Tuesday 2000 hours...

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BLOG updated at 2000 hours GMT Tuesday from "King of Shaves"

Its been a slow 12 hours for King of Shaves, I was right in it at the close of play on day 1 but I can't point as high as the guys around me in the breeze and BIG waves, the tracker shows me losing height but if I pull the sails on to point higher my rather light weight boat just stops in the waves. I have to take this period of the race as my slow bit and just hang tough. If I try to point up I think I will lose more than I am doing by at least keeping my speed on.

I am in pretty decent shape. Jerry Freeman send out a note a while back that was entitled “The First 3 days” and it was all about surviving the first three days, drinking plenty of water, eating when you can and sleeping enough to keep your wits about you. I think I am just about in that state. I have eaten and I am drinking. Apart from the broken port side halyard winch I don’t have any broken gear but have made some mistakes in terms of sail handling. I managed to wrap the jib top furler line into the jib furling drum last night and that cost me an hours bouncing around on the foredeck and the physical tiredness that goes with that. When you hear an Open 60 sailor talk about being tired after a sail handling manoeuvre you can't imagine what it takes out of you till you’ve been out here in the ocean, on your own, trying to manhandle even a small situation in your favour. This is a small boat and I am pretty strong but its amazing how tired you get doing the basics. Eating isn’t easy at this angle and the boat is so light I can’t just bash forward. Inshore we have to play the mainsheet over ever wave and I can't do that out here so its shorten sail and hang on till the breeze is lighter and a bit freer. I am going to hang onto port all night so 12 hours of bashing ahead......

Here’s looking forward to tomorrow….the forecast is lighter and freer so that will suit me better.

Good night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Osc

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