Last minute checks before departure revealed a shattered pulley wheel on the boom vang. Luckily we managed to cannibalise and fit a spare. We’ve bought five diesel cans here from a Chinese market, doubling our fuel capacity to 200L. Not being able to find them elsewhere, we just hope they sustain the journey. The passage to Porto Santo which sits 20 miles off Madeira would be 480 miles, and our first significant passage double handed. We finally got away at 11.30. The passage began with light winds, but once we cleared Capes Razo and Roca to the north of us the wind strengthened to a NW 4 – 5, and a brisk sail. We kept a beam reach for the whole passage, although lighter winds on the second day allowed us to set the asymmetric, which
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