Deep Blue Racing Blog

After twelve months of ups and downs and a roller-coaster ride of emotions, trials and tribulations, Quokka has finally found herself back on top as she picked up an array of silverware at Antigua Sailing Week.  For me the last twelve months has been somewhat draining and to be honest I have regularly questioned our future plans and the direction to take moving forward.  I have a passion for my racing, coaching and building race teams that continually drives me forward but it is fair to say my resolve has been tested to the limits with so many of the unforeseen obstacles that have continually presented themselves.

As the final countdown for Antigua Sailing Week begun I started to become more and more excited as the team took shape, the plans started to come together and Quokka was looking in fine shape.  A huge amount of effort was put into the campaign and I was adamant that Antigua Sailing Week was going to be the highlight of the Caribbean season.  This regatta was one where absolutely everything fell into place, ran like clockwork and exceeded all expectations!

I collected our Wrangler Jeep on day one and drove to our luxury crew villa to check it out in anticipation of the arrival of the team.  After a fun drive along the one mile dirt track I walked through the front door of our villa and was instantly taken in by the architecture, design and luxury.  The views over Mamora bay were stunning and at that moment a good feeling set in and was to stay for the duration of the fortnight.  As the excited team started to arrive over the next two days the smiles increased and the atmosphere was natural but fun as the partying began and the team had the chance to bond for a couple of days before even getting on the water.

The great thing about everyone arriving so early for Antigua Sailing Week was that it gave us time to acclimatise to the tropical heat and enjoy a great social life without it affecting our sailing and preparations for the regatta!  Having said that, we possibly over indulged on the night before the first training day on the water, the result being rather amusing as a couple of the team fell by the wayside with sea sickness, a mistake that everyone vowed not to make again.

After three solid days of training our first taste of competition was to be the Round Antigua Race.  The focus of the team was outstanding and we had the added pressure with the presence of Digby Fox, a cameraman who was filming us for the event documentary and Matt Sheahan of Yachting World, who was nominated as our tactician for the first four days, whilst he was contemplating what angle his feature in the magazine would focus on.  I think it is fair to say we gave him plenty of ammunition and he wont struggle for a story for a variety of reasons!

Quokka flew out of the starting blocks and ripped most of the fleet apart with a perfect start and great pace.  Lancelot 2, skippered by Chris Jackson, was our closest rival as we had an intense match race for eight hours which resulted in a tie between us for first place overall!  Our campaign had gotten of to a flying start and we all realised what Quokka and the team was capable of, filling us with confidence going into the first race of the regatta.

Over the next few days we had some close, exciting, fun and highly competitive racing with the two First 40′s, Lancelot 2 and Southern Child, our closest rivals. After two bullets on day two we were top of the leaderboard and somewhat excited!  Then on the last race of day 3 disaster struck as we were deemed to be OCS and subsequently disqualified!  Our saving grace was that there was a discard once six races had been sailed, but there was no room for any further mistakes.  Suddenly there was an immense amount of pressure on us moving into the second part of the regatta.  But first there was to be a lay day and it will come as no surprise that we went out and partied that night away in true Quokka style!  It was sore heads all around the next morning but the atmosphere amongst the team was unbelievable.

With three races left we had a lot to loose and could quite easily have ended up off the podium.  The decision was taken to be more conservative on the  starts, which came with the risk of being out gunned on the start line.  In the second race our extremely bad start was to become one of my many highlights of the week.  We were spat out at the back of the fleet and rounded the first mark in 8th position, which put us well out of contention for the chocolates at that moment.  However, with pure determination, concentration and exceptional sailing from everyone on board we ground down the fleet to make a remarkable recovery, taking line honours and 2nd place on corrected time.  We were back at the top of the leaderboard.

Ash, my fellow pro on board and I worked really hard on the light wind performance of Quokka during the week, a wind strength that had become a weak spot for us.  With much playing around with sail setup/selection and rig tuning we cracked it on that penultimate day, just when we needed it most.  This gave us a huge amount of confidence going into the last race of the series with a forecast of just 5 – 7 knots of wind.

