Kenichi Horie - Kodoku: Sailing Alone Across the Pacific

Appendices

A Comparison of Some Trans-Oceanic Cruisers

Table of Distances Covered by the Mermaid

NOTE: This table is based on the Mermaid's log. The distances shown are approximate round figures of linear distances between the points listed. The actual course followed by the Mermaid was considerably longer, as she seldom was able to make a beeline course. Figures in brackets indicate estimated positions.

The Points of Sailing

A & B: Running before the wind. Starboard (A) and port (B) jibes. The sails are allowed to fill out with the wind coming from the stern. Jibing is a course change, with running winds, that brings the wind from one stern quarter to the other (as in the shift from A to B).

C: Broad reach. Wind from the port quarter (quarterly wind).

D: Close reach. Wind a little forward of straight abeam position.

E & F: Close-hauled. Port (E) and starboard (F) tacks. The sails are trimmed flat, letting the wind blow along the curve of the sails. Tacking is a course change to windward in which the bow swings from one side to the other of the wind (as in the shift from E to F).

G: Running dead before the wind with twin staysails.

The Beaufort Wind-Force Scale

wind force	wind speeds in knots and mi./hr.	descriptive terms	U.S. Weather designations	condition of the sea
	under 1	under 1	calm	calm
	1-3 4-6	1-3 4-7	light air light breeze		light wind	Ripples on surface. Small wavelets.
	7-10	8-12	gentle breeze	gentle wind	Large wavelets; crests begin to break.
	11-16	13-18	moderate breeze	moderate wind	Small waves, becoming longer; white horses.
	17-21	19-24	fresh breeze	fresh wind	Longer, moderate waves; many white horses.
	22-27	25-31	strong breeze		strong wind	Large waves with extensive white-foam crests; some spray.
	28-33	32-38	moderate gale	Heaped-up sea with breaking waves; foam begins to be blown in streaks.
	34-40	39-46	fresh gale		gale	Moderately high waves of greater length; edges of crests break into spindrift.
	41-47	47-54	strong gale	High waves with dense streaks of foam blowing.
	48-55	55-63	whole gale		whole gale	Very high waves with long overhanging crests; large patches of foam in dense streaks.
	56-65	64-75	storm	Exceptionally high waves; sea completely covered with patches of foam.
	over 65	over 65	hurricane	hurricane	Everything covered with foam and driving spray.