A little overcast today, we started out with three of us and waited on the fourth but he never showed up. After several hours we finally got him on the radio so that David would not have to turn back and find him. Sailors never leave a man behind. The weather got rough and Steve and I had a rough day sailing, first our main sail got stuck and we couldnt reef it in. That means we had to fight the wind all day with our headsail out to help stabilize the boat. We had the boat turning around in the middle of the banks in rough water to try and pull in the main sail. We tried and figured out why it wouldnt reef, the bottom loop of the sail was torn apart. So this means that that sail has to be put back together and pulled in before we get to any port or anchorage so that we can control the boat when anchoring or docking. ! Steve and I thought about it and the plan was it had to be sewn back together  So i in my wind and rain proof gear (thank you Paula) get my needle and sail thread ( an incredibly strong thread) and climb out there. My vice grips held the needle while i tried to push a big needle through three layers of heavy duty chord material that binds the sail  together.  The rain pouring the wind blowing and me on the deck under the boom with a needle and sail thread using vice grips to sew it back on. The wind was blowing the bottom of the sail as I tried to stabilize the sail with the wind trying to blow it out of my hands, i had to take a piece of the sail thread tie it to the sail loop and wrap it around the mast tie it and hold the sail in place with my wrist while i worked on it. Needless to say i had on my new strap attached to me and wrapped around the mast and attached back to my offshore life vest. The rain started in but i stayed dry in my suit, but it became harder to sew with the wet material and tools. Finally i got three to four good stitches in punched a hole in to get a piece of paracord through for extra strength. Put the parachord through after about 30 minutes of getting it thru the hole. Tied it together and went to get Steve to get the mast to hook on. By the time he got out there the paracord had come untied already but we still had stitches in. We have to work together to get chord to reattach. I have to flip open the lines that go to the sail when he says so the loop will catch the post as it goes around. While i keep the boat on course and flip open the line latches also!! We got it after three tries kept the boat on course, but let me tell you this is a tough day today for both of us. The stress is through the roof and we deal with it. Sailing is not for sissies i tell you this. You pay dearly for those beautiful azure blue and sea green waters with the wonderful beaches and island breezes that make you just melt into the islander way of life. Steve and I pay for every wonderful moment we spend in paradise. On a prayer we pulled in the main and it worked, !!!!!! YEAH!!! Our excitement was unbridled. Exhausted and stressed we collapsed after settiing anchor in a protected island cove with the three other boats. We saw some other boats there also that had left Bimini the day before us. David radioed us and stated how impressed the others were that we fixed our sail while underway. Sometimes you just dont have a choice.  Sleep  here we come!