We had been warned that Southern Child, the only boat that could now beat us, was going to attempt to sail us down the fleet, Ben Ainslie style; if they could get us into sixth position they would win the series no matter what position they came.  The psychological game began with 15 minutes to go as they started hunting us down to demonstrate their intent.  I had rehearsed the start over and over again in my mind, had a game plan and executed it to get a great start with plenty of separation between us.  The teamwork and boat handling was outstanding which enabled us to get our nose into clear air and we never looked back.  Everyone held their nerve in a hard fought race that could have gone so very wrong.  We crossed the finish line an hour later to score our fourth win of the week. The atmosphere on board was electric as we celebrated our victory, I was ecstatic and boy was it a good feeling to be back on top.

The prize giving in the historic Nelson’s Dockyard was the final highlight for me.  We were called up onto stage to receive our prize for winning the class, what I was not expecting was to be told on stage that we had also won ‘Best British Yacht’ and ‘Best Charter Yacht!’  Wow, what a surprise.  The morale was at what I thought was a high when during our celebrations we heard Quokka’s name called out again!  We knew we had to get back up on stage but had no idea why.  At the bottom of the steps to go onto stage I saw Ross Appleby of Scarlet Oyster who has a massive smile on his face.  I quizzed him as to what this was for and he responded ‘it is for 2nd overall in the entire regatta, now get on stage you idiot!’

OMG what a feeling that was, it was one of the best emotions I have had in my sailing career, probably only rivalled by the news that we had won the ‘RORC Yacht of the Year’ in 2009.  You can probably guess how hard we partied that night.  What a night, what a week, what a year and what a team!  This goes down as my best inshore regatta ever and more than makes up for every bit of heartache of the past twelve months, in addition and most importantly, I have made many new friends who I cannot wait to sail with again  It has all been worth it and Quokka is back where she loves to be, winning races.

Quokka is tonight berthed ‘stern too’ in the stunning Antigua YachtClub Marina, surrounded by some of the largest and most magnificent super yachts in the World, including the 280 foot Maltese Falcon!  At 0900 our time (1300 GMT) we shall slip the shelter of the beautiful Falmouth Harbour as we head to the start line of our first race of the 2013 season, the gruelling RORC Caribbean 600 Race, which promises to be a somewhat tough race this year!

With the forecasted wind not expected to drop below 20 knots we can anticipate a rough ride as for much of the race there is no shelter from the trade winds that have been blowing hard across the Atlantic for months!  On the positive, whilst it will be wet and windy, the sea temperature is about 25 degrees at the moment!

We will be competing against some of the fastest race yachts in the world, all crewed by some of the worlds elite sailors.  With over 50 boats entered in the race this one promises to be a classic as the RORC Caribbean 600 continues to grow in popularity.

Quokka is in great shape and ready for action as we kick start our Caribbean adventure.  We have had four days of training and preparation with the team in the most perfect conditions and are now raring to get started.  Our routing software is suggesting a fast and furious race which could be completed for us in just three days!  ICAP Leopard are hoping for just under two days and we are looking forward to resuming our close rivalry with Scarlet Oyster, who had the edge on us for the ARC.  Now it is hopefully payback time as we are going to give it everything to level the score sheet!

I have already written and posted my last philosophical and deep literary (non) masterpiece about life aboard Quokka as she carves her way across the Atlantic Ocean. For my final blog I want to simply draw you a picture of what life is like aboard on our last night as we close ever closer to St Lucia and the finish line, which just six weeks ago seemed unachievable, a goal out of our reach due to the cruelty of mother nature and bad luck soon after Quokka departed on her journey.

We were treated to another stunning sunset as Steve Bruce (aka Ratatouille) served up our last supper of the race. The air was warm and some of us were working on deck in just shorts and no shirts. The wind was blowing a refreshing 23 knots and spirits were running high as the day slipped away and was replaced by an enigmatic darkness. The night was quite special as it was the coming together of a fortnight’s hard work where friendships were formed and we learnt much about Quokka and all her quirks.

