sy Timoneer

Sunday 26th February 2006
Noon Position : 14 56N 066 56W
Course 247 degrees Speed 12 knots Days Run: 279 miles
Weather : Trade Wind day Wind : 090 degrees 20 knots
News:
The weather has settled into the typical trade wind pattern to be expected
in this area. As we approach the bulge in the coast of Columbia the wind
will probably pick up more and usually this is accompanied by a large ground
swell. As the wind is almost dead astern sailing is difficult. We have the
main and mizzen set and a full genoa but still have the engine on at reduced
power in order to save fuel.
Conditions are not condusive to fishing so we do not have the lines out as
yet. When the crew start asking for fresh fish we will put them out and
hopefully catch dinner. Meantime we are using the good weather to get some
chores done and everyone is relaxed and happy.
PW

Saturday, 25 February 2006
Noon Position : 16 45N 062 32W
Course 247 degrees Speed 11.5 knots Days Run : 47 miles since
departure
Weather : Overcast, occassional rain. Wind : 080 degrees 14 knots
News:
As usual we had a bit of a hassle getting our anchors extricated from our
neighbours in English harbour but we finally cleared the entrance at 0800
this morning. We had to put a diver down with air bags to float out our
starboard anchor which had two others over the top, the port on was fouled
on a ground line so it all took a bit of time and delayed us by about an
hour.
As we settled down on our course towards Monseratt the weather was
spectacular. A bright clear day and not too hot but by the time Monserratt
slid by on our port side the clouds had come in and a few light rain
squalls. We have the main up, strapped in tight to stop the rolling and
proceeding under engine as the wind is dead aft and quite light, giving us
an apparent wind speed of just 4 knots, not enough to even help, let alone
sail.
We have a full load of stores on board for Panama so not much space in the
freezers so the fishing lines are dry, maybe tomorrow but no one is too keen
at the moment!
It is 1,150 miles from Antigua to Panama and we expect to be there early on
the morning of the 1st March. Everyone is well on board
PW

Thursday, 22rst December 2005
Noon position: 17′ 00 N 61′ 46W
Docked at Antigua Yacht Club Marina Days run: 312 miles (25.75 hours)
Weather: Partially clouds with occasional rain showers

News:

Timoneer arrived at in Falmouth Harbor Antigua at 1345, docking at the
Antigua Yacht Club marina. During the trip from Savannah we purposely
stayed North of the leeward islands to avoid beating straight into the trade
winds as much as possible. As we approached the islands the trade wind was
out of the East rather than the South East which helped the angle as we
turned south towards Antigua. We motor sailed with the staysail until the
wind angle reached 50 degrees, then hoisted the main as the breeze reached
18-20 kts. For the last twelve hours Timoneer averaged 12.5 kts on a
course of 170 degrees true. Everyone on board is well and glad to be in
Antigua.

John

Wednesday, 21st December 2005
Noon position: 21′ 04 N 64′ 34W
Course: 136′ T Speed: 11.7 kts Days run: 284 miles
Weather: Mostly sunny, patches of rain 9.5kts of wind out of 095′ T

News:

Timoneer motored for another 24 hours in less than 10 knots of breeze as we
started to turn the corner south towards Antigua. The trade winds are
starting to fill in from the East the further South we have ventured but are
still generally light. The crew has been working away as Penny prepared
some pasta for lunch and shepard’s pie for dinner. Currently we are about
300 miles NNW of Antigua and on schedule to arrive Thursday afternoon.

John

Tuesday, 20th December 2005
Noon position: 23′ 32 N 68′ 42W
Course: 122′ T Speed: 11.6 kts Days run: 288 miles
Weather: Mostly sunny, occasional rain showers and 5kts of wind out of 115′

News:

For the moment we seem to have lucked out on the weather as Timoneer motored
for the entire 24 hours in 5-10kts of wind with no decided direction.
Monday afternoon we adjusted the lashings on the main and the halyard length
on the mizzen, while the girls tidied up down below. That evening was one
of the clearest nights I can remember and at 1930 the watch saw a giant
meteor streak across the sky in front of the boat from North to South in a
blaze of green and orange. This combined with the stars on the horizon
looking like boats in the distance gave rise to many Bermuda triangle
theories and urban legends. If the trade winds on our nose hold off for
awhile we hope to arrive in Antigua on Thursday afternoon.

John

Monday, 19th December 2005
Noon position: 25′ 33N 73′ 15W
Course: 125′ T Speed: 12.1 kts Days run: 298 miles
Weather: Mostly sunny, 5kts of wind out of 260′

The breeze continued to taper off in the afternoon Sunday and the sea state continued to improve on our East South Easterly course. We motor sailed into the evening finally rolling the genoa up when it started to back wind. Monday morning we washed the boat down and rigged the staysail for hoisting. That went up without a hitch and we put the halyard tension on and shortened the foot cord a bit. The rest of the morning five of us worked to assemble the remaining parts and hatches in the cockpit area. The weather looks great for the next two days and everyone is happy about the warm temperatures and sunshine.

