We are clear of the high pressure and sailing downwind fast. I have been putting in short gybes towards Alex to try to even out our breeze - he has a better angle and even more wind - at the last poll we were level pegging. He is coming past me for sure, but I am not about to make things to easy for him. Right now I have a gusty 27kts, the very top end of a carrying a Code 5.
As I write, I am waiting at the chart table, watching the instruments and tweaking the pilot in the gusts - it's scary carrying so much sail - the sea is building now, I can feel in the motion of the boat that "the tail is starting to wag the dog" and frankly I would prefer a little more breeze and have less sail. But oh what a contrast this is to the past few days - we are blasting!.
The game for me , is to somehow sail down towards Boss's line and lose the minimum miles, carrying lots of sail and sailing deep is a less painful way to achieve the goal than a gybe. In the past 24 hours I have lost more than 100 miles to Alex, the majority when I was gybing south towards him. So the motivation to hang on to these bigger sails, past when I might prefer, is definitely there. Having said that, this pace is not sustainable, eventually I will have to drop a gear and take the longer view, these are conditions where major damage can be done if anything fouls up.
But right now - I'm waiting....
