23.12.2004
Trimaran title sponsor B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe and third biggest in the world. http://www.diy.com
DAY 26 MEDIA RELEASE: GALE FORCE CONDITIONS FOR CHRISTMAS...
KEY DATA DAY 25 0710 GMT: 11 hours 14 minutes ahead of Joyon
OMEGA: Official timekeeper for Ellen MacArthur
Lat/Long: 43 54 S / 071 25 E (300 miles N Kerguelen Is / 2115 m W Cape Leeuwin)
Average Boat speed: 18.54 knots (heading ENE)
True Wind speed: 15.5 knots (direction NW)
Sea temperature: 12.3 degrees C
Distance sailed so far: 10,205 miles at average of 16.8 knots
(data communicated by Thrane MiniC via BT Business Broadband)
Update based on data recorded 1510 GMT...check http://www.teamellen.com for the latest data updated hourly
IN BRIEF:
* B&Q LOSING TIME IN THE MODERATE CONDITIONS OF TODAY... But the gentler speeds are allowing Ellen time to thoroughly check B&Q in preparation for the storm to come...
* ELLEN WILL BE BATTLING GALE-FORCE CONDITIONS BY CHRISTMAS EVE... 35-45 knot NW winds with gusts up to 50 knots [Force 9] the closer the storm gets to B&Q...
* MINOR COLLISION IN THE NIGHT REVEALS NO DAMAGE but it was a heart-stopping moment for Ellen...
To listen to Ellen's audio, courtesy of Geolink/Iridium, click here http://www.ocftp2.com/audio/ellen/em231204a_uk_e.mp3
IN DETAIL:
B&Q has passed 300 miles to the north of the French Kerguelen Islands. B&Q has covered 10,205 miles of the typical 26,000 mile round the world course, at an average speed of 16.8 knots, and is holding a slim and reducing advantage of 11 hours (less than 1%) over Francis Joyon this afternoon. Ellen is sailing in moderate, 15-18 knots of breeze, under blue skies and sunshine with full indexsail and genoa, which could not be in starker contrast to what lays ahead for Christmas. The only thing on Ellen's mind is the forecasted gale-force conditions and how long she can stay ahead of the cold front that will bring these winds. Christmas presents, Christmas pudding and other traditional fayre, could not be further from her mind: "Christmas, today for me, is a big question mark right now, because its either going to be a day where we stay ahead of the cold front and sail to the east very fast, and successfully, or we're caught up by the front and we end up in 50 knot breeze followed by very little behind it and very rough seas. So Christmas is one of those two things for me - there is very little time to even think about the fact that it's Christmas Day and the fact that I'll be missing my family. So perhaps concentrating on the boat and the tactics is perhaps the best thing."
As if the drama ahead is not enough to preoccupy MacArthur, last night was another sleepless night spending hours fixing the watermaker - and even that was interrupted by a unexpected collision: "I am a bit shaken up after last night... I was on the phone talking to Loik [boat captain] about the water-maker and I literally got thrown forward on the chart table [as boat speed went from 26 to 14 knots]. It was more of a shock knowing that you had hit something but the boat seems okay. I was very, very lucky, I think." Ellen was unable to identify what <> had collided with but confirmed that no damage was sustained in the incident.
The moderate conditions today, although not producing the normal top boat speeds close to the 20 knot mark and, hence, a reduction on her advantage, are giving MacArthur time to prepare for the storm ahead: "I've been checking things over before this storm, making sure all the hatches are sealed and just going over the boat, really, just making sure we're okay because we're going to get are arses kicked for the next 3 or 4 days and I'm just trying to manage that and make sure we're ready to change to the right sails [quickly], and all the sheets are led in the right place and nothing's going to chafe - tiny details that are really important."