I am sure that Andy must swallow a packet of batteries every morning for breakfast as he has endless amounts of energy. Early in the evening he decided that he was not going to let a Lobster beat us without a fight and enticed Josh into a a superb display of trimming that put us elders to shame. It was wonderful to watch the energy that they both put into getting every last hundredth of a knot out of Quokka as we hunted down the lobster, they were perfectly in tune with the wave pattern and completely in sync with the helm demonstrating their talents and showing us why they are national champions.

Throughout the night Quokka thundered down the face of each wave creating a spine chilling roar whilst displacing 14 tonnes of water every boat length as she accelerated up to speeds of 15 knots before burying her bow into the wave in front. Sometimes Quokka would catch the next wave, as Josh and Andy perfected their trim, rise over it and hurtle down the face of it as she launched into the dark abyss with sustained speeds in the teens with no one quite knowing what would be in stall for us at the bottom!

The blackness of the night is poignant in understanding the skills of everyone on board, when I say dark I mean as dark as the ace of spades, a blackness where we can see nothing and the crisp white kite by daytime can only be described as an outline of a shape that we know is there but cannot really see, we have to feel it. Lights down below are banned and torches on deck are an unwelcomed accessory that serve only to ruin what night vision the helm might have. The trimmers and helm work tirelessly together to keep Quokka going at full pelt, every wave is felt and puff of wind dealt with as Quokka is on the edge but under control and being pushed hard. We are occasionally caught out and the helm and trimmer work hard to bring control back.

Over the last two weeks we have all learnt a huge amount about Quokka, we know her intimately well and in the powerful ocean we are like dancing partners, understanding and anticipating each others every move like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The ocean controls us and we nurture Quokka through it as she looks after us with the reward of raw boat speed. For those of you who are familiar with Quokka you will know that downwind she had a reputation of being a little bit feisty at the best of times, like an untamed animal. Now, with a few modifications and better understanding between man and beast she is more like a lively lady wanting to dance the night away. Quokka is a finely tuned race machine that requires a perfect balance to perform and keep her on her feet. The loads are astronomical and extra care is taken at night to avoid the sharp bite that is always awaiting an unsuspecting victim. We must use all our senses including our sixth sense to make it work at night and that is only learnt with many hours at sea.

The enigmatic darkness of the night is interrupted only by the constant grinding of winches and creaking of the sheets as they are eased with meticulous precision. The crack of the kite refilling and the subsequent shudder of the mast can be felt and heard worse down below and is a sure way to get the attention of the skipper. The flicker of lightening on the horizon keeps us entertained whilst the occasional shooting star leaves a trail emblazoned in the sky as it passes overhead at thousands of miles an hour, then there was the flying fish that landed in the cockpit, much to the irritation of a perplexed Philippe (French) who was taken quite by surprise, but it amused the rest of us! If we dare look up at the sky we quickly become mesmerised by the unusual abundance of stars and the Milkyway that are unspoilt by light pollution.

As the waning moon finally came up at 0300 it was a deep and dull orange crescent where a full circle of faint light surrounded the rest of the moon that was hidden from us in darkness. As it gained height in the sky the orange glow became a brighter yellow that provided sufficient light to cast a gentle shadow over the boat. It also helped lighten the sky sufficiently to make helming much easier, requiring yet another sail change to put the larger kite up and restore Quokka to max performance. This meant everyone was needed on deck, so not much sleep for anyone tonight as the watch system is continually broken due to our lust for speed and success!

I have just finished my last night watch of this race and at 0600 I am sat at the chart table with just 65 miles left to run to the finish. We are due North of Barbados which means we have crossed the Atlantic Ocean. There are no fewer than eight new Transatlantic yachtsmen on board Quokka who have all enjoyed a life experience, an experience which we hope you have gained a good insight to through all of our blogs. Our small inshore race yacht has made it across this vast Ocean and is now ready for a well earned rest in paradise.

