One good thing about sailing alone for longer than a week seems to be the total absence of the so common " Monday Morning Blues"! Either everyday is a holiday or there are no holidays, whichever way you look at it, though I am inclined to go with the former. A fairly good day after a long night thanks to regular squalls followed by very light winds. We made good progress last night and somehow kept moving through the day. It became unusually cool through the night and I actually had to get my sleeping bag out. We are travelling through a shipping lane so a bit of company of big guys passing us. I would anyday prefer them to the unlit fishing boats. Most big ships have the AIS, paint well on the radar and so far seem to respond to a VHF call keeping clear of our erratic course. Not much fishing traffic as we are over 75 Nm from land. In fact as I write we are passing Cape Comorin, more commonly know as Kanyakumari, the Southernmost point of the Indian penninsula. The last time we passed this route was in May on the way to Colombo with Abhilash for company. Hard to believe that it was just three months back. It was our first trip abroad and I can still remember our apprehensions as the wind started going over 20 kts. The wind is going over 20 kts again but I am confortably sitting inside writing this. Both Mhadei and me have sailed over 7000 Nm since then and the mutual confidence has grown by leaps and bounds!
Today's day though truly belonged to the Autopilots. The Raymarine autopilot started working after sulking for the last two days. Its steering the boat now and I am keeping my fingers crossed. The wind vane autopilot, probably the least used equipment on board so far was put to use for a couple of hours and worked well. Plan to use it through the day tomorrow to reduce my electricity consumption. The day ended with a sail past by INS Bangaram who had come to check us out. The whole Ship's company had lined up on the deck to wish fair winds to Mhadei! Its almost 2130 now. After a rather heavy dinner of a large Tuna, Potato, egg and onion salad washed down with some hot soup its time to get into the daily cycle of catnaps through the night. Looks like another long night ahead as the wind is picking up intermittently, some squalls are visible and the shipping traffic needs to be watched out for. Started picking up the radio transmission like every night, Goa AIR of all the places, which is really nice if one has to stay awake!
One good thing about sailing alone for longer than a week seems to be the total absence of the so common " Monday Morning Blues"! Either everyday is a holiday or there are no holidays, whichever way you look at it, though I am inclined to go with the former. A fairly good day after a long night thanks to regular squalls followed by very light winds. We made good progress last night and somehow kept moving through the day. It became unusually cool through the night and I actually had to get my sleeping bag out. We are travelling through a shipping lane so a bit of company of big guys passing us. I would anyday prefer them to the unlit fishing boats. Most big ships have the AIS, paint well on the radar and so far seem to respond to a VHF call keeping clear of our erratic course. Not much fishing traffic as we are over 75 Nm from land. In fact as I write we are passing Cape Comorin, more commonly know as Kanyakumari, the Southernmost point of the Indian penninsula. The last time we passed this route was in May on the way to Colombo with Abhilash for company. Hard to believe that it was just three months back. It was our first trip abroad and I can still remember our apprehensions as the wind started going over 20 kts. The wind is going over 20 kts again but I am confortably sitting inside writing this. Both Mhadei and me have sailed over 7000 Nm since then and the mutual confidence has grown by leaps and bounds! 
Today's day though truly belonged to the Autopilots. The Raymarine autopilot started working after sulking for the last two days. Its steering the boat now and I am keeping my fingers crossed. The wind vane autopilot, probably the least used equipment on board so far was put to use for a couple of hours and worked well. Plan to use it through the day tomorrow to reduce my electricity consumption. The day ended with a sail past by INS Bangaram who had come to check us out. The whole Ship's company had lined up on the deck to wish fair winds to Mhadei! Its almost 2130 now. After a rather heavy dinner of a large Tuna, Potato, egg and onion salad washed down with some hot soup its time to get into the daily cycle of catnaps through the night. Looks like another long night ahead as the wind is picking up intermittently, some squalls are visible and the shipping traffic needs to be watched out for. Started picking up the radio transmission like every night, Goa AIR of all the places, which is really nice if one has to stay awake!
7 comments:
great going donde, News this side - Bamchu is CO now.. keep writing and if you need any other info just shout .. we will hear you . ha ha
Bon Voyage
Wishing you fair winds and god speed.
I shall be tracking your massive adventure, here-onwards.
Rohit Kakkar
Seems you're trying out different things and getting to know your boat better. have fun!
your blog has become mandatory reading and i look forward to vicariously sharing your adventure. hopefully in preparation for one of my own.
can you tell us a little more about boatspeed under various prevailing conditions as and when you post. also a little more detail on troubleshooting the raymarine autopilot?
what kind of weather services are you using?
fair wind, godspeed and keep it going, Cdr.
Seriously, it seems difficult to believe that just three months back we had crossed the ggulf between India and Sri Lanka. So much has passed since that night of upwind sailing in 20 kn breeze with the main fully on. May be thats the first time she heeled so much. I remember you keeping a constant watch on the instruments from inside and I was perched on the windward guardrail whole night long. It must be a cake walk for you now...
- abhilash
Hey sir,
Passed on the site to most of the wing in DSSC. you may receive some more good wishes as you go along...
tc
rajiv.
[Seaferns]
I am using a software called Bon Voyage for weather prediction. The only way I can troubleshoot the Raymarine autopilot is to check all the electrical connections, disconnect and move the arm before reconnecting and say please or curse it depending on my mood. Usually works! The boatspeed of this boat more or less remains steady between 5 to 8 kts. She goes to 5 kts easily once the wind picks up beyond 10 kts and beyond about 8 to 9 kts its time to shorten sail cause you are disproportionately straining her after that for very little gain in speed.
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