B&Q is now heading on an ENE course having gybed back onto port, after spending 10 hours on starboard heading ESE through the night, as MacArthur pushes B&Q to the safer waters further north of the huge depression that is to her south. The centre of the low pressure system is 1000 miles to her south but is powerful enough to generate frontal systems that sweep in from a westerly direction delivering gale-force, and occasionally storm force conditions, and that is what MacArthur is waiting for. The NW breeze will slowly increase in pressure over the next 18-24 hours delivering 35-45 knots by Christmas Eve. MacArthur's objective will be to sail as fast she can to the east, keeping ahead of the frontal system and not let it pass over her - the closer the cold front gets to her, the stronger the breeze [gusting up to 50 knots], and the worst case scenario is if the cold front passes right over B&Q leaving little wind but an extremely rough sea state. MacArthur will me making every effort to keep B&Q's stern out of the jaws of the approaching storm but as she said today: "It is about to kick arse and I am feeling very nervous..."
WEATHER ANALYSIS FROM COMMANDERS' WEATHER 0600 GMT:
Ellen has continued to make steady progress. Weak trough now to the east and the WSW flow will be clocking during into the WNW today. As the wind does clock, the index objective will be to move towards the ENE. Winds will be less today than yesterday, generally 15-23 kts.
Big area of low pressure well to the south with its associated cold front will be coming east. The combination of the deep storm and higher pressure off to the N and NE will start to bring increasing NW winds later Thurs night and Friday. The NW winds will become more NNW and N ahead of the front Christmas Eve and Christmas day. The winds will become strong during Christmas Eve night and Christmas day with potential of 35-45 kts with gusts over 50 kts for a time late Friday night and Christmas morning. The strongest winds will be to the south of 44-45s, so it will be important to stay north to be better able to cope with the system and the big seas with it.
The front will be close by later Sat and Sun and it will be slowing down.. Just behind the front, winds will become very light, while strong NNW winds continue east of it. This will be another hurdle to deal with over the weekend.
Strategy
1) best speed to the east or a little south of east
2) want to be back on port as soon as the WNW wind develops and then fast as possible to the ENE and NE - probably around 09-11utc
3) will want you at or N of 43s, NOT south of there to try and avoid strongest winds and seas and give us a better chance of not getting bogged down in the front
Wind forecasts
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, time is UTC
Thu, Dec 23
09: 250-270/14-20 - wind may spike to 22-24 kts briefly
12: 270-290/15-20, near 44 50s/70 50e, going back to port and as fast as possible
18: 290-310/15-20, winds lighter to the E and N
Variable cloudiness. A brief passing shower?
Seas 12-16 feet 1st half of the day then 8-12 feet the 2nd half of the day
Fri, Dec 24 - wind clocking - may need to get even further N-
00: 290-320/18-24 - as fast as possible to the ENE
06: 320-340/20-28 - wind lighter to the N and E
12: 320-350/20-30, near 43s/80e
18: 330-350/20-30 - we must have our northing in between 12-18utc
Partly to mostly cloudy. Increasing threat of showers overnight..
Seas becoming confused overnight. Seas 8-13 ft will build to 10-15 ft but with peaks up to 16-18 ft.
Sat, Dec 25 - may need to be further north to be in better position with
the stronger N winds
00: 330-360/22-32
06: 340-010/28-34, gusts to 40-45
12: 360-330/35-45, squalls to 50-55, near 43 30s/91e
18: 340-310/40-30, staying just E of the cold front - wind stronger to the
S and E
Mostly cloudy with showers/squalls. Some heavy squalls with gusts to over 50 kts. Seas very rough - building to 20-25 ft+
http://www.commandersweather.com
JARGON BUSTER : VMG
is Velocity Made Good ie the resultant speed B&Q is making towards the actual finish as opposed to the actual speed sailed through the water. It is very rare that a raceboat can sail directly towards its destination due to the direction of the wind at that time, or the long term strategy required to avoid calms or storms. If its possible to sail directly towards the finish then VMG will equal boat speed. For the mathematicians, the VMG will be the cosine of the angle between actual course and the direct course, times the boat speed across the ground ie always less than the boat speed. This means that although Ellen has sailed over 10,000 miles now through the water, her distance made good is considerably less at approx 8,700 miles.
PARTNER OF THE DAY : SONY
Official supplier of IT and Digital Imaging Equipment to Ellen and the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team
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
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
|
