The short story from the journey with Yrvind.com
In September 2011 I was in Porto Santo a small island in the Madeira archipelago.
I had trailed Yrvind.com to Kinsale in Ireland. Right at the start I ran into bad weather despite good weather reports and local advice.
One night in the Bay of Biscay when I was sailing in fine light weather the boat was suddenly caught in a squall.
The toppsail got stuck and I had to climb the mast to get the sail down. Not much damage was done except a wave entered the cabin when I opened the hatch. I quickly got out most of the water but it was dark and stormy so the clean up was not very good. That resulted in some rusty tools that still linger in my workshop remaining me of the occasion.
After a month out of Kinsale I docked in Porto Santo.
An evil mosquito bit me and gave me an inflammation that developed into a blood poisoning. Land is dangerous. I had to start to eat antibiotics.
Also a teeth had broken during the voyage. I was fixed by a women dentist with a very well equipped and modern workshop.
I did not want to go to sea infected. That lead to a one month long pleasant stay.
The crossing from Madeira to Martinique took 45 days in mostly light and fine winds intercepted with squally periods.
Unfortunately as I was approaching Martinique I was hit by gale force winds. I hove to for the night. When daylight came I rounded the southern end of the Island and beat up to Le Marin.
With the gale force wind the chinerunners worked excellent and Yrvind.com went to windward like a racing boat. It was very satisfying.
I build boats to sail the seas not to be a tourist. I had arrived on a Saturday, Sunday everything was closed, but on Monday I took a minibus to Fort du France. I started to arrange for Yrvind.com to be transported back to Sweden in a container.
It was a bit complicated but me speaking French and having lived on the island earlier made things working.
On Friday a boat came and towed me to a crane that lifted the boat out of the water. A lorry with the container arrived at the prearranged time and with the help of many people the boat was put into the container.
Now I did not have anywhere to sleep so I asked the truck driver if he would be so kind to give me a ride.
During the drive we became good friends. He dropped me at the airport. There I bought a ticket to Paris. I called Martine a girl who had sailed with me on Anna 1968 and asked her if I could stay with her.
She met me at the airport the next morning. Luckily she lived walking distance from the boat show that opened the same day.
Done with Paris I took a plane to Sweden.
About a month later the container with Yrvind.com arrived at Göteborg. Thanks to EU no custom problem, just opening the container loading her on the trailer and driving away.
Small boats are handy.