This race has very much been a race of the hair and tortoise, the hair has never stopped but in the dying stages has struggled to pull away from the tortoise that is plodding along behind. It has been a battle of David and Goliath where the giant slayer is holding a sword to the head of his oppressor but is unable to take that last swing for the final blood. We have now done all we can in this race and are on the last run in to Rodney Bay having given it our best whilst throwing everything we have in our armoury at it.

Once we cross the line we will have a long wait to see if we have been able to take Scarlet Oyster on corrected time. We need to beat them by about 19 hours, unless they slow up or have technical issues it is unlikely we have a large enough gap. However, it will be a tense wait to see if David can take that final swing of the sword! What we do know is that we will be in a restaurant tonight enjoying a well deserved meal at a table that is dry and does not move! You can probably guess what is on the menu……it is not that we have anything against Lobsters, but quite frankly, they can be a pain in the arse!

Posted on 08/12/2012 by French Philippe on Quokka

Cards are now on the table. Nothing we can do more. We did our best and we will see what the result will be. Let’s face it: Since yesterday we have had strong tradewinds again, perfect for Scarlett. Their rig allows them probably to have a jib on pole on one side and the main sail on the other side and she can go directly down wind to St Lucia. We can’t do this with our carbon fibre rig which is not designed for such forces and have to play with volatile spinnakers. Therefore they regained ground on us while we were supposed to continue to escape thw dark destroyer.

Last night was awful with no light at all, strong wind and some rain which forced us to do more spinnakers’ games than anyone on board would have desired. It gave a chance to our little “chicken chute” to go once more out of his bag before arrival.

We have a last micro chance which will be the 15 hours after we have finished where weather can be different for us and them. So, this in mind, we continue to “suck diesel” as they say at helm …

Whatever the result will be, we will have nothing to regret. At no point did not we try our hardest. Peter admits he has not set up the boat with the experience of ARC specialists such Scarlet Oyster. He says it has been like taking a smart Maserati car off road on a rally circuit! Scarlet with their experience have drastically reduced their handicap specifically for this race by having smaller sails and only one upwind sail given the predominantly strong downwind conditions.This would lead to them being vulnerable in the light winds as we showed 2 days ago in the only time the wind dropped. If only it had stayed light for another 12 hours!!!! However we came to learn work as a team and consolidate friendships and show Quokka is a ocean going boat. In these perhaps more long lasting aims we have not failed in our objectives and Peter promises to not feel that by coing second he is a failure!

We believe that what you have read in this blog proves it.

We are now 200 miles away, still have one main strategic gybe to go before the night and begin to dream about what will expect us there.

For me and I believe for other members of the crew, it has been an adventure, beyond our expectations. A couple of points would need more developments but one which I would like to highlight is the following:

We have built an heterogeneous community with people from different cultures, different sort of experiences, background and jobs and it turned out to work perfectly, How?

First, we had no personal ambitions or individual agendas, were driven by the same sport objective and clear prior to leaving Gran Canaria about this. In the real life, it is rare to find these situations and internal competition sometimes take it over on the mutual objective. So , let’s not be naive and consider this as a window in time , maybe difficult to reproduce in another context.

Second is about our skipper, Peter. A lot has been said by Philippe Falle in a previous message which we all share, so I don’t want to voice it over but try to resume my feelings about Peter: Friendship is the first word which comes in mind. I will never thank him enough for his invitation to share this adventure with him. He has been a fantastic skipper, caring about each one of us, finding the right words and attitudes all the time. Resilience comes second as he has shown all along this trip his endless determination, showing the way to all of us, extracting the last bit of energy from the crew and from the boat.

Third is Philippe Falle. Not because he said nice words about me earlier today but because he is a great watch leader and much more. He is delicate, elegant, sensitive, efficient and moreover comprehensive. Did I do everything right in his watch ? Far from it ! But he has always been helpful, put me back on track, gave precious advice and at the end got the boat going and his watch unified like the 5 fingers of the hand. So, anyone willing to discover what offshore racing is about, you will be safe and competitive in Philippe’s hands through his organization Deep Blue Racing.

