22 April 2012
Surfing, exploding spinnakers and 30-knot squalls
The pack of three, Global Ocean Race (GOR), first generation Akilaria Class40s are hammering north towards the Caribbean reporting 20-knot surfs, exploding spinnakers and 30-knot squalls as the speed averages climb and the trade wind sailing fulfils its promise.
However, for the first time in 17 days, there has been a significant dent in the expanding lead of the GOR’s frontrunner, Cessna Citation, with the chasing trio of Class40s making gains while Conrad Colman and Scott Cavanough hit lighter airs 400 miles due east of Puerto Rico as the North-East Trade Winds cease to perform. While distance gains or losses within the back three have been kept below ten miles over the past 24 hours, Cessna Citation has dropped 50 miles to the trio since Sunday afternoon.
Conrad Colman explains the situation: “We’ve been sailing in very different wind from the others and seemingly they’ve been reaching along happily, whilst we have been doing light, VMG running on a much more northerly course,” he reported on Monday afternoon. With GRIB files supplying conflicting data and routing options varying dramatically, the duo gybed onto port at 10:00 GMT on Monday. “This was exciting as we hadn't done a manoeuver in over a week!” says the Kiwi skipper. “We now have a whole other side of the boat to get used to; another bunk to turn into a sweaty mess and another door to use when going out to helm,” he explains. “It’s just like going on holiday! You still have the same stuff to do, like cooking dinner and making beds, but it’s in new surroundings so it feels exciting and fun!”
The hated Sargasso weed is also slowing progress for Cessna Citation: “There's still enough weed about to make us sail as if walking through a mine field,” continues Colman. “Relatively frequently we need to sock the spinnaker and round up into the wind to sail big clumps of it off the keel and the rudders,” he explains. “We've polished this manoeuver so we can get back up to full speed again in less than two minutes, so it’s an easy decision to make as the boat quickly becomes unwieldy from the turbulence on the rudders.”
|
