Here you will find tales of voyages past and present on our trusty Pacific Seacraft Dana 24, "Sockdolager," and our Bigfoot29 powerboat, "Raven," from Port Townsend, Washington, USA. In 2009 we sailed north from Puget Sound up the west coast of Vancouver Island to the Queen Charlotte Islands (now called Haida Gwaii.) In 2010 we went back to the west coast of Vancouver Island. In July 2011 we left the Northwest, sailed to Mexico, and in March 2012 we crossed the Pacific to French Polynesia, then on to the Cooks, Niue and Tonga. We spent several months in New Zealand, and in May 2013 loaded Sockdolager (and ourselves) on a container ship for San Francisco. In June and July 2013 we sailed north along the California, Oregon and Washington coasts, and in August we arrived home. In October 2016, Sockdolager found new owners, and we began cruising on Raven, a unique wooden 29' powerboat. In 2018 we cruised up to Glacier Bay, Alaska, and back. But in 2024 we had the chance to buy Sockdolager back (we missed her), so we sold Raven. We hope you enjoy reading about our adventures as much as we enjoy having them. (And there will be more.)



Saturday, April 7, 2012

725 miles to go

Pacific Crossing, Day 26: Good wind yesterday afternoon and evening allowed us to make 70 miles yesterday. But today it went light and we're doing more fiddling and diddling with sails. We're breaking out the asymmetrical spinnaker because we're finally sailing at the right angle for it--a broad reach. One extra knot of speed could make a big difference over long term. At 2 knots of boat speed it'll take us 2 weeks more to reach the Marquesas; at 3, about 12 days; at 4, 7 or 8 days.

Because of all the hand steering (the vane doesn't work as well in light air when big seas more easily knock it off course) there's been less writing and more off-watch sleeping.

Here's hoping the spinnaker puts the pedal to the metal.

Sent via Ham radio

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