Race to Alaska Day 2 on Bad Kitty

We spent our first night at sea drifting off Galiano Island. We should have pedalled, as Turnpoint Designs overtook us. Next morning a 15kt NW wind filled in as predicted and we began beating up the Strait of Georgia. Unfortunately, after a tack, we noticed our mast rotator was hanging loose. The 12mm (1/in) stainless steel bolt had sheered. None of us had expected that! Phil lashed it up with some dyneema line but we had to get a replacement bolt. Without the rotator the mast flops around, not only disturbing the windflow over the mainsail but also it flexes alarmingly. Fortunately Bob had a friend in Nanaimo with a waterfront dock. He was called at 6.30am and told to buy an 8in x 1/2in bolt. We sailed and pedalled into Nanaimo, Dave threw us the bolt and, without stopping, we were on our way again. But of course we had lost at least 2 hours of a good sailing wind and several boats overtook. We were amused by one boat who clearly thought "Bad Kitty has done 6 VanIsle races so knows the way, I'll follow them", realising almost too late that we were not tacking out of the harbour but entering it. And then the wind started to drop, and finally off Hornby Island it disappeared completely. On the hottest day for several weeks we pedalled for 6 hours straight, Phil did the lion's share but even I did over an hour. Still we made good about 12 miles and eventually a light wind started to build. Only then did we remember we had brought parasols that fitted over the pedal stations.... Fast multihulls are amazing, as soon as there is any wind they generate apparent wind and start to move, 4.5 knots with not a ripple on the water. Our second sunset at sea. We didn't know it was to be our last. More in the next video and see r2ak.com for more on the race.