Conditions eased on day two of our passage from Porto Santo to The Canary Islands. We dropped the downwind rig and changed to a more comfortable sail plan for a broad reach.
Yearly archives: 2024
2 Our report from day one of our passage from Porto Santo to the Canary Islands. Under the downwind rig, we rolled through the day and night, with sleep eluding us.
Porto Santo to Canary Islands Day 1
Porto Santo's winds are influenced by the Azores High. The harbour provides good protection from the prevailing north/northeast winds. However, south to southwest winds bring challenges, and an occasional named storm can bring uncomfortable conditions for boats both on the moorings and pontoons.
When the Wind Blows in Porto Santo
After a tricky departure from the pontoon in blustery conditions, we returned to the boatyard to investigate the overheating propeller shaft. We made repairs, replaced damaged cutlass bearings, and recalibrated the alignment between engine and prop shaft. Back in the water, testing showed no overheating, allowing sailing plans to resume.
Why Did We Have An Overheating Propeller Shaft?
6 With Emerald back afloat, we were making plans to sail away south. But unknown to us, our batteries were starting to fail. Was this the right time to change to Lithium LiFePO4?
We Need New Sailboat Batteries: Lithium or Lead Acid?
We were feeling low after our failed attempt to sail away from Porto Santo. We couldn't fix the propeller shaft bearings until a space came free in the yard. In the meantime, we needed to restore our spirits, so we went in search of some festive fun in Funchal.