Long run

After two days of running in the sunshine, I almost forgot what clouds
look like. Some pretty strong gusts of wind but no rain. It looks like
the long run will continue until Sunday noon, and on Monday a notherly
breeze will come in. Brr I have to find my socks.

Genaker adventures

After a nice night gooze winged I wished to increase speed this morning.
Hoisted a heavy gennaker in 21 knots of breeze. As soon as the sail went
up it was all hands on deck. Single handed that means, handsteering
and sheet in the other hand, no hand available to work on the tackline
or anything else. This was soon to go wrong so I threw the halyard
overboard to bear away and take down the sail. Then we almost broached,
the sail collapsed, filled again and went around the forestay. I
immediately released the tack and blew the halyard and could pull the
sail down before it was jammed. Pfff. Now goozed winged again. Double
handed boats really have an advantage in these conditions compared to
single handed boats. The advantage of sailing gooze winged is that Home
of Jazz can sail much deeper compared to boats without a spinnaker pole
who will have to gybe to avoid being caught by the high. We might just
make it if we can stay a bit north of the rumbline.

Running

With the wind almost following our track, the options are either to
hoist a gennaker, and gybe to avoid going too farr south into the high,
or to go gooze winged (if you have a pole!). I decided to go gooze
winged and gain some terrain to the north. The dyneema backstays show
wear from the main near the top of the mast. Hmm. I have to watch this
carefully. Everything around the mainsail seems to cause trouble, but
that is my own fault because I did only try the sail a few times before
the race, in stead of testing it over a longer period. Good winds
and good speed during the night. I treated myself with the luxury of 30
minute sleeps in stead of 20. All well on board Home of Jazz.

Home of Jazz - Around the high

In day two of the race a lot of suncream was needed. And a lot of work
was to be done with the gennaker and code zero. Truant sailed next to me
for a while. I had to let him go when I needed to repair a damaged
sheave. Tried to catch up with Truant but got too tired and hoisted the
jib for the night. The wind soon picked up and I pulled in a first and
second reef. Fast sailing through the night, but I could get some
sleep.. It looks like this low is going to give us a lot of wind indeed,
and from the right direction too.

Windy start of leg 2

I must admit my start was chaotic. And 25 knots was a bit too much for
my taste. And I was not the only one. I saw boats with water ballast on
the wrong side, reefs that wouldn't fit and so on. We first rounded a
buoy 1,7 miles out before heading down to the west. I did a storm round
in stead of a gybe. Along the islands winds were gusting up to 29 knots,
but plenty of sunshine too and a beautiful view on the island where we
had such a great week. During the evening things settled down and the
wind died out. On our way again!

Pap ik wil mee

Hard to resist the offer of my youngest daughter Janneke to join me on the return leg, but her mama insisted .. so back on my own now.

Full speed to the Azores

Some video images of the second day of leg1 from Home of Jazz. The NE winds provided excellent conditions during the first days of the race.