1116-1000) 116 nm progress to the waypoint. I am surprised given how relatively light the wind has been in the last 24h. It was a good call to use all the sails last night. The boat never felt overpowered. I don’t expect to make that much progress today. I am approaching the doldrums (about +/- 3 degrees). It is strangely satisfying to look at the distance to the waypoint and have it be three digits (and now it shows 1/10 nm increments!!!!). By mid morning, the wind had veered more easterly (45) allowing me to make better progress towards the waypoint (185). It’s been the same pattern for several days. The wind vane is perfect for these variable winds because you can trim the sails for a particular wind angle (130) and the course is adjusted automatically. Some heavy clouds developed windward mid morning too. Perhaps the pattern will be broken and it will be sunny this morning and cloudy this afternoon (the opposite of what it has been). I will hold off making water until the batteries are fully charged and the fridge is cold. It is incredible how quickly the cloud cover came in, and it looks like nasty weather windward. I checked on the radar but I don’t see anything worrisome within 36 nm. It seems that the paddle wheel detector is not calibrated correctly. I used a three-point correction curve (0, 4 and 8kt). I changed the middle correction to be closer to the SOG. There was some drizzle about noon, but no significant rain. The wind in the afternoon was variable, largely driven by the storms, gusting to 17 as they passed, and then backing off to as low at 10 after they passed. I left the sails fully deployed to take advantage of the last of the wind. The boat never felt overpowered. After the storm passed, the wind dropped to 7-9 kt with an angle of 40-50 and a boat speed of less than 3 kt. The sails were unstable to the waves, so I changed the course to 160 and gained speed to 3.9 kt. If the wind shifts to 70 as predicted, I will be put back on a southerly course. As I was hoping, once well-clear of the backside of the storm, the wind picked up again to 10-12 kt and I was able to steer 180 at 4.5 kt. By 14:00 it was sunny, the batteries were 98%, and I had plenty of energy to run all the electronics, fridge, and make water. At 15:00 I was unexpectedly hit by sustained 25 kt winds for 30m. The skies were sunny, but I could see in the distance a large squall that was going to pass in the distance in front of me. I thought it was much too far away to impact me, but I was apparently wrong. I was able to furl half the jib and put the first reef in the main. “Bandit”, a boat that left Cabo a day and half before me, sent me a message this morning that they were hit hard by a squall last night. Although the winds have backed down to 13 kt, it is close enough to dusk that I am going to leave the sails reduced overnight. I note I am now including Course Over Ground (COG) as it is a better measure than the Heading Over Ground (HDG) for the direction of the boat.

Current Position: 5 27.741’N 129 17.307’W; Course: 180; SOG: 4.2 kt; TWS: 12.2 kt; TWD: 035; TWA: 125; Distance to Waypoint (Hiva Oa): 1086 nm; Total Miles Sailed: 2256 nm;
Comments: Sailing was perfect last night. The wind blew steady about 15 kt and I made 5 kt speed due south. The skies were once again cloudy in the morning. With evidence of showers around me. The 9:00 checked showed (1217-116) 101 nm progress to the waypoint. Given the lighter winds and the loss of an hour or two of sailing yesterday due to the electrical issue, this is about what is expected. The seas were relatively calm, so I made a big breakfast. I had to shut down unnecessary electrical devices because it does not look like I will generate much solar power this morning. Fortunately, I ran the wind vane all night, so that saved 5-8% of my batteries. By 10:00 the wind had veered more easterly, like usual, and decreased to 13-14 kt, giving me 4-4.5 kt speed at a course of 190. It started drizzling. By 11:00, the wind was blowing 14-16 due east, so I adjusted the course to the waypoint at 204 and made 5.5-6 kt on nearly a beam reach. Once the squall passed; winds shift to the north and dropped to 12-14 kt. Winds were relatively light the rest of the day, sometimes as low as 10 kt. I tried to sail wing on wing, but the rocking was severe as the wave direction did not correspond to the wind direction. I could sail almost as fast, 4 kt, with just the jib on a pole, and the boat did not rock as much. By late afternoon, the wind had veered back to the northeast. I could sail just off the wind south at about 4.5 kt with an unreefed main and full Yankee in 13 kt wind. I plan to use the asymm when the winds reach single digits.

