Code Zero, sailors shouldn't plan, and feeding the monsters

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After last night it shouldn't come as a surprise that today I needed sleep. I motored 2 hours in the morning to make some headway while the winds were completely dead, like less than 4 kts. The alternator wasn't working... Once the winds got above 6 kts I killed the motor, but the boat was slowly drifting at just less than 3 kts. In very light winds I get better speed if I fly drifter alone, as the main messes up the airflow. This trip is highlighting a real need for a bigger light air sail as well as a better way of stowing it than a turtle bag. I might want to design my own Code Zero style roller furler.

The waves are still rocking the boat in an annoying way, but I couldn't help it and put in earplugs and slept for 3 hours. It's kinda funny to awake and think you're somewhere else, but it looks the same outside. I had only moved 7 nm in 3 hours, and I wouldn't expect there would be much boat traffic around this area.

Current plans (3PM) are to drift all night until 3 or 4 AM, depending on the human element. At that point I'll start the motor and chug 4 hours or so until I reach the perimeter of Dry Tortugas, and from there it will be another 2 hours until I'm anchored. That should have me anchored by 11 and checked in by 12. If all goes well then I will probably go back to the boat and sleep until Tuesday.

Update 8:30PM. What a joke that I thought I would have drifted so far. I'm still 60 nm from the islands, so I fired up the diesel and I'll run all night to arrive and get anchored by 8am.  And then sleep until tuesday.

So before sunset I emptied out and then hopped into the hole. A wire had fatigued itself off the alternator which was causing it to not charge. I had it fixed in 10 minutes. My engine bay vacuum fan hose had parted where I duct taped two of them together.  Oops! So I got some sewing string and sewed the pieces together, then duct tape. I also rescued a screwdriver that I lost whilst messing with the autopilot a few days ago. And I marked my fuel valves so I know which tank I'm pulling from and returning to. How does anyone go cruising without being a fixall like myself?

So I should mention that I'm HUNGRY! I figured it would take a few days of sailing and working, while feeding myself minimally until it caught up with me. Tonight I'm cooking a coconut curry soup with pork, tomatoes, mushrooms and it tastes just like at a restaurant. It tastes good because I actually followed a recipe instead of my typical experimentation.

It has occurred to me that I obsessed about the wrong fluid, namely water.  I have been taking showers out of the pesticide sprayer (.75 gal) and washing dishes with saltwater and rinsing off (1 tbsp each item) with the sprayer. I haven't actually metered myself before but I suspect I'm only using 2-4 gallons a day. Considering I'm carrying 175 gals, that's nothing to worry about.

My fuel situation, however is different. The engine burns between .75 and .85 gals/hr in my normal running range. I can burn less but then I slow to 5kts or so. I have 46 gals in 2 tanks, and I only have 5 gals extra in a jug. Considering I'm going to motor 10 hours tonight, and accounting for previous use, that brings me down to 3/4 capacity. Depending on the winds, I may have to motor to key west which will burn another 7 or 8 gallons. Clearly I need extra jugs for future trips.

So despite my anxiety and sleep deprivation last night, and a crummy morning, I feel pretty good. I shouldn't underestimate the effects of a hot shower, clean clothes, and a full stomach on my overall mood.