Oceanracing 2006 - VELUX 5 Oceans

Velux 5 Oceans - Alone-Round the World Yacht Race
www.velux5oceans.com - Übersicht

03.11.2006
KNOX-JOHNSTON KICKING HIMSELF

"Thursday was thoroughly frustrating. I decided, based on an old grib file and a Met France forecast of winds from the west in the west, to go west of Madeira and spent the day in a succession of tacks punctuated by nasty rain squalls that brought the wind up and caused it to veer as much as 60 degrees. However, at the expense of distance over Dalton I have gone west and hope for a proper veer soon. Prior to the wind change, if I tacked it would be towards Madeira again. Saga Insurance is a reaching machine, not good at beating, and I think my tactical error of allowing myself to get too far east has cost me at least 100 miles. Very annoying.

Robin - der Erfahrene

A hawk joined me for a short while, settling about four feet from me. It was about 20 inches wing span, tawny brown in colour, but we did not get time to get better acquainted as a rain squall arrived and when I had tacked a couple of times in that, once inadvertently, he/she was nowhere to be seen.

The clouds were the first giveaway that a change in wind direction was coming, so I tacked at 22:00 hours and was soon making south, heading to clear Madeira. The wind has eased a bit since, so more sail has gone up. I kept it down in the squally area as I don't like seeing a foot of leeward deck underwater! Then I managed to get some sleep. Inside for the first time in three days as I have been lying in the cockpit the other nights to be able to deal with things quickly. That little round cushion makes all the difference, keeping the pressure off the coccyx which seems to be steadily improving, just a slightly sore feeling if I sit the wrong way now.

In all the excitement I forgot dinner, so chewed on some Spanish dried sausage. Normally I would have had freeze-dried. Lunch is still bread, cheese and onion, and breakfast muesli with fruit when I feel like it.
Got through to APP TV for an interview. I don't think anyone appreciates what is involved this end for just a few minutes. First, top up the fuel tank, always difficult to avoid spillage when the boat is bouncing. Mop up the spillage which gets diesel all over your hands. Start the engine and run for about two hours to build up the voltage, the Fleet 77 needs at least 12.5 volts. In between, deal with a couple of squalls. Daren't sleep as there is no means of ensuring I would wake up for their schedule. Try and get through via satellite. This usually involves at least two re-boots of the computer, not easy when everything is bouncing around, and sitting watching the thing try to sort itself, a) through the satellite and b) through the ground station and c) through the land lines and d) into APP's office. It was the office part that failed on Wednesday.

Oh for a 9-5 job where the desk is still, you aren't in damp clothing, bouncing around, and have had a full night's sleep! Of course having run the engine for a couple of hours the cabin is like a greenhouse which does not help and all the time watching out for the next squall. At least that works my end. The various other systems supplied or fitted at the last minute will require more time to master when I get it. Too much information at the last minute, the brain said enough!

No news of the others except for position reports. I see Dalton has stolen a small lead at 2000 last night, the last position I have received. This may have gone up a bit as I didn't tack for another two hours after that, but I am now well west of him unless he had to tack in which case I will be ahead again. His boat is proving nice and fast but it's time to leave him behind!

New position just in, I am ahead of him again, but the longitude given for me is about 3.5 degrees east of where I am, and I think the same will apply for Dalton as well."