Setting sail sooner than expected

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Joli

We know how you feel.

78 knots here in Ohio when Ike went through, our two ply 10 oz jib is toast.

Good luck with your new sail.

That is a long way up.

[Stella Polaris]

Since deciding to set sail, I've actually set sail. I'm now in Amsterdam doing the final preparations before continuing south. If you're interested in reading more about the trip down, please check out my website.

So what am I doing here? Well, I have a long list of things I'm doing, but when I'm done I'll really be ready for the 7 seas. I'll write a list and if anyone is curious or would like me to elaborate, please ask.
- I'm changing the main anchor from a CQR to a Rocna 33.
- I'm going all chain on the anchor rode (8mm stainless duplex chain).
- I'm putting on a brand new jib (after my old one tore badly on the way down from Norway).
- I'm changing and rewiring all my bilge pumps (2 of the older ones melted, so it needs to be done ASAP). I'll now be using six Sahara 750 bilge pumps.
- I'm sorting out some trouble with my wireless tacktik wind measurer. It basically packs in after a few hours of use.
- I need to adjust the rudder angle on the autopilot, because it now has straight forward as being 6 degrees to starboard.
- I need to pull a new spinnaker halyard, because one of the old ones snapped inside the mast on the way down from Norway.
- In addition I'm having the gennaker that went for a swim repaired and I'm getting a new larger gennaker to replace the one that tore on the way up North.
- I'm having the boat hauled out and will scrub the bottom properly and change the zincs.

The boat was hauled out earlier today and to all those that wonder it weighed in just under 10 tons. This is with pretty much empty fuel and water tanks.

The trip to Amsterdam from Norway was actually tougher than expected. The first attempt was stopped by wind, waves and current on the nose, mixed with an auto pilot that said good night (it stopped working and the auto-fuse flipped). The boat performed admirably, but when the elements are against you it really doesn't matter what boat you have. We also shredded the jib, so that was a bit of a pain.

The second attempt went better, until the halyard that was holding the gennaker up snapped and I saw my beautiful new gennaker go for a swim. I managed to give it a small tear when I pulled it onboard, so we had to motor the rest of the way. I didn't have a jib, because I had to get to Amsterdam to get the new one delivered from South Africa. Gideon (the owner of African Cats) brought the jib with him when he came up from SA. Gideon has been very helpful with anything related to the boat and has helped me every step of the way.

We got to Amsterdam and the trip was enjoyable, but it would have been much more so if I had been sailing, but when you have bad luck and a halyard snaps, there is little you can do. I was plagued by sails breaking, but the first two were old and very well used and not properly cared for in the past year before I bought the boat, so it wasn't a big surprise. The last tear was an accident when I pulled the gennaker back onboard after its impromptu swim, so there was little I could do. I'm hoping that with my new sail wardrobe that the trip down to Portugal will go better.

Now if only the weather would change, so that I could get more favorable winds going through the English Channel and across the Bay of Biscay.

[lolanreg@smartc]

Thanks for you news of your leaving Norway and your passage to Spain. Good luck on the challenge of the Atlantic, may you have better conditions. Look forward to to your next post . Natureboy

[Eleven]

I hope all your troubles are now behind you.
It's a shame because this monday was the PERFECT day to round northern france and shoot straight across to the Azores or Portugal.
Kindly northern winds around a big and slow moving, high in mid atalantic.
Haven't looked for a couple of days but this morning there are strong northerly across southern britain, 50mph (land) gusts and a cold rain.
Good to hear Gideon is as good as his word. From his threads and comments I recognise a sailor and a true gent.
Bon Voyage

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Eleven

It's a shame because this monday was the PERFECT day to round northern france and shoot straight across to the Azores or Portugal.

I know. It was painful not to be able to continue, but without sails ...
Right now the weather is terrible, but I'm hoping that we'll see more favorable weather after the weekend.

Originally Posted by lolanreg@smartc

Good luck on the challenge of the Atlantic, may you have better conditions.

Thank you. I'm hoping for better conditions as well.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

That is a long way up.

As I told the last guy I hauled up the mast. "Once you are over thirty feet it may as well be a hundred."

I like being the fat guy. No one ever asks me to strap the chair to my butt...

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

No one ever asks me to strap the chair to my butt...

I love the view from the top of the mast, so I'm always the one volunteering for these kinds of jobs.

[Alan N Crichton]

Your new gennaker looks fantastic - it is the SA flag ! Hope all goes well on you Atlanitic trip. Is your vessel still Durban registered ?

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Alan N Crichton

Your new gennaker looks fantastic - it is the SA flag ! Hope all goes well on you Atlanitic trip. Is your vessel still Durban registered ?

Yes, the new gennaker is the SA flag. The other one is a royal blue gennaker with a yellow African continent. They both look great.
My boat is now registered in the Netherlands, but I'll register her some place else, as soon as I can figure out the best place to ... avoid paying more than I need to in taxes.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

As I told the last guy I hauled up the mast. "Once you are over thirty feet it may as well be a hundred."

I like being the fat guy. No one ever asks me to strap the chair to my butt...

I haul myself up, using ascender gear. 30' is easier than 100'.

[freetime]

Andreas,

I would like to see a map with position on your blog... Do you have plans for that?

What engines is in your cat?

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by freetime

Andreas,

I would like to see a map with position on your blog... Do you have plans for that?

What engines is in your cat?

I would like to see a map like that too, but first I need to figure out how to do it.

I have 2 x 30hp Lombardini engines.

[freetime]

http://www.winlink.org/

I found this at www.liveantares.com and owners. I don´t know if it´s cheap/free... But probably someone on this forum can help you...

2 x 30 Italy sounds good!

And post many pics on your blog...

[Stella Polaris]

It's been a long time since I've been online, but now I've finally made it to the Caribbean.

I left Norway on September 22nd and sighted St. Lucia on December 11th. I've written all about the trip down Europe and across the Atlantic on my blog, so please take a look there if you're curious.

Right now I'm in Le Marin in Martinique, but will sail slowly down towards Grenada tomorrow. Then on the 27th I'll sail northwards from Grenada towards the Virgin Islands on a sail that should take a month and a half. I really hope to meet some of the people that's helped me get this far, along the way.

[Chattcatdaddy]

Glad to hear you had a safe passage!