Current Position: 7 15.730’N 128 57.777’W; Course: 191; SOG: 5.1 kt; TWS: 17.5 kt; TWD: 035; TWA: 133; Distance to Waypoint (Hiva Oa): 1188 nm; Total Miles Sailed: 2142 nm;
Comments: At 23:00, I was awaken “because the boat did not feel right. The wind has shifted from the northeast to almost due north. Since I was using the wind vane, the course had shifted from 185 to 150, more than 50 degrees east from the waypoint. Since I had planned to change course in the morning anyway, I jibed to 230, 27 degrees west of the waypoint. Rather than reset the preventer, I hauled in the main sheet and relied on the 230-180=50 degrees to prevent an accidental jib. The boat was riding better because the waves were still being driven by the earlier northeasterly winds. When I got back into the berth, I felt something slick on the floor. A bottle of shampoo had fallen, the cap broken, and several cups had been deposited on the floor. Fortunately, it was cornered by the heeling of the boat and the only thing it got in was one of the floor mats (which I tossed in the cockpit to clean with seawater in the morning. I checked the weather, but there was no indication the wind was going to shift as much as it did. The wind shifted again at 4:00, now nearly due east. I jibed and set a course of 202, directly at the Marquesas. The TillerPilot struggled so I used the wind vane. I downloaded all the weather models (not just the ECMWF), but none predicted easterly wind thus far north. Given the instability of the wind, I set alarms at 30m to monitor the course. By 5:00 it started to drizzle and the wind had shifted back to the north. As I suspected, the variability of the wind was a local effect … a small squall. I set the wind vane to a TWA of about 140 and decided to let the wind take me where it may. When it was light enough I could see I was surrounded by disturbances. At 7:30, I jibed again and put the boat on a good heading of 250. It was raining and it looked like a bigger squall might be developing behind me, although it was too dark to be sure. The sun came up almost directly astern and peeked through the clouds to produce a rainbow that I sailed through. There are fewer cargo ships/tankers at this latitude, but many more fishing trawlers. I count 6 on my course, but all days away. The 9:00 checked showed (1343-1217) 126 nm progress to the waypoint. Given the gyrations of last night, that is not too bad. There are two large squalls to my stern, but I believe they will pass to either side of me. Nonetheless, I can anticipate a day of shifting winds. Winds are steady in the low 20s propelling the boat on average 6.5 kt, and with expected morning veering, I expect to see a more favorable course. At 10:00, all navigational and autopilot electronics when dead. I was in the middle of rigging the boat for wing-on-wing and the TillerPilot was controlling the boat. It took me an hour to hunt down what went wrong. It was an in-line fuse for the NEMA 2000 network. The fuse that protected the circuit apparently came with the connectors (I did not supply it) because it was unmarked. I could tell from the diameter of the wire approximately what the fuse capacity was, but I had to experiment, starting low, all while the boat flopped around. I got a fuse that worked, but it blew when I turned on the TillerPilot (which draws energy from the NEMA 2000 network. Finally, I found that 10 amp was about right (the entire circuit is protected by a 15 amp breaker). By this time, everything was a mess. I had access panels open, the tools then electronic equipment were out, and stuff was tossed aside to gain access to what I needed, so I didn’t rerig the sails and instead put the stuff away, made myself a cup of tea, and laid down in the cockpit to cool off. By the way, I don’t absolutely need the electronics to get where I am going. I have the GPS devices onboard and a compass … which is how I got back to San Carlos last year without an engine. I can’t express more strongly how important it is that I have either built or rebuilt almost everything in the boat. “Everything on a boat is already broken, you just don’t know it.” As dreary as it was this morning, I was surprised how bright and sunny it was in the afternoon. I had plenty of energy to make water. The clouds have started rolling in, I imagine for another night of squalls.

