MAINSAIL HOME OF JAZZ

I haven't been able to repair the mainsail cars yet due to lumpy seas.
The wind will drop tonight and hopefully conditions will get better to
take the main off the mast track. Due to this Home of Jazz has sailed
all day with 3 reefs. Better then nothing, and not very racy, but in the
right direction.

MAIN SAIL TROUBLE

Yesterday I was becalmed most of the day until finally the SE winds took
me into the depression. I took Home of Jazz just west of the centre of
the low and reduced sail for the heavy NE winds that followed during
the night. Very careful with 3 reefs and a small jib. A bit underpowered
but I have to be careful with my mainsail. Early in the morning things
went wrong. I decided to gybe. First I prepared the manouvre in detail
and it all went well, a smooth gybe in 23 knots. But when I looked up
I was that the headboard and 2 cars had broken down. The top part of the
main is completely disconnected from the mast.
On the delivery trip to Falmouth I also broke a mainsail car, so I know
how to repair it. I have just enough spares, including a headboard.
Conditions are too rough now for repairs, so i will try to prevent
further damage. Taking down the sail might cause other cars to break
too. So i will continue under three reefs until the sea is a bit calmer.
i will have to take the main competely from the mast, which is not easy.
I have only one possibility to repair and it better be successful or I
can't sail upwind anymore. Guess what is in the forecast? Indeed, so I
have one day to fix this.

Change

Day 4 was a beautiful sailing day, with in the afternoon some nice
sunshine too. During the night the wind died out and now I am becalmed.
The grib files show that a depression will cross our path from NW to SE.
This will bring some strong winds for tonight. So I better prepare
myself today.

Day 3 Home of Jazz

Mixed conditions with winds between 15 and 25 knots. I kept the jib up
and adjusted the main (approx 10x reefs in and out). In the evening more
settled winds from NW. I received some nice messages from frieds ashore.
Great. I was completely surprised by the quality of the boil in a bag
dinner. Frech cuisine! Great stuff from RTW foods. Some 30 minute sleeps
during the night. 2 reefs in. Dawn is breaking later, since we are going
south. In the morning 1st reef and exiting handsteering. All well on
board. Cheers!

Fast sailing during 2nd night

Two reefs and a working jib, all night. Max wind on board Home of Jazz
34 knots true. Not so much trafic anymore since we passed the continental
shelf. Apparently Home of Jazz is listed in the wrong class. Should be
class 1 and not 2. Three sails at the horizon so the race in pretty close.
Repaired 2 hanks of the jib that got stuck. Put the sail back on because
nasty looking clouds are approching.

Bricolage

THis morning all kind of technical issues, including chafe on 2
halyards. Now racing again in N 27kts. Working jib and 2 reefs. The
strong wind will continue the coming night.

First night

The start was wonderful, with many spectator boats and a crowd on the
shore. In stead of the expected NE winds, we had light headwinds with
strong effects from the land. Very tacktical. I was happy to see that I
could stay with the pack in class 4 in these conditions. Home of Jazz is
the smallest boat in its class. During the night the wind started to
turn to notherly directions. I hoisted the small gennaker, to anticipate
for the stronger winds in the forecast. The gennaker could stay up until
04.15 when I broached repeatedly. Now in about 20 kts and .. rain, so I
will take another quick 20 minute nap. All well on board Home of Jazz