20.11.2008
48 hours doing battle in light airs
This morning, Safran was still making headway at 11° N, 600 miles from the
equator. However, the exit from the Doldrums, which Marc Guillemot will be
right in thick of from midday, is situated at 3 to 4° north. It’s from this
latitude that the SE’ly tradewind will enable him to take up with speeds in
excess of ten knots once more.
On the eleventh day of racing, Marc Guillemot has a 24 hour deficit on the
leader, the latter experiencing his first real reduction in pace on the
Atlantic chessboard yesterday. Indeed this same phenomenon is set to incur
the same penalty for the skipper of Safran today. Although the Doldrums is
barely active in terms of lines of squalls, there are certainly some zones
of light wind in evidence. Thanks to his very W’ly position, Marc has
positioned himself as best he can to cross the zone. The programme for the
next 48 hours is simple: do whatever it takes so that Safran never comes to
a standstill!
Hands to the sheets
In these very light conditions, with any breaths of air measuring just a few
knots, the best helmsman by far is the automatic pilot! Switched to compass
mode to follow the desired heading without fault, it has no trouble holding
a rectilinear trajectory on this glassy, almost lifeless sea. Marc will
spend his time adapting the trim to get the most out of the slightest sniff
of air. This air is so subtle and versatile that it’s imperative that you’re
constantly next to the sheets. On the foredeck, the entire range of downwind
sails is ready to be hoisted. Although Safran is currently making headway
under large spinnaker, the large gennaker or the large genoa can be hoisted
at any point should the wind change direction. Between these manœuvres and
an hourly analysis of the satellite images in order to stay in the best
possible wind channel, Marc won’t sit idle between now and the exit from
this famous inter-tropical convergence zone.
Anything is possible in the Doldrums
The latest satellite images show a new sector of very light wind ahead of
the frontrunners. The leading group is not out of the woods yet then in this
tricky zone, especially as these conditions seem keen to accompany them in
their journey southwards. Here though, everything moves very quickly. The
past hour of truth is no longer that of the present!
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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