Last but not least, Doug Innes. Not a usual suspect of Quokka as well but a true sailor in all senses, teaching us along the way how to use a sextant and , with his professional activity at Teamforce, has been excellent to share information and get everyone at the right level of skills. He has always put in senible suggestion covering safety while we have the throttle hard down but Peter may never accept a “preventer” without a gun to his head!

And of course, all the actors of this play including those offshore. Here I need to mention 3 in particular: Chris Tibbs which you have heard already about for his superb forecasts, suggestions and encouragements. But even more so, Isobel, Peter’s wife. She has been with us all the time, sending us additional information by E Mail , anytime of the day and night. And finally Chris, her son, our webmaster without who this blog would not exist . The three of them are definitely part of the crew!

Tomorrow will be sadly our last message from the race. But if you feel like continuing, we will !

Posted on 08/12/2012 by Philippe on Quokka

Yesterday was my favourite day on this race so far. It was just one of those days where everything fell into place and worked well from both a sailing perspective and a personal point of view. As I mentioned in a previous blog, the position reports we receive every four hours have a direct impact on the morale aboard and yesterday Quokka was crowned as the race leader. Obviously this lifted the atmosphere on board to a new height as the tactical gamble we had made the day before paid off beyond our expectation.

For me though, yesterday was more than just about the euphoria of the early evening position report, it was a day that I felt most at ease and comfortable on board. A day where everything fell into place and I realised what is was about this race that was really good for me and my personal development. As I sat on deck, on my off watch in the late afternoon sun, I gazed at the horizon and absorbed the atmosphere in a relaxed way that I am not normally able to do at sea. I was reflecting upon the race so far, my role, the dynamic of the team and my future as part of the team.

It suddenly dawned on me why I was able to relax in such a way that is normally denied to me! Normally when I am racing offshore on Quokka it is with my Deep Blue Racing team, as we regularly charter Quokka from Peter for various events. For nearly 3,000 miles before Quokka left Grand Canaria I had been the skipper on board. I have now joined the regular Quokka team to race in the ARC and have gelled into the team as a crewmember with joint responsibilities as helmsman and navigator, I am the newbie and getting a taste of what it is like to join a new team as a relative outsider.

Over the years Peter has built a very talented team to race with him on board Quokka. As you will have gathered from (French) Philippe, there are many talents and skills on board that go way beyond just the sailing, which includes a rigger, sailmaker, the cook, a boat clown (he knows who he is), the singer, structural engineer, a surgeon (hopefully not needed) a sailing instructor (just in case) and we even have our very own boat builder (always needed). We want for nothing on this team and I have been able to take a massive step back from my normal responsibilities at sea, which cover all of the above but with nothing like the level of joint ability this team have.

Whilst sitting on deck and taking the opportunity to relax I realised that the burden of being a skipper and all the responsibly associated with it had been lift from my shoulders. At that moment I became very aware of the pressure that it places on a person and the fact that the pressure had gone made me feel liberated and able to enjoy the day in a different way to normal. Everyone on board has personal challenges to overcome on an adventure of this magnitude, for me it was coming into a team that I did not know well, being accepted by that team and performing a role that I am not normally accustomed to. It has been a pleasure sailing with this team and learning a new role has given me great satisfaction and a more diverse understanding of team dynamics at varying levels.

Moving on, as you have probably noticed there are two Philippe’s on board! The other one is a real Philippe, i.e. he is actually French, I am the fraud, born in London and raised in Jersey! I am sure Philippe has been keeping you all entertained this last couple of weeks as he introduces you to each crewmember with great humour and accurate assessment of character through his superb blogs. You probably know nothing of Philippe so please allow me to introduce him!

