And so the story on board 'Missy' (the nickname for Mission Performance) continues...We have got our sewing machine out and our sailmaker, James Shepherd one of the Mission Performance round the world crew members is working feverishly to repair our medium weight spinnakers. He noticed a few very small holes above the "THE" of "The Race of your Life" and brought it to my attention. So we got it down and when we had it on deck we noticed that the repair may take a little longer than expected as there were a few tears down seams and some other repairs that needed doing. So bare-headed (no headsails up) we hoisted the heavyweight spinnaker to keep us moving down towards the Canary Islands.
Hyde Sails, one of our fleet partners and the provider of all of the Clipper Race sails gave two members of each team training on mobile sewing machines and sail repair techniques before the Race Start so we were prepared for events such as this! I was hoping that we wouldn’t have to get the sewing machine out as early as this! So James is working in sweltering heats in the sail locker working from the head (top) of the sail checking and repairing as he goes. This is likely to be a big job, not to worry, Inna Pretts, another of the Mission Performance round the world crew member also did the training and she is on the opposite watch to James so can take over if he doesn’t get it done before he gets off watch! No rest for the crew on board ‘Missy’.
Everyone has something to add and can contribute for the good and benefit of the team!
So just before tea the medium weight was repaired, wooled and on deck ready to go up again. There wasn’t really a hurry to get her up as we were making good speed in the Trade Winds heading down towards the Canary Islands. I had told round the world crew member, Kat Law that she could go out and change the sheets for temporary sheet and retrieval line. This involves being suspended above the water at around 20 foot hanging on to the clew of the spinnaker and tying two ropes onto the clew then, once the tension is taken on the temporary sheet the in-use sheet is eased and both of the permanent spinnaker sheets can be untied before you can come down. Kat did a good job and got all the way to the clew but then her reserves of energy ran out and she had to come back down! Luckily we had a replacement - Andrew Richards, Leg 1 crew member, stepped up to the plate and we got the job done, after that the peel went like clockwork and within half an hour we had the heavyweight spinnaker wooled and put to bed.
While talking about the spinnakers, it is a tradition to name them, this mainly comes from the sailmakers on board as they usually spend so much time repairing them, and they are like their possessions. We wanted to keep the theme with ‘Warriors’ for obvious reasons and I think we decided on A-pach-e!
Apache fits quite well, our first kite to be patched and an Indian Warrior.
So as I write this we are flying down the strait between Africa and Lanzarote in the Canary islands, one more gybe in about 20 nautical miles between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura and we will be heading south west, directly towards Rio, at last! Once clear of the Canary Islands, we will see how we lie with the fleet. We haven’t looked too good the last 48 hours due to the west we had in our course and position, but now we are trucking down the highway with the Trade Winds and Canary current under us we will see just where we lie!
Mission Performance Warriors Out For Now
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