Consecutive days of Spinnaker runs! Today we switched to starboard tack and were flying – aimed right for Dingle!

Unfortunately we don’t like running with a spinnaker during the night – in case a squal hits us –  it would be near impossible to douse the thing in time – so last night we poled the genoa out to port and had the main over on starboard, going wing on wing almost dead downwind. The boat was rolling like crazy, but we managed to reduce the roll considerably by bringing out the smaller inner jib and holding it tight and close to the shrounds – worked like a charm! acting like a damper, preventing the violent lurching we had been experiencing. Unfortunately, our speed through the night was disapointing at between 4 and 5 knots.

This morning’s sail change involved furling the jib, furling the genoa, dropping the pole, gybing the mainsail and raising the spinnaker! Took us over half an hour, but she certainly likes this point of sail as we head north east towards Ireland and try to make up some lost speed/distance.

Tonight we dropped the spinnaker again, raised the pole and set the genoa once again – maintaining the current point of sail but at just a little more sedate 6 knots.

Yesterday’s 24 hour run ended up at a respectable154 NM – and our first without the engine running!

We’re finally managing sleep – so things are much less tense aboard ship!

Tomorrow we’ll pass halfway – which means Gin & Tonics all around!