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ARC + Cape Verde |
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Johan Hackman
Admiral of the Fleet Joined: 24 August 2005 Location: Sweden Status: Offline Points: 4262 |
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I think this is the greatest "inter-myHanse" encounter so far. Simon and Panos crossing the Atlantic in the same boat! I don't understand why you are so secretive about it! Share, please! Share! We want stories and pictures. Johan |
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Swanji
Captain Joined: 28 March 2012 Location: Greece Status: Offline Points: 348 |
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To add to what Johan has posted - please let us know what it was like, highs, lows, would you do it again etc ect
I think I have to add this to my own bucket list
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Onwards and upwards
Nidri, Levkada, Ionian, Greece Hanse 350 #7, SY Evolution, standard keel, 3YM20 sail drive, 3 cabins, cherry wood interior, teak decks, feathering prop |
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CharlesP
Admiral Joined: 23 September 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1208 |
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Yes, come on Simon and Panos. Please tell us all about it.
Lovely photo Simon. Charles |
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'MERIDIAN LADY'
320 Nr 536 2010 Medway |
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gertha
Admiral Joined: 03 June 2004 Location: Pinn Mill Status: Offline Points: 1036 |
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Trade wind sailing. canary to caribbian via Cape Verde
Four weeks sailing down wind in warm seas ,warm air, four good crew and well provisioned boat. Or four weeks stuck on a boat, feeling seasick in the big ocean swell and cross seas, little or no sleep as the boat crashes and rolls, poor or no food , a crew that is not talking and always on the look out for squalls . I managed to select three good crew to help me on this years crossing, Kate had sailed Gertha before offshore, Kathleeen was an extra pair of hands , plus Panos down to earth hugely experienced sailor, mad as a bunch of frogs, if he gives up engineering he could host a TV show. Provisioning in Las Palmas Grand Canary is a cinch, however the number of boats that get it wrong amazes me. There is a man with a list of drinks, multiply the crew and days for 3 or 4 hard or soft drinks a day , place order and quarter of tonne of drink appears. Meat is the same , top quality, vacuum wrapped and frozen, again crew times days , it is not rocket science. Fruit and vegetables, either delivered or collected from market. Then 2 0r 3 supermarkets who deliver to boat. Wind and sea. The sea off Canaries is hard the first day or two pushed 50% of crew; but the sea settled and the wind was good so the crew started eating. I elected to push east on a broad reach , as the wind was predicted to move east , this would have pulled us round to Cape Verde; however the wind did not shift , we had 5 and half days of 15 knots from the northeast , perfect except should have stayed on the rhumb line. The wind leaving Cape Verde between the islands was strong, Panos managed some double figure surfs down wind on Genoa, think 13kn was the best. As we cleared the island the wind died, went on nose and by next day settled in to a trade wind, for 6 days we had a steady low teens wind sails were mainly genoa and self tack pole on pole, no great speed about 5 to 6 knots. Then the wind died to single figure for the next week, we ran the Asymetric day and night for 3 days gybing down wind, I have never sailed day and night with an Asymetric up however the winds were settled. Squals at dawn and dusk , we tried to get into them to use the wind ; but failed most of the time. As we closed Caribbian the squalls got together and we had 3 hours of 40 knots, a bit of quick sail changing as it came in fast and woke us up after 2 weeks of doing very little. we cleared the storm as we closed the island the sun was setting and a plane gave us a fly past, perfect. The little storm gave the crew a taste of what I had last time when we had a week of 4o knots, storms and equals. A close encounter with a whale one day was a high light , no fish caught, odd dolphins and sea birds seen. Sun tan to factor 9 , many books read, stories told. If every crossing was like this one I would do it again. If any one looks at results we are midway , pulling a Duogen for electric slows you about half a knot, but the peace of no engine for hours a day to keep battery charged is worth it, also the rally alowes engine use; but you should declare your hours; I fear that not everyone is honest about this. The event as a sail in company and not a race. As captain I deligate Panos to post photos, as I never take any and he took 3 thousand. his knick name was go-pro on some on the other boats |
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Swanned off
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CharlesP
Admiral Joined: 23 September 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1208 |
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Thanks Simon. Excellent report. So concise, yet informative. Looking forward to a few photos.
Charles |
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'MERIDIAN LADY'
320 Nr 536 2010 Medway |
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Swanji
Captain Joined: 28 March 2012 Location: Greece Status: Offline Points: 348 |
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Hi Simon
Great report. Interesting conclusion - if you had the same weather you would do it again versus your previous experience of strong winds and storms. But you still did it again anyway perhaps the allure of the Caribbean? Do you see many other boats during the crossing or are you so spread out? So no equipment failures - autopilot, watermaker, running rigging due to chafe, engine? Must be an awesome feeling when you get there! |
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Onwards and upwards
Nidri, Levkada, Ionian, Greece Hanse 350 #7, SY Evolution, standard keel, 3YM20 sail drive, 3 cabins, cherry wood interior, teak decks, feathering prop |
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gertha
Admiral Joined: 03 June 2004 Location: Pinn Mill Status: Offline Points: 1036 |
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Basicly no other boats seen after first day; but at the end we saw a couple of other boats.
We did see one boat , it was sunset and there was a rainbow behind us, the combination of light showed the sail, by way of bonus we raised him on VHF. Equipment failures again nil, the boom preventer chafed as we had it set for so long whilst using the boom to hold the self tack when pole to pole, to leave the sails in the same position for days on end is a new experience for me. The alternator appeared to be failing on the last day, however the starter motor also started to fault a week or two ago, the problem is the main neutral connection for the engine is on a stud below the rubbish exhaust elbow, so a bit of corrosion was problem and all is now working again. A rivet came out of the boom, this we replaced; do not go to sea without the biggest rivet machine you can hold. A shackle came off the second reef. Maybe one or two other odds and sods. A landfall after a few weeks at sea is always a good natural high plus offshore sailing gives you a great peace , there is no one apart from you and the elements, even with modern communications you can get away from it all. S |
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