London to Rio Part 4

To Continue some of the fun things we get to do while on board.

Navigator is a fun job unless it is blowing pretty hard, then it can be the return of the Green Monster. You get to play with all these cool radar screens, write down all the boat information each hour being sure you put correct time zone on report (UTC time from the clock showing the UK office time and official time, the correct time within the time zone from the screen, and then there is boat time if we haven’t changed our watches), longitude, latitude, speed over ground, compass over ground, distance traveled, true wind direction, true wind speed, apparent wind direction, apparent wind speed, heading, generator on/off, engine on/off, watermaker on/off, battery power, skipper asleep or awake, etc.. That should give you an idea of what we put in a tiny space.

DJ working on the log in Nav station

Setting up the tweaker for flying kite to avoid boom causing chafing on the active sheet ( the line that is controlling the kite).

Setting up tweaker with Hal holding

Pulling Yankee (foremost sail on the boat) down

Taking Yankee down while Stay Sail remains up. They are pulling it down behind the Stay sail.

Being the communicator for the helmsman.

Me waiting to hear something from either Craig at helm or the navy station about course. I get to relay messages.

Me waiting to hear something from either Craig at helm or the nav station about course. I get to relay messages.

Getting to helm!

Me at the helm with Deb as communicator. One of the few times I have been able to just sail the sails and not go totally by compass. DJ protecting us!

Pants of Power is the lucky person that wears the climbing harness. They are on station to go up the mast if needed, rescue anyone that goes overboard as they will be set up on the halyards to go in and then be pulled out after getting the person back on board (MOB). They also have the duty of checking all the rigging on a daily basis and making a note of any defects.

Watch Leader Nick ready for anything and sending his love to all

Bowperson that might be calling the line at start, getting ready to either hoist or take down the Yankee, preparing to set up tack line for kite, secure second preventer for accidental gybe, or whatever else they are asked to do.

Hal being Hal hoping to get to do something awesome at the bow.

Sometimes it gets a bit hairy moving about on the boat.

Fun. Since he is on the low side must be trying to fix something.

Crawling way back to cockpit

Or when no wind, sometimes it is just time to scrub down the deck.

Nigel always finding something to clean

Getting the mainsail down at end of the leg if no problems before.

Tony pulling main down at end of race (yes, 1am in the morning)

Computer once again trying my patience and we are getting ready to go out for a workday so more later. I am hoping to get you through the first leg and if lucky show you some of the Rio adventures.

Have a great day!

2 thoughts on “London to Rio Part 4”

It is so great to get these messages from you, Linda. Thank you!! There are lots of folks here cheering you on, supporting you by spending gargantuan amounts of time obsessively watching the little green boat on race tracker (including yours truly), donating, staying in touch through FB pages and websites. Your adventure has even forced me to learn Twitter!! Horror of horrors!! I’m sure there are trying times for you (we cheer you on particularly during those times) but I hope your adventure continues to be grand. You will have lots of questions to answer when you get back to AYC — and probably in Seattle and New York (John and I want to go to both but I’m sure there will be many to meet, greet, and give you hugs at those ports. Good to see photos of you–you look terrific. Take care. Enjoy the coming sleigh ride! 🙂

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