02.12.2004
Trimaran title sponsor B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe and third biggest in the world. http://www.diy.com
DAY 5 MEDIA RELEASE: PROBLEM ONBOARD B&Q TEMPORARILY SLOWS ELLEN...
Today's Audio now available : em021204a_uk_e.mp3
KEY DATA AFTER 5 DAYS 7 HOURS:
14 minutes behind Joyon
(data communicated by Thrane MiniC via BT YAHOO!)
Lat/Long: 26 11 N / 022 02 W (225nm SW Canaries/565nm NE Cape Verde Islands)
Average Boat speed: 15.41 knots (heading WSW)
True Wind speed: 14.2 knots
Distance sailed so far: 1731 miles
Update based on data recorded at 1510 GMT...check http://www.teamellen.com for the latest data updated hourly...
IN BRIEF:
* ELLEN SLOWS B&Q TO CHECK SLIGHT MOVEMENT OF THE index RUDDER CASSETTE BOX... "We have had our fair share of problems since leaving - ranging from leaks in the water system, to a creaking noise from the rudders..."
* FALL BEHIND RECORD BY A SMALL MARGIN BUT PACE IS STILL EXCEPTIONALLY FAST... Joyon reached the equator in 9 days, 8 hours, 23 minutes, routing models show B&Q crossing equator on Tuesday - Ellen's 9th day at sea...
* ELLEN TAKES ADVANTAGE OF MORE Stable NE TRADE WIND CONDITIONS TO SLEEP... "I need to sleep as much as I possibly can as the weather is relatively stable..." (see full Ellen email log below)...
* WIND FORECAST TO VEER FURTHER RIGHT TO THE NNE, Ellen looking to gybe back to port later today... (see Commanders Weather below)
* CHECK OUT RACE VIEWER CONSOLE at http://www.teamellen.com... Click on Positions icon on the menu bar to go to 'Ellen's nav station' with all the B&G boat data instruments displaying the latest data (updated hourly). Click around each instrument for different info - boat/wind speed, heading, wind direction, etc - click enlarge on the right-hand course map to see current positions of Ellen, Joyon and the 'pace' boat - see Jargon Buster below - (this animation also shows inbound tracks for Joyon and pace)...
IN DETAIL:
Yesterday morning, Ellen noticed a slight movement in the index rudder cassette box at the stern of the index hull. The cassette box houses the top part of the rudder which is designed to 'kick-up'[ie flip up by 90 degrees] if it collides with anything. The fuses, or fittings, that hold the rudder down are replaced if this happens. On Monday, Ellen reported the rudder had 'kicked up' although she could not confirm the reason why, whether it was a collision with debris or the rough conditions at the start that over-stressed the fuses. Ellen managed to replace the fuses and get the rudder back down. However, the recent discovery of the movement, albeit minimal (1mm) prompted Ellen to investigate further.
Working with her weather routers overnight, Ellen took a course slightly further west to get to lighter winds and flatter seas and managed to slow B&Q enough for 1 hour this morning at approx 0900 GMT to make a thorough check. Later in a phonecall to her shore team, she reported there was no damage to the rudder, the fuses or the cassette box. Ellen is planning to insert 'wedges' to minimise the movement and reduce the creaking noise being generated by the movement of the rudder cassette box at the transom. She will continue to monitor any further movement.
Ellen's fast progress has been temporarily slowed but she is back on track heading to the next landmark of the Cape Verde Islands - approx 560 miles along the race track. The breeze is forecast to clock further round to the right (NNE) and Ellen will need to put in a gybe back on to port around 1800 GMT tonight. Current routing models predict Ellen will cross the Equator on Tuesday - her 9th day at sea - and is in with a chance of setting a new Equator record.
ELLEN LOG - 1300 GMT:
Well, I think that last night was my first real sleep since leaving a few days ago - and though I felt pretty groggy as the sun came up, I knew that it had been very, very necessary. Trying to sleep on poor B&Q who is relentlessley powering through the oceans is far from easy - this was never going to be an easy record to break. Now I think, and maybe just in the past few days, I realise what the scale of the task really is... I have felt under immense pressure since leaving - the pressure of that clock that never stops, and those minutes that never stop flowing. I've felt nervous, and tired, and generally pretty damn stressed since we left too. I've rarely felt any sign of hunger - though luckily have been doing this long enough now to realise that I need to
just eat anyway - and luckily I have done that. That's at least one part of me that is working correctly and that's a start at least!
