Barnaby Edwards reports on day three of the ARC aboard Makathea – a 30-year-old, 41ft Dufour Sortilege

“Yesterday afternoon we had some spinnaker trouble, the snuffer was jammed and so we had to drop it on the halyard. Our speed has dropped as a consequence but we are glad of a rest and so is the rigging. The spinnaker pole mast bracket nearly buckled in half. Luckily I made a new one in Las Palmas so we have a spare.

“Still no tuna but the lure has disappeared off the line. Maybe the fish was huge. We have thrown away a couple of gone off lemons. Apparently we bought them to eat with fish, pushing our luck perhaps.

“The wind is north-west 13-22 kts, pressure 1007 mb and we are heading 255 degrees at approx 6kts.

“The crew has been a bit on edge since the incidents of Tuesday afternoon and now it is time to face the demons. We have got to repack the spinnaker and get her flying again, great as I am on watch for 9 hours to break the watch cycle.

“Finally it is our washday. The solar shower is heating up, the new watch system starts so each crew gets to buddy with a clean member.”