183nm covered in 24hours. Average speed 7.62 Knots

Position at 1200UTC 27 Nov 09 was 20.10N 27.27W

The loud bang was the new No. 1 Gennaker splitting from top to bottom!

The reason is a mystery as the apparent wind was just 13 knots and the sail split whilst perfectly formed. Normally this splitting can happen after the sail has suddenly reformed after a partial luffing up (collapse). The crew did a great job in gathering in the shredded Gennaker. I then decided to try out a brand new Gennaker No.2/Spinnaker made by North Sails and collected in Gibraltar on the way to Las Palmas. The launch was done with great care and worked perfectly well and looked magnificent when fully deployed. It has an upper true wind limit of 30 knots and has been specially selected with a medium heavy construction for downwind sailing in the Atlantic and Pacific. It has now been flown for 24 hours, very recently joined by a spinnaker flown from the mizzen mast. Now averaging 8 knots in 10 – 11 knots of apparent wind!

Fishing triumph! We have caught another Dorado, this time much larger so it will feed all five of us as a very generous main course.

All traces of sea sickness have now disappeared from all crew and, with five chefs on board, in full culinary flow, we are enjoying three extraordinary meals a day, afternoon tea and a little libation at sundown followed by a great DVD of the day. Cruising does not get any better than this!

Peter and a very happy crew of Sallyanne, Clare, Steve and Mark.