Ok, I’m ready to admit it. Things have changed in cruising in the past few decades, and mainly for the better. Consider: We made the trip from San Diego to Manzanillo, Mexico in 4.5 days, averaging 281 miles per day for the trip. That’s about what we do in the trades – what is different for this passage is that Beowulf has done it in a lot less wind than it would normally take to make this kind of speed – we had an average of probably less than 14 knots of wind, mainly deep on the quarter.

The reason? Two new sails designed for us by Steve Reed at North Sails. The first is a cruising version of the Whitbread 60 code 0 reacher, which flies free on a Vectran luff rope and roller furls. Rather than a triangular shaped reacher, with hollow foot and leach, this sail actually has positive curvature on the bottom and aft edges. It is wonderfully powerful, but low in drag. Steve also designed a mizzen genoa along the same lines – just a hair flatter. We can carry both of these sails as tight as 40 degrees apparent wind angle, and when the bowsprit is canted to weather and the mizzen genoa tack moved to the weather rail, they are effective as deep as 120 awa (150 degree true wind angle). The result is that Beowulf is sailing faster than her polars predict with two asymmetric spinnakers, with a lot less hassle for the crew! I predict you will be seeing more of these sails once sailmakers and cruisers realize how fast and easy they are to use.

When we decided to stop in Manzanillo it was a last minute decision and it was night-no moon to guide us in. We’ve been here before, but not for 17 years, and even though the approach to the anchorage is wide open and not at all difficult, we normally would have kept going, or hove to offshore until daylight. Except that we’ve got some new stuff aboard Beowulf to test-a chart system running on a laptop tied to a GPS for one, and a pair of night vision binoculars.

We used radar bearings as we entered the bay to confirm that the GPS had us in the right place at the right time, and where we showed up on the computer chart was where we really were. Then we used the night vision goggles to watch for anchored pangas (fishing boats) and other obstructions-they are wonderful in this situation and having used them once, we’d not sail without them in the future.

So, between the chart plotting system, depth finder, night vision goggles, radar,and GPS, we made it. We could have also made it with our regular binoculars and radar but the risks would have been higher, and unless forced by an emergency to seek the harbor, we’d have waited for daylight. So, score another point for progress.

Of course the first thing anyone does nowadays when they make a new port is find the closest phone jack to get connected to the web. We’re no exception. The tons of business e-mail is a pain, but it is nice to see what’s happening with the America’s Cup, the financial markets, and most important, how the Arizona Wildcat basketball team is doing (GO Cats!). It is also wonderful to be able to go to the weather links on SetSail, make our way to the Marine Prediction Center, and get the latest frequencies and schedules for the New Orleans weather fax broadcasts – which we’ll make use of after we leave Mexico.

After a couple of days enjoying being anchored in this bustling tourist destination, we’re ready for some solitude again and tomorrow we’re off towards Panama-probably direct (we never say for sure where we are headed-no sense in challenging Poseidon). Right now it is looking like we might have some breeze when we are in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. We’ll head well offshore, so as to get maximum effect from anything blasting through from the Caribbean side-although we have enough fuel to power all the way to the Canal, if need be (yuck!).

We’ll give you an update if it looks exciting-so far Linda has the top speed for the passage at 30 knots (surfing). The best the male side of the crew could muster was 22.8 knots. Linda always seems to catch the best waves…