When Philippe joined the team he knew no one other than Peter but has fitted in exceptionally well. He possesses the character and charm of a man that hails from the south of France, the sophistication and eloquence of a man that lives and works in Paris and the passion for the sea of a man that spends much of his spare time in Brittany sailing. Indeed his father worked with the famous Jacques Cousteau so his love for the sea was ingrained from an early age. As a successful career man Philippe is well known in France as a past president of the UNCL, the French equivalent of the RORC, which is where he met Peter whilst he was the Commodore of the RORC. Philippe is the epitome of a French man, only he has a great sense of humour that translates very well into English. He keeps us very well entertained at all times and his continuous smile and good nature are a pleasure to have on board.

As my best day drew to a close I was able to enjoy the stunning sunset whilst the other watch were pushing Quokka hard to gain every inch they could on the Lobster. I am always left in awe of the changing moods at sea as mother nature provides us with many displays of natural beauty to be marvelled at. As the sun disappeared over the horizon the clouds and sky continually changed in colour and texture starting with pinks and bright oranges. Then as night closed in the cumulus clouds (the white fluffy cotton wool type ones) were silhouetted as they hung just above the horizon in front of a sky that gradually changed to a crimson colour and then a deep scarlet before the lights were turned out on another day.

Posted on 08/12/2012 by Peter on Quokka

Notes from the skipper
Last night in a nut shell we lost 7 miles against Scarlet in a long gybe
south which we needed to do and accept the pain to get into the right
position for morning. In a tough night of absolute pitch black with at least 5 meter confused seas, 20 to 27 kt winds, multiple sail changes and
difficult tactical decisions. A couple of mistakes on hoisting tested
tempers but the crew worked unbelievably hard together to keep us on track.
What it has done for me has been to throw into sharp relief how deep the crew has had to reach into themselves to keep Quokka on the case!
For those of you who are sailors you know how it feels to be roused out of your bunk at 2am to perform instantly to cope with a crisis which the on watch team need more hands to cope with. The fact is that you turn up on deck completely disorientated and are expected to perform a job you don’t usually do with split second timing and subtlety.
I would like to describe to you parents how our 2 youngsters performed both last night and on the trip both as a team. They both shone last night and performed individually and as a part of the team in a way that should make you very proud.
So our 2 youngsters Andy and Josh
Josh has come alive in this trip developing skills both of sailing and
trimming but most importantly becoming an equal in a team of older men . He has discovered how to cope with extreme discomfort and bad jokes and the rough and tumble of living in a very small area with tired occasionally grumpy people. He has developed an intuitive skill in getting everything ready for manoeuvres and the ability to spot problems before the occur. He no longer is the youngster but a core member of a group of equals. I feel proud to have been able to give him the opportunity to grow almost visibly every day. The smile on his face when he knows he has got something right over trim is heart warming.

Well done Josh!

Andy.
As any one who knows and will expect Andy is our jumping bean, rushing from job to job eternally trying to make the boat go faster and prepare for the next problem. Always checking and checking again ropes, sails all are subject to his scrutiny for wear thinking of ways to make things go more smoothly. A mercurial temperament of close to sailing genius. What he has done is to realise how much he is a part of a team and to appreciate the more plodding members in their roles. He is developing personal skills of team management which will be very useful in his future life. He has not lost his sense of humour even at 3 am coming on deck to sort out some cock up with a spinnaker take down or hoist.

Thanks Andy a pleasure to have you aboard and a job well done.

You parents and relatives should feel very proud and be assured I think this adventure will be a small part in their development as human beings. Thank you for allowing them to come it has been an honour to have them.

WE have not given up hope over beating Scarlet but it will take a huge chunk of luck to go with our hard work. Still 274 miles to go and anyting can
happen. WE will push on.
Peter

Posted on 07/12/2012 by French Philippe on Quokka

Already 2200 miles behind. On the cockpit’s counter we can see less than 560 miles to go. In a Fastnet, we would be between Starpoint and Eddystone, just at the beginning … thus we have the feeling that, streching our arm, we could grasp a handfull of St Lucia’s sand. This shows how time and space are relative notions.

