1500 EST – 26’59"N/66’29W – 520 miles to Go

The tactical options are becoming more constrained as we close with the British Virgins. Weather is still tough to work to advantage, with a building high over the Bahamas interacting with a large depression off New England.

We’ve been sailing since this AM on port jibe, heading to what looked like an area with more pressure. This decision was made primarily based on what the barometer was showing us – the fax and routing data being in conflict.

A half hour ago we’d gone far enough east to drop the barometer 1 mb beyond the normal daily fluctuation, and with a couple of more knots of wind we’ve jibed back onto starboard. This tack has several advantages: first, it is aimed (for now) more directly at our destination. Second, being more aligned with the waves we’re getting better surfs.

The tricky part comes in the next 12 to 24 hours. In theory there’s a corner of the high we’re going to be cutting. This means (theoretically) more wind (good) and a rapidly shifting breeze from NNW to NNE and then NE. If this occurs, we’ll have to decide how long to stay on this course, before jibing over (as the wind goes around to the NNE we start to head away from the mark).

Speaking of jibing, if you’ve never jibed a big ketch, with headsails on both spars, two handed, you are missing something. We’re a little rusty, but getting quicker. We were off the pace for less than five minutes during the last jibe, which we feel is pretty good for a couple of folks who can get the senior discount on movie tickets when we visit CA (we don’t qualify yet in AZ).

Basically the system is as follows: run off to an angle of 165 true, then roll the mizzen genoa, ease the tack and halyard so it will clear the main boom, then release the main running backstay.

The main and mizzen preventers are then eased and both sheets winched home so the booms are tight over their travelers (using a pair of electric sheet winches). The sheets are then removed and travelers put on the electric winches, ready for the actual jibe.

The spinnaker is a piece of cake. Easing the articulating bowsprit to center is the first step. Then we ease off the spinn sheet while turning the boat dead down wind. The spinnaker is then tacked in the same manner you would a jib. As it is coming across we winch the main and mizzen travelers to center. The helm is adjusted to 165 true wind angle on the new jibe and we reverse the process.

The first step is to get the bowsprit to weather and the spinnaker drawing. Main and mizzen are then dealt with, then we set the main runner. Finally, one of us brings the tack of the rolled mizzen Genoa across the boat and re-attaches it on the weather side. Once this sail is set we’re back at 100%.

This is all simpler than it sounds, and goes fairly quickly, even in the 22 knots of wind we have right now. We are off the pace by about 30% for three minutes, and slow by 10% for another two.

We’ll probably get a lot more practice in the next 24 hours setting up for the last miles to the finish.

PS-we typically only need to jib every couple of thousand miles on most passages – it is just this one is a little weird.