By Andy Lund

Ed note - This is the thirteenth  installment of a multi-part series by Andy Lund on his first year of cruising on board Resolution , the Nordhavn 46 he took delivery of in February 2004.

June 25

We got underway aboard Nordhavn 46-81, Resolution, for Falmouth, England (on the southwest coast) at 1010 GMT (0610 EDT) today in great sunshine.  ETA Falmouth is afternoon of Sunday 3 July. The island of Horta was great and the people very welcoming.

We've replaced the paravane boom cables (thanks to Nordhavn Europe), and Tony Fields from Naiad has fixed the stabilizers. He replaced the leaking port cylinder, and tied back the hoses, which had jammed, preventing easy movement and torquing their connections. He replaced the failed starboard cylinder rod end - the forging had broken.  We're running with the stabilizers now, and they're performing well.

Shore power challenges remain, even though Tony Fields from ABT/TRAC brought us the needed US 50 amp female fitting.  We'll deal with that in England.

We have full fuel tanks, and have changed oil and filters on the main engine. We provisioned and paid bills this morning.  All our prep work is done. We've been well taken care of in Horta by Marco Quadros at Bensaude Agency, by Duncan Sweet and crew at Mid Atlantic Yacht Service and by Tony Fields of ABT Trac. 

WEATHER AND ROUTING

The weather for the passage looks quite benign, although it is still the North Atlantic, and things can change.  Our routing is north for quite a ways (not initially on a direct course to Falmouth) to avoid stronger winds to the NE of the Azores.

June 30

After a few rougher days at sea, the wind has shifted to the WSW and swells to the West so the ride has improved somewhat with swells more directly behind us. The stabilizers are continuing to perform well.  Paravanes not deployed.

WEATHER and ROUTING

I note two lows on the Royal Navy Northwood 01 Jul 0001 GMT valid time forecast chart, one just west of Ireland at 1006 mb, another about 300 miles west of the first at 1005 mb.  They seem to be tracking NE and merging from the 02 Jul chart.  I suppose they'll affect us over the next day or so, so I'm expecting the fairly strong SW winds to continue for a while.

Continuing on rhumb line course for point just south of Bishop's Rock - Lands End, England. Ship's clocks will be advanced at noon by one hour to BST (British Summer Time - GMT minus one).

July 2

The wind continues from the SW and WSW with a moderate swell and some cross chop. The ride has been OK, but not great. The stabilizers are continuing to perform well.  Paravanes not deployed.

We picked our way through a fishing fleet last evening just before dusk, about 200 nm west of Brest, France.

WEATER AND ROUTING

There’s been no significant weather noted in our area.  Glad we're not NW of Scotland in the developing storm, showing 978 mb and 50 knots within 48 hours on the US NOAA North Atlantic chart.

We’re continuing on a rhumb line course for point just south of Bishop Rock, then Lands End (the tip of Cornwall) and on to Falmouth.

July 3

Resolution arrived Falmouth, Cornwall, England at 0620 local after a seven day, nineteen hour passage from Horta, Azores. Click here for Resolution’s log from Horta, The Azores to Falmouth, England

The passage from the Azores was tedious, but pleasant enough, with winds never over 30 knots, mostly on our stern quarter. All equipment performed well - nothing broke enroute! We just need to wash off the salt and do routine maintenance.

Mike McFadden and I left Bellingham, Washington USA on 30 September 2004, and have travelled 10626 nautical miles via the Panama Canal and Newport, Rhode Island to Falmouth, England. Thanks, Mike, for making this voyage possible for me, and thanks Zack Blum, for being a great shipmate from Florida to Newport to Falmouth.

Resolution will spend the next three years in Europe, wintering over in London at St Katharine's Dock, near the Tower of London, this year, and in Turkey next year.

We thank everyone who made this voyage possible, especially Nordhavn for building and supporting a great boat, Furuno for great radar and navigation equipment, ABT Trac (stabilizers) for excellent enroute support and Jim & Suzy Sink, who circumnavigated in their Nordhavn 46 in the 1990s, for serving as my inspiration.