Well, the subject title says it all. This won’t be a daily journal, just some highlights and insights(?) from the voyage. Left San Diego on August 24, 2025 and arrived at Hilo, Hawaii on September 23. I had provisioned for 30 days with 20 gallons in the water tank below and 4 six gallon jugs lashed to the bulwarks. Portable StarLink for communication and weather, wireless GPS/AIS unit for position fixing. Sextant for fun and emergency positioning with tables on the iPad app.

     Departing midday with the ebbing tide was pretty straightforward. I had about 10-12 knots of wind from the WNW. I set my course for SW based on a high pressure ridge located a day or two sail to the west that would have me sailing into even lighter air. I had set the mainsail and the genny. The skies were never totally clear. In fact, I was sailing under a 20-60% cloud cover that varied throughout the day and night. 
     
    Noticed the Pelagic autopilot was struggling. Seems that the batteries weren’t being sufficiently replenished by the solar panels. By Day 3 I had to offset use of the autopilot by hand and sheet to tiller steering. These methods each had their drawbacks enhanced by the fact that the ridge of high pressure’s changing shape meant that I had to change course more to the south in order to keep from having to sail close hauled and at the same time this put the lumpy seas more and more on my stern creating a rolling motion that at times had items sliding(including me) and/or the need to grab ahold to keep from sliding about.

     I had been able to acquire a whisker pole but not a light air headsail so I was forced to keep the heavy genny out on the pole for some attempted wing on wing sailing in the light air conditions. This set up would normally be fine, but when combined with the rolling motion created by the waves the sails would collapse and then refill with a slap that shook the boat. I was unaware of the high amount of shock load created by this action until on the late afternoon of the 10th day at sea, while enjoying the sunlight’s reflection on the water I heard a bang and watched as the genny slid forward and down into the water. Two hours before sunset, middle of the Pacific and now I’ve got a s**t show on my hands. 

     (Not exactly sure where this blog should be, so I’m going to stop at this point and check with the moderator(?).