News
July 19, 2019, 1300
Tough night and day but in the end very satisfying. The squalls last night were brutal. Too much for our limited suite of spinnakers so we decided to hoist the big genoa and pole it out. Except that the furling foil split and the sail got caught between foil sections. Eventually fixed after some magnificent work by David Sawdon and especially Jeff up the foil on a halyard using a grinder… don’t ask any more. Everyone and thing intact, sail hoisted and furled ready for this evenings squall party. While all this was going on the hydraulic ram that functions as the boom vang let go with a loud bang and a spray of oil on the deck. Again sorted this time using good old fashion string and purchases, well dynex and purchases anyway! So we power on, doing the best we can.
July 18, 2019
Played dodge the rain squalls last night. Actually in Kialoa’s case so far it’s go in a straight line and watch the squalls blow by as we seem to be on the same course. Sure, one will go right over the top of us soon enough. Standard procedure so far has been, if we are on the S edge, is to drop the staysails and mizzen to make steering a bit easier when the wind rises and then progressively re-hoist as the shower and its wind effects pass. Rolled through a thousand miles to go early this morning to big smiles. Bo Koh “grandma’s stew” from Grant last night was magnificent. We roll on…
July 17, 2019
Sailed into a bit of a wind hole around 9am this morning. Still enough to move at a decent speed but not the speed we were expecting so we are digging south to see if we can recover. Still half the race to do so while a bit of a downer, we are working hard. Grunter has raised spirits with toasted sandwiches for lunch. I’m thinking we are due a bit of luck as all three heads (toilets) malfunctioned this morning. All fixed. The head cook swears it was nothing to do with his minestrone, served last night.
July 16, 2019
All up: big symmetric spinnaker, genoa staysail, mainsail, mizzen staysail and mizzen. Trucking towards Diamond head. Weather is sunny, seas fairly rolly, and the temperature is steadily rising. Fewer clothes needed at night, more and more sunblock being used.
July 15, 2019
Bowling along nicely. Wind has increased to 22kts and put a bit more pressure on us and K2 but so far so good. Roast pork, roast spuds, vegetables, apple sauce and gravy last night! One of Grunter’s best.
July 14, 2019
Heading more west at hull speed to take advantage, we hope, of the mid Pacific high pulling back north which is due to happen tomorrow. This should allow us to sail fewer miles at our best pace. We don’t plane like the newer boats so once we have enough wind, more doesn’t make us go any faster. A tactical risk, so cross your fingers!
July 13, 2019
Very slow off the start – hard to get 45 tonnes rolling in 6kts of breeze. We hung on slowly losing ground until past Catalina when the wind started its slow climb from 8kts to where it peaked (at least for now) about 3 hours ago at 30. We currently have full main #3 and mizzen up and rolling along in quite an uncomfortable sea, close reaching but making good time. A few rumbly bellies first night out!