Frustrating weekend for VDH

Sail patching on board Adrienne

Day 79
Position at 1300: 40°16S / 76°31E
Wind 14 knots from W, slight sea.
Temperatures: day 21°C/ night 12C°/ sea 16° C
Distance covered in the last 24 hours: 175 miles.
To the Cape of Good Hope 2,793 miles.
Lead over P. Monnet 19 days and 9 hours.

Hello

I had a very bad Saturday covering only a hundred miles or so. I was in a calm zone for around 30 hours, which is always depressing, even if I have a lead of 19 days.

On two occasions, one after the other, there was absolutely no wind, so I lowered the mainsail. The first time I stuck on a patch and sewed it on, where there was a tear in the sail, then I carried out a complete check-up of each slider, as I hoisted it back up.

Most of them needed to have their fixing bolts tightened. On the second occasion, I stuck a patch on each side and sewed it in place over the main hole in the middle, level with the second reef. It doesn't look very pretty now! But with the sail in place and the swell causing a steady roll, it wasn't easy to do. In any case, the main thing is that this part has been strengthened and this hole won't spread. I think I have achieved that.

Fortunately, the wind returned during the night, admittedly head on, and I had to turn several times to be on the best course possible towards the west. I finally headed back down to the south of 40°... with the aim of rounding up my lead to 20 days!

See you tomorow,

JL VDH

A weekend with the cuddly toy, "SPA (the French RSPCA) reporter" from Pierre Tezenas, a nice little dog.