Posted on 07/12/2012 by Peter on Quokka

Hi All

Well that throw of the dice has helped but we now need to concentrate on not making any silly mistakes and keep pressing the accelerator flat down. Scarlet will escape soon from the hole if she hasnt done so already. We need a lead of about 180 miles to be able to be sure we can rest easy whatever speed Lobster fimishes at, and we had 132 miles at 1800 GMT today. So over the next 2 and a half days we need to increase our lead by about 18 miles a day or 3 miles a 4 hour report. We hope to get some in the bank in the next 24 hours. We do well in the lighter winds as I said before, as the last few hours have proven, but in 36 hours the wind will increase,

At the very end of the race in this stronger wind Scarlet will have an advantage as she will have a better sailing angle to come in to the finish than us. We are therefore trying to slip as south of west as possible now to come down to between her and the finish and thus reduce their advantage. Many offshore races are won or lost in the last few hours so we are trying to keep on our toes but rest so we dont become grumpy morons!

Boat time has been gradually moved backwards as we pass through the time zones and QMT (Quokka Mean Time) is 3 hours behind at present. By doing this our short night watches continue to coordinate with darkness.

Philippe Serenon will be giving one of his great blogs tomorrow, but here is the nuts and bolts of grinding out a result.

Peter

Posted on 06/12/2012 by Peter on Quokka

Hi All

Firstly thank you for all your comments on the blog. Chris my stepson sends then on to us in a compressed package and they are all read avidly. Please keep them coming.

Just a line or two from me to explain what we are doing and why, and how today is so critical.

Yesterday a large hole in the wind opened up in front of us about 75 miles wide with very light winds forcast. Chris Tibbs our weather guru back home in the UK advised us to avoid it to the north and so we sailed very high almost away from St Lucia to get North and out of the hole. It added some miles but avoided the risk of being in almost no wind bobbing around going nowhere.

Scarlet had landed up in a position that this area of very light wind was dead ahead of her. Ross the skipper has decided, we think, to try and sail through the middle of the patch of light wind rather than sail round it like we did.

One of these 2 options will be right!

We are now just passing to the North of the light patch using what in nautical terms is called a “hand rail” of 10 miles away from the projected are aof no wind. We are romping allong at 7.4 kts. We are scared to aim directly at the mark as we could be sucked back into the big hole!

Today the race will be decided in a great part .After today the winds will settle back into the Trade Winds and we will be able to put a spinnaker back up and romp towards the finish in 18 to 20 kts of breeze. That is great but means that Scarlet and Persephone will also romp towards the line after we have finished so we need lots of distance ahead of them.

With regards to Persephone we are keeping a close eye on her but hope by being behind us the big hole will suck up her wind if it goes as our weather computer programme predict.

I stayed up last night to make sure we tacked at the best time we could guess. But a good nap before dawn has left me ready to keep pressing on even if a little sunburnt from yesterday!

Wish us luck because meterology is not an exact science and it could all have been in vein!

Peter

Posted on 05/12/2012 by French Philippe on Quokka

Hi all,

Today was one day of very good news: during the 2 past days we have more than doubled our capital on Scarlett, moving from 35 to 81 miles ahead of them. Still the race is far from being finished as the wind is uncertain for everybody and we must continue on this path to secure our position.
We are sailing for now in 10 knots which is higher than expected but we swapped the kite for a Genoa since we are beating which of course slows us down compared to the past 2 days.
So our course has been adapted and, as good chess players, our navigation experts continue to anticipate the next move. So nothing is happening which is not under control at this point. Staying in the pressure is definitely the priority and so far we have pretty well succeeded. Hours to come should bring new improvements if forecasts are precise and we all cross fingers.
Our expectations and forecast is that Scarlett would have less wind, even if coming from astern and that we will continue to escape gradually.
But this requires all our attention and concentration, even if today there has been more helmsmen than usual and that Peter gave a great training sequence to Josh to teach him how to best trim the main.

Life wise, nothing special today just the regular question when you are of watch: should I burn outside or cook inside?

Talk to you tomorrow now !