We have had our fair share of problems since leaving ranging from leaks in the water system, to a dangerous creaking noise from the rudders. Some frighten the life out of you and others just make you realise that the list of things out here never ever stops. Each problem is just a few more grams of your energy gently sapping away...
The big storm we just went though was good for me I think, as it made me go into 'surviuval mode' into the 'just get to the other side mode' which at least stopped me thinking about all the stressful things. There's nothing like a gust over 45 knots to focus the mind on what is important in that moment!
But today whilst hanging off the back of the boat, whilst lifting the index rudder out of the water I was taken up sharp. I had my head in the rudder cassette box, lookig for damage in the case, but as I looked down I saw a mesmerising flow of bright blue water flying beneath her hull. Such a contrast it was to the stressful hour of slowing the boat down for repairs - that I smiled out loud (if you can do that!) and lent down to touch this beautiful miracle of life. Just water - but in that second it was priceless....
So, time for bed now. I need to sleep as much as I possibly can as the weather is relatively stable. Having said that though the winds been up to 25 knots and down to 16 since I've been typing this mail...
later then
EXTRACTS FROM AUDIO CONFERENCE AT 1200 GMT TODAY: courtesy of Geolink/Iridium
To listen to Ellen's audio live from on board B&Q, go to http://www.teamellen.com and click on the audio/video icon on the menu bar or download from http://www.ocftp2.com/audio/ellen/em021204a_uk_e.mp3
[This does not include any comment on the rudder]
WEATHER ANALYSIS FROM COMMANDERS' WEATHER:
From: Commanders' Weather Corp 0600UTC Thursday, December 2, 2004
Low pressure is doing a counterclockwise loop off the coast of Portugal and will now head more SE. Meanwhile, high pressure near 40N/25-28W is ridging southward. Wind is now lighter and generally from the NNE. Expect wind speeds of 10-17 kts much of the time today (Thursday) with the wind clocking during the course of the day.
head SW towards 22W and then likely turn more south. Should have some better breeze between 22-23W and would like to hit that area. After the fairly light winds today, expect wind speeds to fill in Thursday night and Friday with speeds of 14-20 kts.
Shoot towards 22W, or a bit further west, then come more south along 22W towards 20N. Will have a little less wind on Saturday, but still 11-17 knots. We may get some light air late Sunday/Monday as you go through the Doldrums.
Routing
1) current position to around 26N/22W then more S
2) best breeze around 22-23W, less around 25W then towards 21N/22-22 30W
3) Equator crossing Tues at 27-28W
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, time is UTC
Thursday, Dec 2
09: 010-030/11-17
12: 020-040/11-17, near 26 20N/21 20W
15: 030-050/11-17 possible gybe around 22W
18: 030-050/11-17
Partly cloudy to fair. Seas 4-7 feet
Friday, Dec 3
00: 040-060/12-18, near 24 30N/22 05W
06: 040-060/14-20
12: 040-060/15-22, near 21 10N/22 10W
18: 040-060/15-22
Partly cloudy. Seas 4-7 ft
http://www.commandersweather.com
JARGON BUSTER: Pace boat is simply an imaginary boat
sailing the best possible course around the globe based on Joyon's time, thereby setting a 'pace'. The best possible course is the average speed of Joyon, over the distance he actually sailed (26938.42 miles) in 72 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes and 22 seconds, levelled out. Pace travels the same distance each day (distance divided by record time), along the optimal route - so if Joyon is ahead of the pace boat it shows he was on a relatively fast part of the course for him, if he is behind it, then it was a slower part of the course and the same goes for Ellen's progress. The pace boat will finish the same time as Joyon's track.
Click here for further information on Sailing Speed Records
http://www.sailspeedrecords.com and here for information on Ellen's campaign http://www.teamellen.com
To change frequency of email updates selecting daily, weekly or major, please click here http://www.teamellen.com/updates.asp
Official Partner of the Day: OMEGA
Official Timekeeper of Ellen MacArthur
For further information, please contact Offshore Challenges:
Lou Newlands or Lucy Harwood
T: +44 (0)870 063 0210
E: lou@offshorechallenges.com or lucy@offshorechallenges.com
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