Current Position: 8 44.205’N 127 57.310’W; Course: 195; SOG: 6.0 kt; TWS: 18.8 kt; TWD: 050; TWA: 138; Distance to Waypoint (Hiva Oa): 1294 nm; Total Miles Sailed: 2012 nm;
Comments: I left the sails as they were (most of the Yankee and one reef in the main) overnight because the wind/waves were supposed to be similar overnight as they were in the afternoon. But, I had second thoughts as the waves built a bit and there were a few gusts that gave the TillerPilot a fit. Rather than trying to put another reef in the main on a pitching deck, I decided to let it play out, figuring I could mistrim the sails if I had to. It turned out it was fine and the night was uneventful. I set the usual two hour alarms (rather than one hour intervals when I have shipping traffic or unstable weather). Between the 5:00 alarm and 7:00 when I woke up, the wind backed to the north 10 degrees (has been backing to the north in the morning and veering to the east in the evening), so sailing efficiency was reduced. I changed the course to 180 from 185 and corrected. There are more clouds today than yesterday, but it should still be a good day for solar. Waves seem to be in a shorter interval, but the seas are relatively calm. I have been following the ECMWF weather model, which I have found to be most accurate offshore. That model shows the wind veering to easterlies as I approach the ITCZ and has me jibing west for a day tomorrow before returning to a southerly course. Below about 3 degrees north, the course would be essentially straight at the Marquesas (about 204). However, I have found the weather in the ITCZ to be very unstable, so I expect the plan will change a half dozen times. My 9:00 check showed I made (1478-1343) 132 nm on in the last 24h, about the same as yesterday. About 10:00, stronger 26-28 kt gusts developed with 20 kt continuous wind. The gusts caused the boat to round up. While the course was set for 185, it the gusts exceeded 165, the boat would gain speed to 7.5 kt and lock into a beam reach. The TillerPilot did not have the physical range or strength to bring the boat back to course. It helped to change the course closer to a run, but the headsail would flag with the waves and I ran the risk of an accidental jib. Ironically, the wind vane does a better job because it has more of a range, and it had no problem keeping the boat on course during the strong gusts. But, I could see the port control line was only hanging on by a few core strands. Turns out, there was enough of the 1/4” Spectra line that I could cut away the frayed part. Unfortunately, the frayed part was on the end near the servo rudder. I contemplated stopping the boat to work on the wind vane, then decided it would be better to have it under control while sailing. The control line was held in place by a simple stopper/slip knot, so I tied myself off the back of the boat so I could get hold of the line and pull enough through to cut off the offending part. It was actually easier than it sounds and probably took ten minutes. The wind vane is good as new. Next chance I get, I buying 50’ of 1/4” Spectra because I don’t have any onboard. The ocean became angry in the early afternoon. I fixed half the fish I caught yesterday, but it was a challenge to cook. Also, it is becoming warm in the cabin during the day because I am approaching the equator, and cooking just makes warmer. I prefer to sit in the cockpit, even if it means getting splashed from time to time. By mid-afternoon, the seas had calmed down, but clouds had moved in. The winds are becoming more easterly as I go south.
