11 June, 07 – 11.48
16.5283N,60.2720W
12 hr progress: 8.9 Nautical Miles (1 nm = 1.85 km)
Distance left to Antigua (straight line): 73 Nautical Miles ( 135 km)
Distance completed: 3349 NM (6195 km)
Wave height: 10-12 ft, Winds: 20-25 knots SE, Bearing: 270-300 degrees.
Hello everybody,
I've managed to re-wire the electrics and charge the laptop, sat phone and get the VHF working again. Its taken time to disconnect everything and dry it all out after the capsize as I've had nothing but rain squalls for the past few days. I've hooked up to the secondary battery and solar panel and I've switched the higher resistance circuit breakers around from the midship lights, satellite NAV and water maker to the VHF and 12V circuits. Its a spaghetti solution but it just works for now.
I had been trying to fix the de-salinator on the evening of the capsize. The de-salinator and one of the two onboard batteries are in the same water tight compartment on deck. Water entered the battery compartment (which was open as I was not locked down) and when I capsized. Fortunately, water did not enter the cabin (hatches sealed shut) so the control panel stayed dry.
I'm using a hand held GPS as my primary (instead of the fixed one on deck) and I've got an independent solar panel charger for the Sat phone, so at least that remains all charged up.
Anyone know what went wrong with my weather report forecasting “Sunny, clear skies and 10 knot winds ahead Bhavik?”
I've had mostly rain squalls the size of King Kong for the past 72 hrs.
For the first time yesterday I experienced thunder and lightning. I've no idea yet what the impact of a lightning strike would be on the boat (the highest point is the metal mast with the radar reflector on the bow that is wired right into the cabin. I've just fixed everything so a lightning strike now would be very annoying. Hope it stays away).
Although I'm glad to have the VHF and radar alarm working, I was kept up all of last night by the radar alarm indicating a ship within 3 miles). I spent about 6 hrs watching and waiting in the pitch dark for a light to appear on the horizon and shouting Pan Pan on the VHF, yet no response or a sign of any ship.
Around 5.30 am I finally got a half hearted response. From a submarine!. Why am I not surprised!!
When the moon goes behind the clouds, there is nothing but blackness all around. Its very difficult to distinguish where the black water ends and the black sky begins on the horizon. The rising and falling of the boat in the water also distorts one's sense of height above the ground. As I have done in the past, its easy to mistake Venus or other stars for the lights of a ship. (Without the light pollution of land, the light of Venus actually creates shadows on deck, which is quite surreal).
So after staying up all night, I trying to get a little sleep before it gets too hot here in the afternoon. Will post an update here on the Capsize (Part 2) and Course (Part 3) in a few hours.
Anyway, we're re-wired and back in business.
B
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Squall, 06 June, Day 98
Squall, 09 June, Day 101
spaghetti Electrics
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