News

Suday August 22, 2004
Position at 0800 hrs
19-35 S
67-20 E
Cog 275
Sog 6
Wind16
Wind from the East

With the wind at our back the rolling motion just makes everything more uncomfortable.
Getting closer.

Daily run 145 miles

Saturday August 21, 2004
After taking a jibe yesterday morning, I had breakfast sitting in the companionway. I noticed some slack movement on the after lower shrouds on every rolling movement that IT made. A closer inspection revealed that the starboard tang (at the bottom of the spreaders) that holds the forward and after lower shrouds, had completely snapped off and was hanging by a piece of stainless plate that was still left of it.
I quickly put IT back on a port tack to take the strain off the starboard side of the mast.
Hoping Bev would still be awake, I hurriedly sent her an e-mail. It read:

"Structural failure.
Forward and after lower shroud's tang broke off on the starboard side.
Need urgent advice to reduce stress on mast.
Need to know what sails I can still use, main or headsail ??
Impossible to climb mast in these seas.
Check Rodriguez, Port Mathurin out on internet.
Need to know if there is a welding shop there."

Bev phoned Dave and Sharon, they were already sleeping and told them about my problem.
I panicked a little bit and I thought it would be best if I could get extra advice from Dave and Sharon. Dave, a Tartan 37 guru,(he owned Tigger, hull # 2 for more than 25 years),was my best bet. He and Sharon also circumnavigated on Tigger and anybody interested can read Sharon's book "Around the world on Yacht Tigger ", Sheridan House, $25.

They came back with an e-mail that read:

"Bev, we hope he has already hove to on a port tack. His mail says he has ENE winds so he had all that pressure on the starboard shrouds. If he hasn't already he can heave to on a port tack, and stop to figure out how to put extra support for the mast. I know he can't climb the mast in the heavy seas, but if he can figure out how to get a line over the spreaders and around the mast and bring it down to the shroud bases and secure it there, he will have simulated the lower shrouds. But he has to slow down and take the pressure off the mast. Dave thinks at that point the jib would give less stress on the mast than the others. But anything on a starboard tack is dangerous. Why not heave to until the wind shifts? ENE is not the norm so it will swing sooner than later.

I wrote this to you but this is really to Charl - Charl just heave to for awhile - port tack. Don't put any more pressure on that side of the mast. How long have you had ENE winds? They should shift soon don't you think? Also, Dave says he is sure Rodrigues will have a welder, there are lots of fishing boats there. He thinks most any island will have a welder, but Rod is closest, sounds like."

I hope this helps, we feel pretty helpless and not too helpful from here, but I know you will figure this out. Just take it easy till you do, don't try to hurry - and take the pressure off the weak side. Bev will keep us updated.

Bev, if you need any more thoughts on this NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF THE NIGHT - CALL and then we can email. Hugs to you and prayers to Charl"

I got this e-mail after I had already used the staysail's halyard (it is a little above the spreaders), as a temporary running shroud. I put the ends through the bottom of the main shroud's turnbuckle and used a trucker's hitch knot to tension it.

After various failed attempts I have successfully thrown the spinnaker halyard through the port side's spreader arm and using the old vang as a "handy-billy" tensioned it to the forward and after shroud turnbuckles on the deck.
It is holding pretty well now and I only have the genoa up. Have to stick to a port tack from now on.
Still making speed between 5.5 and 6 knots.
Will make permanent repairs once in Port Mathurin, Rodriguez

Position at 0800
19-20 S
69-58 E
Cog 310
Sog 6 kts
Wind 20 kts
Wind from the SSE

Total daily run--- 130 miles

Friday August 20, 2004
Position at 0800
20-00 S
72-34 E
Cog 305
Sog 5.5 kt
Wind 30 kt
Wind from the ENE
On a broad reach to a run, starboard tack

Daily run---154 miles

Wind veered overnight and at first light I took a jibe. Lost 12 minutes on the latitude, but I am gaining it back pretty fast.
Seas are rough which makes the ride on a broad reach and a run terribly uncomfortable. Can't wait to sail on a beam reach again.
Only 516 miles to Rodriguez.

Can Jon and Betsy Demere please drop me an e-mail, so I can have your address. Thanks for signing the guestbook.

Thursday August 19, 2004
Good sailing yesterday until late afternoon when two squalls threatened to hit us.
We only got a part of one and some 38 knots of wind, but it was brief.
The radar woke me up again, squalls approaching !
Furled genoa up all the way and sailed all night on a triple reefed main.
This morning weather looks stormy with lots of dark clouds around us.
Seas are more intense than yesterday.
Have since built a "bed " on the cabin sole. Using the cockpit mattresses. It looks like a coffin (casket), but a very comfortable coffin it is.
Beats sleeping on the berths as I fall out ever half hour or so.

Frustrated with not getting a weather fax from St Dennis, I changed channels to Pretoria South Africa and got one !! Very clear too !

Position at 0800 hrs ( 13 hrs total as I set my clock back one hr yesterday)
19-50 S
75-15 E
Cog 300
Sog 6
Wind 24
Wind from the SE
Still on a broad reach to a run, port tack.

Daily run---170 miles

Wednesday August 18, 2004
Sailed all day in 30 plus knot winds with triple reefed main and part of the unfurled genoa.
Seas were not a pretty sight and every now and then a series of three 25 foot swells would pass under us and IT just loves to surf down them! Reaching speeds of 9 knots. Willie, the windvane keeps her right on course.
Wind down this morning and I have since unfurled the whole genoa.

Position at 0800 ( have to set clock back one hr again)
20-00 S
78-00 E
Cog 285
Sog 6.4 kts
Wind 15 kts
Wind from the SE
On a broad reach, port tack.

Total daily run ---150 miles

Tuesday August 17, 2004
Position at 0800
20-16 S
80-30 E
Cog 290
Sog 6 kt
Wind 30 kt
Wind from the SE

Another bad night with very little sleep due to very rough seas. Have only a triple reefed main up. ( 64 square feet) Running.
Total daily run---150 miles

Monday August 16, 2004
Total daily run--150 miles

Sailed all day on poled out genoa and triple reefed main.
At three this morning the shaker woke me up.
A squall was approaching us.
I furled up the genoa and after several squalls we are still under triple reefed main only.

Position at 0800
21-01 S
82 -50 E
Cog 288
Sog 6 knots
Wind 20 knots
Wind from the SE

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