John

Sunday, 18th December 2005
Noon position: 28′ 02.1N 77′ 53.2W
Course: 110′ T Speed :12.6kts Days Run: 309 miles (29 hours)
Weather: Raining steadily, 18-20 kts of wind out of 235’T

Timoneer is back at sea after a rig pull and superstructure paint job in Thunderbolt Georgia. The crew worked late Friday evening to get the remaining parts and pieces aboard for our 0700 departure Saturday morning for Antigua. I was really pushing for a Saturday departure as a low pressure system coming across the South Eastern seaboard was setting up for a small gale and rough seas starting Sunday. The tide is also critical inThunderbolt with Timoneer’s draft of 13.5 ft, she really has to depart on the rising 8 foot tide to be able to cross the sand bar heading out of Wassaw sound at the mouth of the Wilmington River. The manager and owner of Thunderbolt Marine were nice enough to get up early (especially after the yard X-mas party the night before) and lead Timoneer out of the river with a small power boat checking soundings as we went. We crossed the sand bar at 0845 seeing a minimum depth of 18.5 feet saying good bye to our escort and heading out to sea in rainy overcast weather. Once clear of the sea buoy we turned South to run with the building Northerly breeze as we made sure everything was stowed properly. The southerly course also put the most distance between us and the low pressure system to the North. We continued down the Georgia coast to just South of Jacksonville Florida and then turned East South East where the breeze shifted to the South West and we tacked and
rolled out the genoa on the port side. About 0230 we started across the gulf stream which was surprisingly flat helped out by the Southerly breeze. The speed over the ground dropped to 8-9 knots as we crabbed diagonally across the current trying to maintain an Easterly course. By 0500 we were on the Eastern side of the gulf stream and the breeze filled in from the South West to 20kts as we reached out on our present course of 110′ True. Everyone onboard is well and thankful that the weather is cooperating as we still have a lot of projects to finish.

John

Wednesday 21st Sept

We arrived off the entrance channel to Savannah at 0935, exactly three
days after leaving Stamford. This worked out to a total distance of 820
miles (253 since the last report at noon yesterday) which translates
into a speed of 11.4 knots for the passage. All in all it was a very
easy trip down with very little wind, although the last section was
marred by big southerly swells generated by Hurricane Rita down in
Florida. We were pushed for time to make the tide to cross the bar into
the river up to Thunderbolt Marine where we will haul out. We ended up
making it in plenty of time but did not put out the lines in case we
caught more fish and had to stop, besides we have plenty of fish in the
freezer for our stay in Savannah
We will now be in the shipyard for a couple of months having the coach
house painted as well as the masts. To paint the masts they will be
removed and stripped for inspection which is a big task.
Everyone is well on board and looking forward to our stay in Savannah
PW

Tuesday, 20 September 2005
Noon Position : 34 04 N 076 37 W
Course 230 degrees Speed 11.3 knots Days Run : 271 miles
Weather : Few clouds, warm and hazy. Big southerly swell probably generated by Hurricane Rita off Florida. Wind is light South Easterly, about 5 knots.

News: The fishing continued to fair well yesterday and we caught a few more tuna. There were also a lot of porpoise around but they were all docile and did not seem interested in coming to play off our bow wave.

We rounded the notorious Cape Hatteras at 0300 this morning but she did not live up to her reputation and we had quiet weather although quite a bit of shipping traffic. We then altered to the SW towards Frying Pan Shoal and then on towards Savannah which was 265 miles away at noon today so we should get in by lunchtime tomorrow.

Just after first light this morning both fishing lines started running and we landed two 26lb Wahoo, followed a hour later by a couple of skipjack tuna which we release and then a spanish mackerel. Meantime all the crew are busy on deck as we have now managed to take off the mizzen and the genoa in preparation for the yard. With these light wind conditions we don’t need them and it is much easier to get them off the spars while we can swing the boat into the wind and drop them on deck. As you can image they are not very light and it takes the whole crew just to move them.

All is well on board and we are looking forward to arriving in Savannah tomorrow.
PW

Monday, 19 September 2005
Noon Position : 37 54 N 074 10W
Course 210 degrees Speed 11 knots Days Run : 275 miles
Weather : Flat Calm, hardly any swell at all
Yesterday was a great day but not enough wind for sailing as we motored up Long Island Sound and passed around Montauk Point where we set course to the south headed for Cape Hatteras. We are favouring an inside track to avoid the Gulf Stream but even so the fishing has been good. Shortly after first light the lines went out and we caught our first tuna, a nice 34lb Big Eye followed not long after by two more of 16lbs each. Later in the morning we released a small dorado (dolphin fish) which was not worth keeping. Penny and Lena did a great job making a large spread of fresh sushi for lunch – it does not get any fresher!

We had a light North westerly breeze kick in during the early hours of the morning so we were able to motorsail for a while which gave us an extra knot but by mid morning this had gone and we are now surrounded by a glassy sea under clear skies. Very warm for this time of year. There is also a lot of Sargasso weed which makes it hard to keep the hooks clear and hampers our fishing, Oh Well…….

Everyone on board is happy and enjoying the great weather.
PW