A wild weekend in Amsterdam for old and new crew with the days spent rigging the Grateful Red for the next leg, Oslo, Norway and the summer party. With a great assist from Harken in Amsterdam the boat was ready to sail on Monday with a new forestay and roller furler.
The crew of Jason, Brendt, Paula, Matt, Jack, and Ken left Horta in a nice breeze heading north, day four saw the forestay let loose, foresail a-flapping, but mast still standing. Quick use of the spin halyards to hold up the mast, plus some cagey sail rigging by Matt and Jack, and the Grateful Red wove through the boats in the Straits of Dover to Ijmuiden, Netherlands.
The long leg started with a drifter, followed by the gooseneck screws backing out of the mast as we bobbed, so the crew of Jack, Curtis, and Ken motored north to catch the trade winds. Eight days of 30 plus winds and rain, drizzle, and wetness, but great sailing and terrific crew. 2,000 miles and 15 days later the Grateful Red was in Horta and the crew at Pete’s Sailors Bar telling stories.
See you on the Water
