Holding It All Together

An eventful few days for our crew and boat:  yesterday, in moderate winds and light seas, two bolts securing a stanchion sheared away, with said stanchion securing the cockpit roof -- which renders unusable the mainsheet traveller and thus the main sail.

 

The crew reacted instantly, dropping the main sail, removing the boom, and taking the strain off the now-poorly supported cockpit roof.  After investigating and then talking with the factory, they were able to slip a few replacement bolts through the plate securing the stanchion connecter to the roof, and have moved the mainsheet traveller to the outboard ends of the traveller to transfer the main sail load to the still-stable outside stanchions securing the roof.  Nonetheless, the gear failure is a bit troubling, and we're awaiting guidance from the Fountaine-Pajot factory.

The wind direction has been less-than-favorable, and they've turned south to a starboard tack to make more southing and avoid a steady progression of lows / gales that are passing north of Bermuda into the North Atlantic.  It's been overcast and drizzling, and while spirits remain high, the crew is looking forward to sunshine and warmer weather.  Each passing day brings them closer to that weather, as they move west and south.

Their 5/20 1200 GMT position is 35 31 N 47 59 W.