Mad Fish - Final Bash

We are really getting a good bashing out here today. We are close hauled on port tack fully powered up with 20 knots over the deck under full sail. Every now and again we hit a wave that feels like we have driven into a volkswagon. Maybe we should ease off a bit but we are nearly there so instead we have chosen to floor it and hang on. The forecast says this should lighten which is good as we are not quite laying Horta on this tack which is a bit of a disaster. We plan to do the tacks in the lee of the island. Lets see what the weather brings.Really really looking forward for the boat to be still and upright. And some quality sleep. I think we have all had enough of this upwind stuff for a long time.95.7 miles to go... Taste the beer. Almost.--. read more...

Mad Fish - Getting There.....

It is getting tiresome living at 20 degrees of heel. The simplest task is made so much harder. It is impossible to shower and using the heads is somewhat interesting at times. We made a reasonable run yesterday of 144 miles. It is great to be able to lay Horta on this tack and we are opting to try to stay about ten degrees high in case the breeze shifts back out of the east which I expect it will at some point.We have decided not to fish today. we have had our share of tuna and its time for a change. Must say that last nights tuna dish was particularly good though.Looks like a middle of the night finish for us in tuesday/wednesday. My eta bet of monday at 1800 is a little off the mark! Didnt count on these headwinds.Looking forward to a hot shower and a whole nights sleep. Oh and a beer. read more...

Mad Fish - Little by little

We make our miles anyway we can. I suspect from the tracker it is hard to see when we are motoring and when we are sailing.We did two motoring stints yesterday. The first was for 2 hours and the second was for 5 hours. We are making an effort to keep them low but we will not sit out here in no wind going nowhere! We have been tacking on 20 degree windshifts!Sailing along nicely right now doing 6 knots plus right at the Azores and it feels great. We don't have enough fuel to motor at this distance and during one of our motoring stints stopping at Flores was discussed but if this breeze holds for a couple of days we will be just fine.Lots of wildlife out here. Big turtles, dolphins, whales and another tuna on our line a minute ago.The kids are doing well. Sean taught them how to play poker. read more...

Mad Fish - Windward Work

We managed 130 miles yesterday. However, as the Azores lie exactly to windward, only 85 miles came off our distance to go. This is over 90 miles less than our best runs. What is fustrating is we are almost within motoring distance. However, we motor at low revs to save fuel and at that low power we wont be able to make good speed into the 8 knots of true wind and the small chop it has generated so we cant motor if we wanted to! Still, not much we can do other than tack on the big shifts and look for where the new wind will come from.In the night we heard from our friends on a non ARC boat, Flying Circus. They left a day ahead of us and we crossed within a mile of them. Not bad when you take into account they have a First 40.7!Fishing rod has been out. Caught a big tuna yesterday but it. read more...

Mad Fish - To Windward

Well, yesterday the wind died so we motored for a bit. sea went glassy smooth. Took advantage by showers allround and Emma cooked a great roast chicken dinner with bacon and stuffing using some chicken she hid in the icebox! It really hit the spot. The wind came back in from the NE light so engine off and lightwind sailing overnight. Wind is now up to 12 knots and we are faced with a 500+ beat to windward to the Azores. Oh and we have a bit of current against us! Perfect. Our worst ever run of 96 miles yesterday!All in good spirits and grateful that we have wind and are keeping our engine hours down.538 miles to go.Russell--. read more...