14.01.2005
Trimaran title sponsor B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe and third biggest in the world. http://www.diy.com
DAY 48 MEDIA RELEASE: B&Q LOSING TIME IN LIGHT headWINDS...
KEY DATA DAY 47 1510 GMT:
Distance ahead: 1468 miles
Time ahead: 4 days 11 hours 16 minutes [representing 17.37% of time reindexing] calculated using the average speed of Joyon's time around the world
OMEGA: Official timekeeper for Ellen MacArthur
Lat/Long: 46 10 S / 055 59 W (325 miles NNE Falkland Islands / 480 miles E Argentinian coast)
Average Boat speed: 11.76 knots (heading NW)
True Wind speed: 15.3 knots (direction 027)
Distance sailed so far: 19,876 miles at an average speed of 17.5 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 STRUGGLING IN LIGHT headWINDS ahead of approaching low pressusre system and losing much of the hard-fought for advantage over Joyon.
* WEATHER Ahead PROVIDES GREATEST CONCERN as strong winds tomorrow may provide some fast downwind conditions but area of high pressure blocking path ahead.
* SLEEP VERSUS DIY, three hours of sleep and five hours of DIY, as Ellen tackles the jobs the Southern Ocean wouldn't allow. But she is extremely fatigued and the conditions of today have not helped her recuperation, as endless sail changes are required to keep B&Q moving.
IN DETAIL:
B&Q has been struggling in light headwinds since this morning - the fast downwind conditions of the Southern Ocean are a distant memory - as the complicated weather systems of the South Atlantic come into play: "I am very worried about the weather coming, it will make me have to push myself hard to get through the front and get passed the high pressure system. It will force a lot of sail changes - I am already having to do one or two sail changes every hour or two to keep moving. The biggest worry is the weather and trying to keep ahead of the record." Winds decreased to just 6-8 knots at lunchtime, shifting from the NNW into the NNE as Ellen tacked <> on to starboard in the wind shift, heading on a north-westerly course, 325 miles north of the Falkland Islands. The knock-on effect is tangible as MacArthur loses six hours of her advantage since 0710 GMT this morning. <> is now 1,468 miles ahead of IDEC, equating to 4 days, 11 hours and 16 minutes ahead of Joyon's time [calculated using the average speed of Joyon's time around the world]. But at this stage on his record attempt, Joyon was still in the Southern Ocean sailing over 20+ knots in the fast downwind conditions.
These conditions will not help MacArthur, who desperately needs time to recuperate, as the changeable wind speeds are forcing MacArthur to make constant sail changes. She has managed some sleep through the night but the jobs list is demanding attention: "I got some rest last night - about 3 hours - if I hadn't I wouldn't have been able to do what I've been doing today. Have just spent five hours getting on with the jobs I couldn't take on in the Southern Ocean - I have changed back to the air-cooled generator, fixed the tiller, repaired the rudder bearing, bailed out the whole boat and now I need to repair the Active Echo [the boat's transponder that helps B&Q to show up on a ship's radar]. Without the rest I had last night, I would not been working on these things, that's for sure."
The current light airs and variable direction that Ellen is experiencing are likely to continue through the rest of this evening as the cold front approaches. This all changes later in the night and into tomorrow when the wind should settle into the west or south west, increasing to 25 knots (35 knots in the squally gusts) and producing fast conditions in the right direction. Looking forward into Sunday the winds will continue to be gusty up to 45 knots again, and it will be important for Ellen to keep pushing north, though closing on the coast will be something that she must avoid as the wind will almost certainly run out. Sailing deep downwind and as fast as possible will give Ellen the best chance of getting the better of a high pressure system that is a real threat to progress on Monday and Tuesday. However, this big push must be balanced against the risk of damage to the boat or skipper. headwinds will, once again, be a feature of the coming week and this will prove a testing time tactically. The 2400 mile stretch between where B&Q is now and meeting the band of south-east Trade Winds off the NE coast of Brazil will be a testing time that can easily trip up Ellen's march on the 72 day record.
WEATHER ANALYSIS FROM COMMANDERS' WEATHER:
Summary:
SW wind will arrive around 20-22UTC today. Will have to hold port gybe, but we want fast and deep as possible as we must get N
a) high pressure will exit the coast N of 35S on Mon and we must get N of the high and not get stuck S of the high - this is the mission
b) we will need an early gybe, since port gybe is nowhere near the course needed, so gybe on a 200 TWD and deep/fast as possible to get NE and N of the high by Mon afternoon
Little low near 44 30-45S/58-59W is moving ESE
a) we have been headed and winds very light, which means low is near and probably passing just north of us
b) cold front, with the new SW wind is just west of 60W. Cold front is moving quickly NE, but starboard tack is very important. Our goal is to get north of 33S, so don't want straight west on starboard unless only option - cold front will catch us, so best we can to the N.
Think cold front will arrive around 20-22UTC Fri
a) initially, winds should fall into the 15-20 kt range, but
b) between 1 and 3 hours after the wind shift, wind speeds should increase to 20-30 kts
c) port will be the favored gybe to get north initially, but do not want to go to the coastline, so when starboard is favored, we must gybe and head NE - suspect this gybe will occur between 06-12UTC Sat and the TWD are looking for to gybe on will be 200
d) our only hope is to get N of the high, so we need deep and fast
Wind forecasts
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, time is UTC
Fri, Jan 14
15: 010-070/ 4-9
18: Light/variable, as the cold front approaches - could even be a light NW
wind
Mostly cloudy with a few showers. Careful, small chance of a thunderstorm this afternoon. Mostly cloudy and cooler tonight with a chance of a 1 or 2 fast moving, quick hitting showery squalls.
Sat, Jan 15
00: 240-210/22-28, up to 35kts possible in gusts
03: 210-230/24-32
06: 210-230/24-32, only 20-25 kts of wind speed near 58W
12: 190-210/25-35, near 40 20S/56W, on starboard
18: 190-210/30-35, gusts 40-45
Mostly cloudy and cool with numerous squally showers, which will end later at night. Seas increasing to 18-24 feet late day/overnight.
Sun, Jan 16
00: 290-210/30-35, gusts 40-45
06: 200-230/24-32
12: 210-230/20-26, near 36S/48 20W
18: 210-240/12-17 - if winds back, then we pass E and N of the high
Showers ending and clearing skies with seas falling to 10-15 feet overnight.
http://www.commandersweather.com
PARTNER OF THE DAY : OYS
Official rigging and hydraulics supplier 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
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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.
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