Time Bandit - Almost There

Lat 1340.0NLong 57 29.0WThis is getting painful. So near yet so far. The wind is dropping hourly and right now, 4pm on the 2nd we're struggling to make 4 knots. Every time we calculate when we will get it its 3 hours farther out....and the engine keeps giving me a look! The new mainsail is slatting and crashing and knocking itself to pieces. If it continues much longer we will have to at least reef it or maybe even drop it. The GRIB says we should have 10 knots. The forecasters say 16 while we actually have 6. The full rig is up, mainsail, poled out genoa and gennaker and we will probably leave it that way at least until the moon sets about 02:00. All in the search for speed.The lead boats have been in for a couple of days and we're simply jealous. However, the weather has finally. read more...

Time Bandit - Beam Me Up

Lat: 15 17NLong: 48 40WFor the last 48 hours the whole fleet has been reporting "washing machine" conditions. On one boat the crew took to the floor. On another, into the sail locker. Consequently, Eric, having read Prof Brian Cox book on physics and space stuff, has been collecting old bits of wire, broken radio and assorted fuses and is now trying to assemble a transporter; same as used on Star Trek.He's hoping to have it finished in time to get him off Time Bandit and back to his own wee bed at least before any more rock and roll nights!Other than that, we're all doing well. We had our best days run yesterday of 171 miles, just breaking the previous day of 170. The winds are dropping to 12-15 for the next few days so we will be logging more like 100-120 but it will be a shade less. read more...

Time Bandit - blog

Lat 16 31NLo ng: 042 40WAfter a 24-36 hours of grey and squalls delighted to say we are back to sunny Trade Wind sailing.We saw off the last of the squalls about 10am this morning after Eric got totally soaked. In the 60 minutes of flat calm following the front we dropped the main and repaired yet another broken slider.I also spent some time on the pole track getting that operational so we're now back to full strength, bombing along in 20 knots at 7-8 knots.We've also hit something of a "wall" with tiredness setting in for the first time. Its been hard to get quality sleep with the rolling and crashing so I thought I'd be smart and looked up the relaxation tracks on my iPod, took to my bed and..... lying six inches from the ocean rushing past my ears it was a bit of a blow to hear the. read more...

Time Bandit - Rock and Roll

Lat: 16 47.4NLong: 38 47.0Its been a few years since we delivered Time Bandit from USA to Scotland but suddenly the memories of day after day of incessant rolling come rushing back.We're having a good thrash in fresh easterlies making a good, consistent 7-8 knots. The breeze is bringing a long swell with the winds causing a cross wave pattern. The end result is a good fast sail but a rock and roll pattern we could do without, at least at night so we coild get some sleep.However, 01:00 just now and Eric is snoring his head off so he's doing OK.Yesterday we through a wobbly. After gybing (first in 700 miles), when re-setting the pole the topping lift slipped in its jammer. The pole collapsed into the water and in so doing pulled half a dozen bolts out the mast track. This of course. read more...

Time Bandit - One Down

16 47.7N028 08.3WOne night down and thirteen to go.The ARC+ rally fleet made a quick exit from Mindelo in a good 15 knot northerly. The cats headed out first with Purrrfect making the best start. We followed fifteen minutes later and had a good run down to the wind shadow under the lee of St Antau island.We resisted for a while but eventually succumbed and fired up the engine to motor out the calm. A good strategy as just 1 hour later we picked up 15-20 from the north and had a good nights broad reach in a modest following sea. Ditto for all day today in blazing sun and one downpour to wash the nights salt from the decks.The cats have been in good form and have done a horizon job. We still have 4 or five others in sight but mostly the fleet is spread out, waiting to converge again nearer. read more...