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Sail damage, Brazil
Skippers log #9
25 37s 44 31w at 15:30 GMT
Last night turned into a nightmare. A front came through and wreaked havoc. In a crash gybe the runner caught around the SSB antenna and when the main came over, ripped the antenna knocking out my ssb communications. The staysail was down on the deck, but the winds gusting to 50 to 60 knots lifted it off the deck and shredded it. I have also tears in the genoa and mainsail, but both sails are usable. Then the spinaker pole which was on the deck got swept over board and snapped. This will impact my light air downwind sailing as it was the bowsprit too. To cap it all, some how I must have gotten water into the computer and many of the keys are not working. The space bar puts a b in front, making writing very hard. So my e-mails will become shorter and if bits sometimes has characters that don't make sense, its the key board. I had hoped that this leg would be easily, but it is as challenging as the Southern Ocean.
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Skippers log #9
25 37s 44 31w at 15:30 GMT
Last night turned into a nightmare. A front came through and wreaked havoc. In a crash gybe the runner caught around the SSB antenna and when the main came over, ripped the antenna knocking out my ssb communications. The staysail was down on the deck, but the winds gusting to 50 to 60 knots lifted it off the deck and shredded it. I have also tears in the genoa and mainsail, but both sails are usable. Then the spinaker pole which was on the deck got swept over board and snapped. This will impact my light air downwind sailing as it was the bowsprit too. To cap it all, some how I must have gotten water into the computer and many of the keys are not working. The space bar puts a b in front, making writing very hard. So my e-mails will become shorter and if bits sometimes has characters that don't make sense, its the key board. I had hoped that this leg would be easily, but it is as challenging as the Southern Ocean.
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Skippers log #10
I am 50 miles south of Rio de Janaro. My computer key board is playing up. Right now my fingers are hurting. I spent most of the day stitching my sails back together. During the night I came up with an idea to fix my broken bow sprit, and early this morning set about making the repair using spectra rope, two shackles and a block lashed together. By early this morning I had it complete and was able to hoist the spinaker. Unfortunately I tore the spinaker's foot, but it is still usabled. I spent most of the day under spinaker, till I had to gybe. The wind has gone light and progress is slow. But at least I was able to get some results today. I also was able to rig a jury antenna for the SSB radio and reached Minoru.
Skippers log #11
Cabo Frio, Brazil
I am becalmed off the Brazilian coast, 60 miles from Rio. Not going anywhere and hoping wind will come. It has been 36 hours now drifting. Did 68 miles in 24 hours. 3 miles off the land, close to an oil rig. Strong current, which is pushing me ENE.