Wind Horse and crew are having a lovely passage. The barometer remains high, 1020 mb, indicating the glassy calm on hand at present is likely to continue. We have turned the traffic separation corner off Ouessant, France, and are now aimed directly at La Coruna in the northwest corner of Spain. Both GRIB files and weather faxes indicate conditions should remain pleasant for the next 48 hours, then it might get ugly, which is one of the reasons we are believers in making quick crossings.
The little John Deere diesels are turning 1700RPM and Wind Horse,at full load, is doing 10.5 to 10.7 knots through the water. Fuel burn, measured with the graduated sight gauge on the day tank, indicates about 5.5 USG/hour is being consumed, including the fuel burned for hydraulic and electrical power. The new props continue to look like the right choice.
The new galley appliances are working fine, and it does not appear the crew will go hungry (or lose weight on a passage) any time soon. Ship traffic is minimal, we’ve seen maybe 30 ships in eight hours – we’d see that many in half an hour in the English Channel! Need we add that it feels really good to be at sea again.
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6/4/2010 7:32 PM (UTC) position 48