S/V SN-E Cetacea Log Day 8 – 78.6 NM
7/4/2023
James’ 12:30-1:00 pm watch:
Drink more water, move around more and hallucinate less…if at all possible.
12:37 pm: So far, this day is shaping up as less perfect than yesterday. Less wind, and at an angle to the swell that pumps the sails. We have the motor engaged and feel fine about that.
Dena’s 9-midnight watch
9:11 pm: Okay, I was wrong. This afternoon turned into a perfect reach that’s still going now.
10:01 pm: The moon rose behind clouds for a spooky effect. I came this close to reefing the main from ambiance alone. We’re still reaching at 4 knots, though. Lovebot isn’t struggling to steer and there aren’t waves it would be dangerous to surf.
Just backlit clouds like windows to the void.
10:58 pm: A cool, wet breeze, F2, just took over from the brisk fresh F3. Now I get to wait and find out whether the rain will come to us or pass northeast like so many others from the southeast quadrant. Like the ships, they’re just faster than us.
7/5/2023
James’ 12-3am watch:
Dena hands the tiller over with an offer to drive us the rest of the way between the 3 storm cells I wake up to…I hang tight for a minute or two and gently shoo her away to her bunk.
I should’ve reefed!
Fuck!!!
When the combined winds of the three cells hit I pulled in both headsails and fell off the wind riding a following gust on squared-up waves…
Dena’s 3-6 am watch
4:41 am: Must be the heat.
I just de-crossconnected the propulsion pack (which we haven’t had to use tonight) from the house battery, which had taken a beating. We were down 5% in just the 3 hours between 9 pm and midnight! When I opened the lazarette to retrieve the companionway hatch (we remove one for better visibility of the chartplotter), I noticed that it was really hot in there.
The same space that’s home for the fridge. No wonder it had struggled to solidify the ice!
We’ll have to keep an eye on that.
Anyway, I connected the systems for an hour and wow does the 48v pack have a salubrious effect on the 12v system! For 2% of the propulsion pack, I boosted House 2 by 7%. That’s not magic, it’s the difference between voltages.
Meanwhile, we’re rocking a hard reach. Lovebot is struggling a bit in the gusts so I’m tempted to reef, but I fully expect a visit from Dawn Windkiller within the next hour and then we’ll want that sail area.
