We've been rocking and rolling like crazy for the past couple days on a beam reach in large beam seas. While we're making good headway, the thick rubber that collars our mast where it passes through the cabin top, is falling--being pushed-down and out, into the cabin. This hasn't happened before. I can stand there and push up on it with my fingertips and, as the boat rocks and rolls and the mast moves slightly from side to side, the pressure eases slightly-here and there-and I'm able to push it up and back into place. All is well, for about 20 minutes.
I pounded some shims upward, between the mast wall and rubber to try and tighten things up, but this approach only buys me about 10 additional minutes before the shim falls to the sole and the rubber falls again. Now I've got two shims in place and a large hose clamp fixing the shims to the side of the mast. This is working better still, but not completely.
And a glass exploded last night. Eleanor was just starting to do the dishes and a drinking glass she mistakenly left on the drying rack (said rack was on the windward side) slid into the sink, a 6-inch fall. These are hearty, tempered-glass glasses that have been with us for miles and miles and which have met the sole on several occasions. Well, with little provocation this one literally exploded. Bits of glass few over Eleanor and across the cabin. I went to the sink and all that remained was a neat pile of tiny bits of glass, nothing bigger than a square centimeter--no indication it was ever a drinking glass. It was really odd.
And my throat hurts. We were all hanging out in the cockpit last night, watching the moonrise, when it occurred to Frances that because we are so far from nowhere, there was nobody to alarm if she screamed.
"Oh please can I scream, as loud as I can?"
"Fine."
Which turned into a screaming contest to see who could scream the loudest. Let me assure you, if there is one thing a 9- or 11-year-old girl can beat her parents at, it's a screaming contest. Their little voice boxes reach a pitch and volume I can't get close to.
As I type this (4:00 pm on May 5) we are 615 nautical miles from Fatu Hiva.
--MR
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Fluenta Family Back in Pacific Yachting
5 weeks ago
Been there done that with the 9 year old daughter screaming contest! My ears have literally never hurt so bad as when my girls were granted permission to scream at max volume "just to see how loud it is". Fair winds and safe passage Del Viento!
ReplyDeleteI've been following you for years and now your journey across the Pacific. I love reading about your travels, your struggles, your victories, your adventures, hopes, dreams, your very lives. It helps to fuel my imagination for the day when I can take my own family out and make my own stories. I particularly enjoyed reading about crossing the equator and now the screaming contest. Such good memories to have. Thank you ALL for sharing your adventures with us landlubbers. God bless your voyage. Sail on, ye glorious travelers!
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