Log Entry - Thursday, Nov 17

 
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Day 7 - Race to Bermuda

MonitoringFuel.jpg - 46755 Bytes Wind continues on the nose at 18-22 knots, making forward progress under sail is extremely difficult. We have found a work around for the engine problem. It is not elegant, but it does allow forward progress. The engine runs fine off one tank, but there is not enough fuel in that tank to get us to Bermuda. The fuel in the other tank seems to burn fine for 5 to 10 minutes. Our work around consists of having a crew member sit on the floor of cockpit, and when the engine begins to die on the bad tank, we immediately switch the valve to the good tank. Once the engine recovers, we switch back to the bad tank. In this way, we burn the fuel from the problem tank, while preserving the fuel from the good tank.

This process is illustrated with Hugh sitting on the cockpit floor with his hand on the fuel valve. The inset shows his hand on the valve. Notice Hugh’s happy clean shaven face.

The sitrep numbers I report everyday are from 0000 to 2400 for the previous day. I write the narrative at various times during the day. It is now 0745 as I write and send this. At this moment, we are 120 miles from Bermuda. Under normal conditions that would be one day. Under our conditions, who knows? Jeremy (my son-in-law and unofficial weather advisor), tells me there is low forming over Bermuda, and that we are in race to get there before the bad weather. Bermuda is a difficult harbor and cannot be entered at night or in a storm. The race is on.

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