Segling och båtliv. - Smygsegling Bouwe´s knep på spurten

Ska smygsegling - Stealth Mode - fixa spurten när Bouwe stänger ner AIS var sjätte timma?

Scally leder med 37 M - på papperet. Men blekebälten och en mängd kämpiga gippar väntar.

Bouwes blog torsdag

We are ticking off the miles and it will be a battle with TTTOP. It will get interesting around the top of the Philippines. Do you go inshore or stay offshore? Close to the coast there will be an acceleration of the breeze and a favourable current, but lots of obstacles in the form of small islands and fishing boats, which means lots of gybing and we know it can be painful.

Offshore: less breeze and less favourable current, but you get the wind shift first and you have a better angle for the approach going into HK. We will go in stealth mode for the next position report, but you can imagine TTTOP might go as well. One disadvantage we have is that TTTOP’s AIS is not working. We know that from the day we sailed close together, so we can't see them even when we are getting close during the night, unless we spot their nav. lights. But they most likely still can see us, so they can anticipated on our moves during the dark hours. For sure it will be getting interesting last 48 hours.

Cheers,
Bouwe.

Jan 16 2018 9:05 AM
Update from skipper Bouwe Bekking onboard Team Brunel:

Not much exciting news to report from the last 24 hours, have been losing some miles and now slowly gaining back again.

On deck it is a matter of choice, keeping your foulies on and getting wet from sweat or take them off and getting the occasional shower from saltwater. Most go for the 2nd option, but it means no salt-free shirts anymore as in general all have used the two or three pairs they had with them on this trip. As well it means that lots have saltwater spots on their body.

An advantage is still having water/ spray running over the deck is helping cleaning our cooler in which we prepare our food. We have everyday left overs, so at least nobody is hungry, but it is not an easy task to clean it up. First scooping the bin empty with the big spoon at the stern of the boat, then move forward close the entry of the cabin. Wait that a wave rolls over the deck, so you can fill some water in the bin, get the brush and soap out and clean as good as you can, chuck the water out and wait for the next wave to collect water to rinse the soap out.

Sometimes a lengthy process as no water comes over, then it means filling a bucket downstairs with our saltwater pump.

Maybe there is one interesting thing to report : we have sailed over one of the deepest places on earth below sea level, 10,296 metres deep, makes you wonder what kind of sea monsters are living down there and we went right over it :-)

cheers,
Bouwe