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Current Position: 10 58.458’N 127 01787W; Course: 180; SOG: 5.2 kt; TWS: 17.3 kt; TWD: 030; TWA: 142; Distance to Waypoint (Hiva Oa): 1438 nm; Total Miles Sailed: 1864 nm;
Comments: There was a beautiful sunset last night. The sun itself was blotted out by thick clouds, but the sea was turned red by indirect light. I tried to get some sleep about 20:30, but was waken a half hour later by an increase in wave height that caused the boat to roll. At daylight, I replaced the first reef line and shook out the second reef. About three-quarters of the Yankee was deployed. That gained me about 0.5 kt boat speed (5.5-6 in 18 kt). The seas are relatively calm this morning and the skies are clear. Should be a good day to make water. I relaxed in the cockpit most of the morning. It’s been 3-4 days since that was possible (because of the waves, spray, etc.). My 9:00 check showed I made (1610-1478) 132 nm on in the last 24h, my best day yet because I sailed only 16 degrees off the waypoint. That’s an average of 5.5 kt (half a knot better than average), and with a double-reefed main. The fact I used the TillerPilot the whole time (because the control lines on the wind vane need to be replaced) may have had something to do with it. The seas were relatively calm today. Winds blew steady 15-19 kt all afternoon, propelling the boat 5-6 kt. It was perhaps the best day of sailing since the trip began. It became partly cloudy in the afternoon, but nothing that looked threatening. As I write this, the boat is surrounded by flying fish. There are also many seabirds, feeding on the flying fish. It amazes me to find them a thousand miles from the nearest land. I have started including the total number of miles sailed since leaving on my trip from San Carlos. I just caught a Dorado, the perfect size for a couple of meals.
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Current Position: 13 04.169’N 126 16.989’W; Course: 180; SOG: 5.1 kt; TWS: 20.6 kt; TWD: 037; TWA: 141; Distance to waypoint (Hiva Oa): 1569 nm;
Comments: Last night was uneventful. Concerned there might be squalls at night, I left the jib mostly furled and two reefs in the main. Still, I averaged 5 kt to the S. At first light I sat in the cockpit for a while. The seas had calmed down, but I was surrounded by squalls and heavily overcasts skies. I was only doing 4 kt in 14 kt of wind, but I resisted the urge to shake out a reef, because the wind almost always picks up after sunrise. Instead, I let out half the jib (which better balanced the sails anyway) and made 5.5 kt, which I was satisfied with until I could learn what Nature’s plan was for the day. I was as right about the wind, which picked up to 21 and veered more easterly about 8:30, allowing me to point almost directly at the Marquesas (195) and make 5.5-6 kt, which given the sea conditions, was about all I could expect. Sea conditions have made it very difficult to cook, but I managed to cook some curry noodles last night and oatmeal this morning. More importantly, I managed to get most of it in my mouth rather than all over the galley. My 9:00 progress check showed I made good 118 nm to the waypoint, one of my best days, despite using almost no headsail and a double-reefed main. This is due to the fact my heading is now towards the Marquesas. I also lost almost exactly two degrees of latitude, as expected. PredictWind has not come around to my way of thinking and has modeled basically the course I am on. It looks like I will have these 20+ kt winds until Sunday, and then the winds will die down. Starting next week, I’ll have to deal with the ITCZ. Once I know I don’t have to deal with wind gusts over 12 or so, I will break out the asymmetrical spinnaker. I have been following two other boats that left Cabo about the same time. Both chose to go south earlier. While it is unclear whether that strategy will prove to be faster, it is clear they are dealing with more serious storms down there right now. I had some excitement about when I discovered one of the control pins for the wind vane had washed overboard and was being dragged behind the boat. I used a gaff to retrieve it and did some acrobatics off the stern of the boat (while clipped in of course) in big following seas to retread the line through the tubing and pulley system of the wind vane. While doing that, I noticed the part of the line that goes through the tubes was frayed to the point that the wind vane is not reliable if used unattended (for example when I am sleeping). As a friend told me, everything on your boat is broken, you just don’t know it yet. Like yesterday, the sun came out for a bit in the middle of the day, just in time to charge the house battery bank. Up to that point, I had turned off everything that was not necessary to pilot the boat (including the VHF, AIS, refrigerator, etc.). The afternoon was pleasant sailing with 15-22 kt wind. I averaged 5 kt with half the Yankee and a double-reefed main. I could probably gained more, but it was nice for a change not to thrash about. I was able to prepare hot meals.
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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.