18th November 2013
The radio schedule I had with Alyson and the Radio club members after tea yesterday wasn’t clear at all. It was very difficult to make each other out. Just as well I said as the wind had picked up and I had to go and take in a reef. I did that and had just got back down to my bunk for a sleep when we lurched on a wave and there was a nasty sounding crack on the deck above me. I pulled on oilskins in a hurry and got on deck to find the roller fairlead for the headsail had pulled itself apart and the sheet was going straight from the winch to the sail. The Jib had been poled out to starboard and the pole always puts more strain on the lead. I quickly dropped the pole and got it stowed on deck. I sat watching conditions for a while and not long after the wind had picked up more. We rounded side on and got hit by two larger waves. I had to drop and stow the mainsail as well. I wondered if it was even too much wind for the Jib alone but we seemed to be ok. However an hour later I did swop the Jib for the Storm Jib. It wasn’t maybe a full gale but there was a lot of motion and I wanted to play safe for the rest of the night.
I’ve rigged a block for the sheet which will do for now. I’ll have to think what to do with the roller lead. It would need welding to repair it properly but maybe I can rig it with a jury rig somehow. These fresh Northerly’s are sending us south fast but we are paying a price for it.
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