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> Our great night sail has turned into a great morning sail. It's a nice sunny day with a fair wind and Dawn Star is sailing fast downwind under the big red spinnaker. The air is almost cold but the sun feels warm enough to wear shorts and t-shirts and a light jacket. We've set our heavy jib as a staysail, which seems to help a little, but if not, it's not hurting and it looks pretty cool.
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> The crew work is improving steadily. Each watch has done a fair number of gybes, and they're getting pretty smooth and fast. We've changed spinnakers quite a few times as well, though we're taking the easy approach of "stretch and blow", where we stretch out the foot of the sail, then blow the halyard to drop it down. The halyard, sheet and guy are quickly switched over to the new sail and it's raised and set. The whole operation takes only 60-90 seconds. Though it's not as professional as a peel (hoist the new spinnaker over top of the old one, then drop the old one), it's much quicker and easier and barely costs anything in terms of performance, while avoiding all the possible snafus a peel might cause.
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> Just before breakfast, Jay took a quick trip up the mast to clear a halyard and the view, as always, is grand from the air. Coming back on deck to cornbeef hash and eggs cooked by Cameron completed the start to what should be a good sailing day.
