It’s been a long time coming… I haven’t had much motivation since my last post. The weather tended light for several days, and then turned right on my nose – So I sailed close hauled for several days, and dealt with the corresponding change in swell direction and wind, as it swung back around to the north west. Rainy miserable weather prevailed, and Constellation and I beat upwind, and then beam-reached through a cross swell… And eventually made it out the other end into the tradewinds. I think I spent two full days lying in my bunk with my face in the pillow, whining to myself. The price of sailing above about 30degrees north is that one has to sail back through the variable/horse latitudes, and find the sometimes elusive stable winds and weather… Nevertheless, we’re here, and as I speak, Constellation is powering along with twin jibs set and a full mainsail up. During the nights so I can sleep, I reduce sail, but we still seem to be managing about 120nm days, depending on how eager I am to maintain decent sail area.
Several things have broken onboard, but none that could hold us still. The track for the port sheet has lifted, and water is coming in from the deck. Two of the newly bedded stanchion bases also appear to be leaking, and so I have towels all around the place trying to keep things dry. It’s annoying, but nothing much beyond that. Today, for the third time on this trip, the boom flew off the maintrack. It was a stupid design to begin with, but I guess one must remember the majority of this gear was not meant to be put under such stress loads, 24hrs a day, for weeks at a time… Poor Constellation, she was just meant to daysail around the Solent… Anyway, I permanently center bolted the maintrack, and then distributed the load to the boom through two blocks instead of one. I think now it is fixed for good… Not pretty, but fixed.
Otherwise there is little else to report. Tradewind sailing is… Incessant swell kicking the boat left and right, and the practice of balancing sail, windvane, and whisker poles (thanks Roya!) while maximising speed, and minimising stress on the boat, and on the living environment… There is nothing worse than flying along at 6.5kts and careening sideways down waves in the name of progress, while you try to sip your tea.
Thank you so much to everyone who has been sending me messages – They’ve been very amusing, and keep me going – I really appreciate it.
My track has been updated, and I sincerely hope it reflects my progress… I guestimate another 9 days of sailing, if I can maintain 120nm days…
Thanks Marty for getting this post up!
June 23rd, 2009 at 3:12 am
[...] by Erik on Jun.22, 2009, under sailing There’s a young 28 year old sailor from one of my favorite places, Melbourne, Australia, who has been slowly making his way around the world in a 26 foot Contessa. Owning and skippering my own 28 foot cruiser, it’s hard to imagine sailing too far from the coast let alone around the world in my boat. Nick Jaffe is a maverick and a little crazy, but no matter where he falls in that spectrum, I admire his courage and his determination. Read about his encounter with the trade winds here. [...]
June 23rd, 2009 at 5:23 am
I have a 28 ft sailboat myself and i barely have the balls to cross the gulf stream…and I always wanted to be a solo cruiser….i went from biloxi mississippi to panama city florida by myself and said i wont do that again. Now i beg my friends to take trips with me, I hate being stuck at the tiller….there was a time when I might have been able to single hand but not now. Not sure if its an australian thing but ive seen them take some crazy boats to crazy places. I was in a bar in the exumas, and me and this aussie where having a drink, every 2 to 3 hours he had to leave and take care of something then he would come back…I asked him what he was doing, he said I have to pump out the bilge every so often. I asked, how long its been that way, he said since nevis island…but it didnt get bad till I got to jos van dyke in bvi….I said bwaaaa….this guy is nutz, and I wish I was just like him lol.