tophatyachts.com

Webb Chiles has been mentioned in the forum before concerning autopilots. He has now left St. Helena and is heading north west in his 24 foot boat. I love reading about the smaller boat trips up and down our coast, around Australia and further afield.

I also appreciate the technology that the average sailor can get their hands on at a reasonable cost.

Following is the link to his tracker. When there is a deviation from his course Ie, going in the opposite direction, I often check the weather to try and work out what is happening.
https://my.yb.tl/gannet

When he arrives at a port with the internet, he uploads his blog and all is revealed.
http://self-portraitinthepresentseajour ... pot.com.au

That is amazing.

And yes, the technology is awesome. For some, watching a tracker is akin to watching paint dry but I find it fascinating, if one has an interest in the boat. As Rohan says, from changes in the tracker plot, you can picture some scenarios like if the dotted line leaves the dock but goes back, it might mean he left his packet of take-away donuts at the cafe and had to go back for them. Or out at sea, a deviation might mean a lull in the wind and left to the mercy of currents. I agree with Rohan, it can be fascinating to try and work out what is going on. Especially when later you can read the blog when it gets posted.

troppo

Thanks for the heads up Rohan.
This guy is a true sailor with a very interesting tilt on things.
With 5 circumnavigation and into his 70's........you have to say he is living his life to the full.

Just finished reading the Durban to St Helena Passage Log, this morning. Great stuff.
Here's just a little bit of if it:

February 14, Tuesday
Indian Ocean

0645 I went to sleep last night at 2000. An hour later the off course alarm sounded on the Raymarine. The Pelagic has steered properly, but is disconcertedly noisy, particularly below deck and when trying to sleep. I’ll certainly use it when there are waves sweeping the deck.
The wind had died to a whisper and gone to the north. GANNET was facing east into an almost full gibbous moon rising. Starry sky. Three fishing boats working to the south of us.
I managed to get the little boat turned around and retrimmed the sails. The tiller pilot managed to keep us ghosting west at 1 to 2 knots.

Sunny, clear sky this morning. Still only a breath of wind. SOG 1.8. 206 miles to Cape Agulhas.

0845 A busy morning.
I saw that another Aurinco solar panel had failed. That makes seven out of nine. I had a replacement, but it was buried beneath the cushions on the v-berth, so I removed a lot of bags to get to it and put it in place on deck. More complicated than it had to be because Aurinco has changed the dimensions of that size panel and two new screw holes had to be drilled. Nevertheless in place and adding to our charging. Until, of course, it too dies.

I then ran a bead of sealant along the aft edge of the forward hatch.

During all this GANNET ghosted west.
The wind has now gone around to the stern. If it ever settles, I will set the G2. SOG 2.4.


1200
34º42’S 23º53’E
day’s run 92 miles COG 256º SOG 4.5
Cape Agulhas 190 miles 266º

A pleasant sunny day. The wind has returned to a little east of south and we sail on a beam reach a little south of west.
It would be a good day for the G2, but I will not set it until the sealant around the forward hatch has cured.
A ship heading east passed a mile south of us, and I saw five gannets. I have seen them before on this coast, but then I’ve kept in closer. We are currently 34 miles offshore. I did not think they would be out this far. They were flying together. I grabbed a camera, but they didn’t return.
I can see mountains back in the direction of Cape St. Francis 58 miles away.

The forecast when I left Durban showed strong headwinds off Cape Agulhas on Thursday. Until last night I thought we would have passed the cape by then. Now we won’t. The forecast may have changed. Nothing I can do except sail GANNET as well as conditions permit. If we do have strong headwinds, I’ll lie ahull again and wait them out.

Several things drying in the cockpit. My foul weather gear and sea boots, a flotation cushion, a pair of shorts, two pair of boat shoes.

1530 Beautiful afternoon. Blue sea and sky. Great sailing. GANNET broad reaching smoothly at 7 knots under main and jib, water coming over the bow but not making it’s way aft.
1730 More than beautiful, a joyful afternoon. Before I left Evanston I wished others joy and said that I would find it. I have. This is not adrenaline rush, edge of knock down experience. When you have been in Force 12 eight or nine times, you really don’t seek thrills. At least I don’t. More than enough thrills seek me. This was perfectly balanced, no pain, no water streaming below, sailing. Just pleasure. Just the joy of a sailor being at one with his boat and the ocean.

I’ve come below from standing in the companionway sipping a gin and tonic, listening to Leonard Cohen’s POPULAR PROBLEMS album. Three pleasures: the drink, the music, GANNET elegantly sliding through the sea. Joy.

The wind is softening. I hope it lasts to the Atlantic Ocean.

1915 The wind has strengthened to 18 knots. Again I stood in the companionway. Certainly an evening for Laphroaig, so I poured myself some. GANNET powering on, bow wave rising in white water to the deck is itself intoxicating. Power from such a small boat? Yes. And grace. And balance. The ocean within arm’s length. Literally. As I proved by leaning over to rinse the spoon with which I ate my dinner of freeze dry lamb and vegetables. You could not have so immediate an experience on a larger boat. This is just so great. I love it.

Webb Chiles
http://self-portraitinthepresentseajour ... ot.com.au/

I enjoyed that heaps. Thanks for posting.

I like his style. Grog and short sentences.

Rohan

Read the whole lot, now I just need a top hat. Lol