What Next for Emerald, Having Escaped Porto Santo?
Yacht Emerald
by Nichola
5d ago
After 20 months in Porto Santo, Emerald's crew sailed south, docking at Las Palmas for essential repairs, and upgrades. The uncertainty about availability and the return of Med-mooring challenges had a happy ending. We settled into the convenience of marina life, pleasantly surprised by the peacefulness, despite the city setting. The post What Next for Emerald, Having Escaped Porto Santo? appeared first on Yacht Emerald ..read more
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Full Passage Report: Sailing Porto Santo to Gran Canaria
Yacht Emerald
by Nichola
2w ago
Departing Porto Santo for Gran Canaria, 310nm south, we anticipated challenging conditions, with 3m seas astern. Departing with a downwind rig and despite uncomfortable movement and little sleep, we managed through changing winds and rig adjustments. After three days and a precarious night entry into Las Palmas, we arrived, relieved. The post Full Passage Report: Sailing Porto Santo to Gran Canaria appeared first on Yacht Emerald ..read more
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Porto Santo to Canary Islands Day 2
Yacht Emerald
by Nichola
3w ago
LAT|29|02.16|N LON|15|40.19|W VIA Ham Radio: Day Two of Porto Santo to Canary Islands Total miles sailed: (mon-tues) 11am-11am 134nm Current position: Approx 40nm north Tenerife, heading 164deg, speed 5.2knots. Sea state bumpy, decreasing to rollercoaster. Passage notes: Second night was a tad tiring, gusty fickle winds, and then sustained F7 just aft the beam. … […] The post Porto Santo to Canary Islands Day 2 appeared first on Yacht Emerald ..read more
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Porto Santo to Canary Islands Day 1
Yacht Emerald
by Nichola
3w ago
LAT|30|49.19|N LON|16|23.19|W VIA Ham Radio: Day One of Porto Santo to Canary Islands Total miles sailed: (sun-mon) 10am-10am 125nm Current position: Approx 50nm north west Ilsa Salvagems, heading 185deg, speed 5.1knots. Sea state grim, decreasing to wobbly. Passage notes: First day was a tad sporting, I’ll be needing that campervan brochure… 3 to 4 metre […] The post Porto Santo to Canary Islands Day 1 appeared first on Yacht Emerald ..read more
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When the Wind Blows in Porto Santo
Yacht Emerald
by Nichola
3w ago
Porto Santo typically experiences north/northeast winds due to the Azores High. However, in autumn and winter, the high shifts bringing southerly and westerly winds, waves and swells. Boats on both moorings and pontoons jerk and creak, creating sleepless nights. We watched many from the boatyard but in January experienced our first in-water storm. The post When the Wind Blows in Porto Santo appeared first on Yacht Emerald ..read more
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Why Did We Have An Overheating Propeller Shaft?
Yacht Emerald
by Nichola
1M ago
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. The post Why Did We Have An Overheating Propeller Shaft? appeared first on Yacht Emerald ..read more
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We Need New Sailboat Batteries: Lithium or Lead Acid?
Yacht Emerald
by Nichola
1M ago
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? The post We Need New Sailboat Batteries: Lithium or Lead Acid? appeared first on Yacht Emerald ..read more
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Festive Fun in Funchal and Porto Santo
Yacht Emerald
by Nichola
2M ago
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. The post Festive Fun in Funchal and Porto Santo appeared first on Yacht Emerald ..read more
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Leaving Porto Santo – Our Hotel California
Yacht Emerald
by Nichola
2M ago
18 months ago we'd arrived at Porto Santo with a broken engine. Since then we'd ridden a rollercoaster ride of emotions as we'd attempted to fix and rebuild it. At last we'd reached our moment of reward, setting off for new horizons. Or had we... The post Leaving Porto Santo – Our Hotel California appeared first on Yacht Emerald ..read more
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Leaving Porto Santo – Our Hotel California
Yacht Emerald
by Nichola
3M ago
18 months ago we'd arrived at Porto Santo with a broken engine. Since then we'd ridden a rollercoaster ride of emotions as we'd attempted to fix and rebuild it. At last we'd reached our moment of reward, setting off for new horizons. Or had we... The post Leaving Porto Santo – Our Hotel California appeared first on Yacht Emerald ..read more
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