05.12.2004
Trimaran title sponsor B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe and third biggest in the world. http://www.diy.com
DAY 8 MEDIA RELEASE: NEW EQUATOR TIME LOOKING POSSIBLE............
KEY DATA AFTER 8 DAYS 7 HOURS: 13 hours 26 minutes ahead of Joyon
(data communicated by Thrane MiniC via BT YAHOO!)
Lat/Long: 06 35 N / 027 20 W (520nm SSW Cape Verde Islands / 395nm N Equator)
Average Boat speed: 9.78 knots (heading SSW)
True Wind speed: 7.6 knots (direction ESE)
Temperature onboard: 35 degrees down below, and no air conditioning, or air even!
Distance sailed so far: 3010 miles
Update based on data recorded at 1510 GMT...check http://www.teamellen.com for the latest data updated hourly...
IN BRIEF:
* B&Q indexTAINING ADVANTAGE, GETTING PUSHED SLIGHTLY FURTHER WEST...B&Q slowing as winds decrease and direction veers to ESE forcing B&Q [currently on port gybe] further west...
* "JUST TOUCHED SOME WIND AT 110...feels like the beginning of the 'other side' but am sure tonight is going to be tough, squally and Doldrums like!" cautioned Ellen as she reported in a moment ago.
* CAN ELLEN SET NEW TIME TO THE EQUATOR...approximately 395 miles north of the Equator, Ellen is expected to cross the Equator early tomorrow evening and could set a faster time than Joyon's 9 days, 8 hours and 23 minutes...
* AFTER CROSSING INTO THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE...Ellen will have to negotiate the next weather obstacle in the South Atlantic - the St Helena High - before heading in to the Southern Ocean...
OMEGA: Official timekeeper for Ellen MacArthur
IN DETAIL:
On day 8 of Ellen MacArthur's solo, round the world record attempt, B&Q has sailed over 3000 miles at an average speed of 15.3 knots and built her biggest margin so far ahead of Joyon's record to over 13 hours. As Ellen approaches the Doldrums, wind speeds have decreased as forecast this afternoon and boat speeds have dropped from 20 knot averages overnight and this morning to around 10 knots. A slight change in wind direction from a straight easterly to the ESE is also pushing Ellen slightly further west away from the direct route south, but this is also a good sign of the southern hemisphere winds starting to near. Crossing the 'boiling point of the earth' is fraught with unpredictable conditions and keeping clear of cloud masses with calms inside them, yet using the sometimes viscious squalls to make progress, calls for a cool head. The squalls bring dramatic changes in wind speed and direction but are critical to making a fast passage through to the Equator: "It doesn't look to bad at all, I'm just pulling up a satellite picture and we're in a fantastic clear blue area but to the south of us there are a lot of clouds and I'm just hoping they are going to move away to the west in the next few hours so we can pass through without too many problems..."
The Equator that marks the transition into the southern hemisphere, lies approximatley 395 miles south of B&Q's current position. The routing models are predicting B&Q will cross Monday evening or Tuesday morning and if this is proved correct, Ellen looks on the pace to set a new solo time to the Equator. She will need to cross before 16:33:44 GMT on Tuesday (7.12.04) to beat the time set by Joyon of 9 days, 8 hours and 23 minutes.
B&Q will then be on the hunt for the stabilised ESE Trade Winds by Tuesday/Wednesday before dealing with the next major weather hurdle - the St Helena High - a huge area of high pressure that can cross thousands of miles blocking the way through to the Southern Ocean.
In Ellen's mind she has broken the trip down in to 5 sections - "the way down to the Equator, from there to the Southern Ocean, the Southern Ocean, from Cape Horn back up to the Equator, and then the final bit home". Phase 1 is nearing completion...but represents only 10% of the distance to sail.
EXCERPTS FROM ELLEN AUDIO 1200 GMT : courtesy of Geolink/Iridium
To listen to the full audio http://www.ocftp2.com/audio/ellen/em051204a_uk_e.mp3
How are the weather conditions?
"We've still been very lucky with the breeze, we've still got 10-11 knots from the east so we're making due south at the moment at about 14-15 knots which is a pretty good speed to be coming into the Doldrums area. The boat seems great - no major problems, checking things and making sure things are ready for the Southern Ocean which seems unbelievable close in a strange way and also looking at the weather seeing what we are going to have in the South Atlantic..."
Is your passage through the Doldrums looking okay?
"Right now, things have been okay but we're not through yet. We're still at 7 degrees north and things seems alright - it all depends what the next satellite picture brings to know what the next conditions are. It doesn't look to bad at all, in fact, as I'm talking to you, I'm just pulling up a satellite picture and, right now, we're in a fantastic clear blue area but to the south of us there are a lot of clouds and I'm just hoping they are going to move away to the west in the next few hours so we can pass through without too many problems..."
What are the conditions like on board?
"It's unbelievably hot, it's good to be on a multihull because you're moving quickly and you've got a nice breeze over the deck but it's very hot and humid. The cabin temperature is around 32 degrees inside and 29 at night - it takes a lot of your energy away..."
What about sleep - are you getting enough?
"I've virtually slept in the cuddy [on a bean bag] on the outside of the boat and I think I've only slept on the bunk on the inside twice since the start line - you feel more comfortable out there, you feel closer to the boat and closer to the ropes. I am trying to recover as much as possible so when we go into the South Atlantic and the changeable conditions, I am as rested as I can be because I've realised sleep is one of the most important things we can possibly have..."
WEATHER ANALYSIS FROM COMMANDERS' WEATHER:
From: Commanders' Weather Corp 0600UTC Sunday, December 5, 2004
Good wind pressure and wind angles continued on Saturday and made for very good mileage south. Today, we will be getting closer to the Doldrums and more in the way of cloudiness and some widely scattered showers. Expect less wind and more variability in wind direction today with the more cloud cover and the scattering of showers. Goal will be to continue to get south and believe best route is still between 27-28W. For the most part, there will be an ENE to E wind at 7-15
knots, lightest coming later today and tonight.
Expect improving conditions later Monday once to the south of 3N. Flow will clock a little more and the wind will become ESE Monday night and on Tuesday. Winds on Tuesday should return to 13-20 kts. Plan will be to come a little west of south Monday and Tuesday. Expect to reach the Equator sometime later Monday night/early Tuesday.
Then stay in the better ESE flow, probably heading nearer to 30W during Tuesday.
Routing: Gates are trying to keep you in the max wind strength
1) 5N/27-28W
2) 0/28-28 30W - prefer 0/28W
3) 5-6S/30-31W - prefer 30w as strongest wind there
4) 10-12S/30-31W
5) 20S/31-31 30W
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, time is UTC
Sun, Dec 5
15: 060-080/12-16
18: 070-090/11-15 - lightest near and west of 28 30W
Variable clouds with scattered showers and squalls - most activity may be west of 28W
Mon, Dec 6
00: 080-100/ 8-12
06: 100-120/ 8-12
12: 100-120/10-14, near 2 35N/27 30W
18: 110-130/12-16
Scattered showers and squalls ending around 2N then partly cloudy
http://www.commandersweather.com
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
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
Email powered by Active24
http://www.active24.com
B&Q has over 350 stores in the UK, China and Taiwan and employs about 40,000 people. With its sister DIY company Castorama which has stores in France, Italy and Poland, B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe and third biggest in the world.
http://www.diy.com
|
