[password] pilot25041
[position] 30 19.83s 161 29.03w
[status] we sailed most of yesterday in company with P'zazz & Taronui, gradually increasing our sail area to keep up with them, as night fell it was again time to reef both sails as the wind gradually increased to the high 20kts. Gradually as the evening wore on first Taronui and then P'zazz disappeared behind us on the AIS. The sea was again very confused with a large swell making holding course and sleeping difficult, at dawn as the wind abated we shook out the reefs and noticed Pzazz on the AIS again just to leeward of us some 7nm behind, we seemed to have a piece of elastic between us as the distance ebbed and flowed between 5-7nm, until late morning they disappeared when 7.5nm behind, which appears to be the limit of AIS out here..

Just before lunch we again reefed both sails as the wind and seas increased, we are now sailing at 060 of apparent wind and think we need to maintain this approach for the next 500nm, as the wind is due to gradually back over the next 4days.

We managed to complete the alternator repair and fix a leaking engine coolant pipe yesterday afternoon, not an easy task with the energetic sea, but we are confident that our bodge-it and scarper fix will see us to Tahiti where we can get the right spares for a more permanent fix!

All is well on board, we made Chinese stir fry pork and egg fried rice for dinner last night and made fresh onion & potato soup for lunch! Position 13.00 nzst. Again 185nm run in 24hrs, DTG 829nm.
[speed] 7-8 kts
[heading] 062T - 060 AWA
[weather] 16knts SE, 1.5m swell from the E, 90% cloud cover.

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