Since I came back I’ve been watching for spare parts. I’ve recently acquired another Lecomble & Schmitt spare and another spare Watt & Sea generator, all used. I have hope for a spare NKE Gyropilot 2 but the price (even used) is still too much. With the Gyrpilot 3 just coming out maybe prices will drop.
Last weekend, we had good wind and made it to NOAA’s 46012 buoy. We used the water ballast, which caused the system’s usual tiny leak to re-open.
Maybe a plan for next year could be to sail in the 2023 SHTP, come back, fix/adjust things, and then leave again. It would be a good shakedown cruise but it would also age the boat and all systems another 5,000 NM. The Vendee Globe requires skippers to finish a race of about 3,500 NM. In the 2018 RdR, the IMOCA finished in 12 days and the Class 40s in 16. I could use that as my reference. The Global Solo Challenge requires a 2,000 NM qualifying passage.
Instead of sailing to Hawai’i I could go for a triangle in the South East corner of the High. Something like the picture shows below.
It would be a rough passage for sure. Food for thought …
