LORD'S PRAYER LOG, Part 129:
Monday, March 26, 2001
Underway, homeward bound in the Atlantic Ocean
0037 SWT: 75.9 F at position: 31 20.006 N77 40.730 W. The wind has lightened to
NW 7-8 kts. I roll up the jib, crank up the engine and motorsail under storm jib &
double reefed mainsail.
0252 SWT: 75.6 F at position: 31 31.197 N 77 39.960 W. Barometer: 1013mb. The
wind is variable WNW to NNW 4-6G10 kts. The head current appears to have dropped
to about 0.5 kts.
0352 SWT: 77.6 F at position: 31 35.994 N 77 39.849 W. Barometer: 1013mb.
0552 SWT: 76.2 F at position: 31 46.811 N 77 38.457 W. Barometer: 1014mb.
I am starting to pick up about a half-knot favorable current.
0652 SWT: 76.1 F at position: 31 52.493 N 77 37.348 W. Barometer: 1014mb.
0745 The wind has just picked up W 15-17G19 kts. I secure the engine and pull
out the Jib. I trim the sails and adjust the heading slightly. The boat is on a
port beam reach making 6.5 kts through the water and picking up about an extra
knot from the current as I begin to enter the Gulf Stream.
0752 SWT: 75.8 F at position: 31 58.961 N 77 35.255 W.
0830 With much deliberation I transfer the fuel from two deck jugs into the main fuel
tank. The fuel gauge indicates: 33 gallons internal. Engine time reads: 2354.3
hours.
0852 SWT: 75.5 F at position: 32 05.932 N 77 31.590 W. I am now showing nearly
two kts of favorable current. With the boat on a port beam reach in winds
gusting to 20 kts and still sailing under the double-reefed mainsail, the
jib and storm jib Lord's Prayer is making about 6.5 kts through the water
and showing about 8.5 kts on the GPS. I finally have NAVTEX weather information
for the US offshore waters in the vicinity of Cape Hatteras. Last evening I
was looking at a weather chart showing a newly formed low-pressure system
crossing my path; there two blocked words adjacent to it: "DVLPG
GALE". The chart covers much too large an area to be certain what the
impact would be at my location. Assuming the worst, I was leaning toward going
for Beaufort, NC to take the ICW the rest of the way to the Chesapeake.
Today, however, with the updated chart, which shows the low pressure system well
to the east with a localized gale developing on its SE quadrant, and with a good
detailed NAVTEX forecast, I am leaning toward taking the route around Hatteras.
It looks like the weather in the area will be relatively settled for the next
few days and I should be able to sail at least as far as Hatteras although I may
be close hauled later in the day. After Hatteras there will be a headwind
enroute to the Chesapeake, although the wind force is forecast to abate to the
10-15 kt range tomorrow.
1022 SWT: 75.7 F at position: 32 16.756 N 77 24.219 W.
1200 SWT: 75.5 F at noon position: 32 28.317 N 77 14.479 W. I continue to
experience about 2 kts of favorable current. The wind is W 16-18G22 kts.
1415 The wind veers to NNW 18-20G24 kts. I put a deep reef in the jib and trim
the sails in close. With this change in direction, the wind has a bit more north
in it than was forecast and I am unable, as a result, to maintain the desired
course for Cape Hatteras, although at the moment it is close. I rig the windvane
to do the steering with hopes that the wind will back a little; if so the
windvane will recognize the "lift" and make the appropriate heading
adjustment. The boat is now close-hauled on port tack under a double-reefed
mainsail, the storm jib and a deeply reefed jib. Best speed through the
water under current conditions is about 4.2 kts. This is likely to deteriorate,
however as the seas build in response to the new wind direction. On the positive
side of things, the GPS is showing a forward speed of about 7 kts - the result
of a 3 kt favorable current from the Gulf Stream. However, with the wind in the
NNW it has come somewhat in opposition to the SW to NE flow of the Gulf Stream
at my location. It will remain to be seen what kind of seas will result from
this, whether I shall be able to continue, or whether I shall find it necessary
to tack and bail out of the Stream.
1750 The wind has abated a little but it has also become very blustery: NNW to N 11-17G22
kts. I ease out a bit of the reef in the jib to keep the boat moving through the
water. The variability in the wind speed and direction at the present time
seems extraordinary to me. It makes it difficult to set a close-hauled sail
combination that works well over the entire range of the variations. The wind is
11 kts one minute, 22 kts the next, then back down again and back up, and soon.
Meanwhile the direction is shifting about 30 degrees back and forth. At 11 kts
the boat slows to 2-3 kts through the water. At 22 kts, the lee rail is pressed
into the water. I suspect that this apparent erratic behavior of the wind may be
relatively normal whenever cold dry air passes over warm water.
1752 SWT: 76.5 F at position: 32 57.801 N 76 40.027 W. Barometer: 1016mb.
2337 SWT: 77.2 F at position: 33 19.612 N 76 03.168 W. Barometer: 1019mb rising. I
am currently 115 nm SSW of Cape Hatteras and 80 nm SSE of Cape Lookout.
Close-hauled sailing against the wind the boat is making about 3 kts through the
water; forward speed is augmented by an additional 3 kts from the Gulf Stream. I
am currently sailing a track that is 30 degrees to the right of where I wish to
go. The wind remains erratic: NNW to N 11-17G23 kts.
END OF LORD'S PRAYER LOG, Part 129
-------------
Via Pinoak Digital - Advanced technology SSB radio digital wireless email.
In reply please do not include text above or attachments.
For further information on our service visit www.pinoak.com