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RTW Day 224: N. Pacific: Another Slow Sunny Day... AP Stopped Working But Problem Soon Fixed

  • Last updated: 03 June 2013 07:08
  • Created: 03 June 2013 07:08
  • Hits: 1863
Sunday 2nd June 2013
10:45am   Had very light contact on 10m (28540kHz) from Mike N7RY. Lovely calm, bright morning: - determined to relax and enjoy it, although only making 2-3kt, N-NW in very light wind.  Sitting reading in cockpit with fresh coffee and camera to hand, hoping to get a shot of the albatross often near by - mainly Laysan with the occasional, quite different, Black-footed - all dark with white band at base of tail ( See Photo Courtesy of: http://teacheratsea.wordpress.com ).

black-footed
2:30pm   Almost no wind - have been drifting W with backed sails at 0.9kt for 2-3 hours. After chatting for a time to several contacts on radio (15m), decided to try to head N again and turn on autopilot (AP) - but wheel was NOT turning.... AP was trying to steer but nothing was happening. So...down to aft cabin to try to sort out the problem, leaving Fred in charge in the meantime - making 1.3kt NW at present.

6:30pm    Sun just set below the horizon as an albatross passed by. Second autopilot motor and ram is now connected up - all working OK but back on wind steering. Actually saw a boat speed of 3.9kt just before sunset but presently making only 2.5kt.  Course keeps varying between N and NW. Problem with AP would seemed to have been caused by a lack of hydraulic fluid - a good amount has leaked out from the pipe connections to and from the motor and the level in the reservoir is way down so it's possible air is now in the system.

Had double portion of lamb fettucine - was famished, so very welcome!
Hoping weather faxes are giving correct forecast so the expected veering of stronger wind takes place by tomorrow. Has been slow going today.

Was delighted to get a call around 5pm on 20m from the flight deck of an American Airlines plane over central Colorado en route to San Diego: Kriss, KA1GJU/AM.

24hr DMG to 2300GMT: 98n.ml. Strait of Juan de Fuca: 2571n.ml. (048T); Midway Island: 268n.ml. (272T); Cabo San Lucas 3452n.ml; San Francisco 2622n.ml

From: KC2IOV/MM by HF radio. Copied by Jim, WB2REM, Port St. Lucie, FL

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For my positions and track, see:
www.svnereida.com - 'Travels' - "Where is 'Nereida'?"
and/or:
http://www.exactearth.com/media-centre/recent-ship-tracks/tracking-nereida/
http://www.7163net.com Current Position Reported by Ham Radio with Google Earth Tracking

Written by : Mike

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