Blown into Monterey!

11/05/99, Friday. 0445, Motored out of the Aquatic Park bound for Santa Cruz. Wind S/SE 25 to 30 knots, seas 3 to 5' westerly swell 6 to 8'. Fog increasing. (I hate leaving on Friday)! After fuel problem have developed air leak in suction side of system. Had to stop and bleed air out of system several times. Motor sailing with both sails flying making 8+ knots to windward. Would enjoy tacking down coast except dense fog and wanting to make Santa Cruz with "willing and happy first mate" :o)
1200 hrs arrived Santa Cruz and did an overhaul of fuel system. Found air leak at secondary filter on engine and bought several extra Racor elements.
11/06/99, Saturday. 1200, Departed Santa Cruz bound Monterey. Wind N/W 8 to 10 knots and sunny. 5 miles out of harbour encountered Humpback whales jumping and "spy hopping" on both sides of boat. Shut down engine and enjoyed show. Prepared to set .05 oz spinnaker when I witnessed the dreaded "black line squall" coming for us from the S/W. I told Annie as calmly as I could to "forget the spinnaker and hold on" We had a full main and flying our new 120% Genoa when we were hit with 40 knots of wind and 6 to 8' very steep seas. This was just as we approached the Monterey Canyon area! I have seen this happen once before when I was chartering my old woody, "PATRONILLA" out of Monterey and knew it was going to be tough going! We blew 3 slides on the roller furling. Rolled it to about 90% and endeavoured to reef the main. What a fiasco that was!! The rigid vang held the boom but not from flying about and "bouncing" off the new dodger. We rarely reefed ALLURE in the bay so were use to calmer seas. I know I was derelict in not building a more safe jiffy system but with slab reefing we didn't count on the dodger being in the way so much. "Trade offs" We beat the rest of the way to Monterey in 35 to 40 knots winds with a fisherman reef in main. As you can see from this first photo we are way over canvassed but she is holding her own and the rail doesn't dip after we cleared the headland and were protected by Pt Penos.
1700 Entered Monterey Harbour for repairs and "new boom gallows" and "jiffy reefing system"
Note: We stayed to have a boom gallows fabricated the the Monterey Bay Boat Works. It took 2 weeks and cost more to polish the stainless steel than the welding. They do mostly fishing boats but the new gallows is very strong. With the new boom gallows installed and jiffy reefing will make it reasonable to reef "ALLURE" when we want to, fast and safely. "OK! I know I should have done it sooner" Don't make the same mistake in your hurry to finally depart!