Yacht Aditi

Day 13; Unexpected dinner guest

After shaking out the reef at dawn we glided along all day on an 11-15kn Easterley with swell occasionally shaking the rig. It is the occasional shaking of the rig that causes problems as during the cycle back and forth there are moments of slack. That is when things come undone. And I found a vital bolt on the boom furling universal joint about 50% out of it’s thread. Lucky! Now secured with lots of threadlock; pity the manufacturer did not enable the bolts to be pinned or locked.

Uneventful, hot and bright day. Came across a trawler, two ships and tailed by a yacht in the distance. Made a new marigold squid but it’s now made of dyneema middle cover rather than the stiffer outer cover so the swimming action isn’t there. Tried a professional popper lure but no takers. Just starting dinner and there was an almighty thwack on the cockpit tent. So what’s broken now? Then it slowly occurred to us that it was a fish. Now there is a search and rescue effort in place. Located in the dark by the crazy slapping the fish was grabbed by the tail and relaunched.

Midnight and wind changed direction and strengthened so we were heading 308 deg NW. 30 minutes to reef headsail then gybe. 5 minutes later wind returned to previous strength and direction!

Vital sadistics: DTG 1782nm, about last in fleet. Heading south to find wind as only making 4.5-5.5kn.

From the galley: Cereal, Tomato & Garlic on French Bread, Southern Chicken on Coconut & Black Bean Rice.

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